For those of you interested in the work of Independent Authors, there is a new web magazine that’s going online -
Please check it out. It is being published by the operator of The Book Journal (Indie Book Reviewer) and IndiePendentBooks (online bookstore for Indie Authors).
Well, yes. You would be correct if you guessed that the interesting author will be me.And I know some of you get to chat with me a lot in person. HOWEVER, this is a special blog chat, promoted by the bookstore IndiePendentBooks.com, and its dedicated owner Josie Kramer.
So if you have questions about Is Harvey Dunne? but were just too afraid to ask, you can now question me with anonymity through the live chat. Cool, huh?
If you’ve always wanted to know where the character of Harvey came from, or why I wrote about this issue, all you have to do is join in the chat! See, easy!
So just click here, and you will be magically transported to IndiePendentBooks.com for my live blog chat on Wednesday, December 23, at 4:00 CST. Hope to see you there!
IndiePendentBooks.comFor authors, especially new authors, the road to traditional publishing is very winding and rocky, and could lead to the treacherous world of insanity of you’re not very, very careful. There are many talented authors out there who don’t succeed in their efforts to win representation by a literary agent, or get publsihed by a traditional publishing house. Therefore, they decide to self-publish. (I, myself, am one such author). But what then?
After self-publishing, the author is left with marketing his new masterpiece – a daunting task. Even though there are many media available in todays world, the author has to figure out how to make their book ads stand out and get noticed.
For those of you who appreciate the talent of self-published authors, otherwise know as Indie Authors, there’s a new website dedicated to their works. IndiePendentBooks.com is stocking its virtual shelves with books which have gotten good reviews from TheBookJournal.com. And yes, you guessed it, Is Harvey Dunne? is a featured book on that site.
I invite you to check out the ever-increasing selections at IndiePendentBooks.com. You’ll be helping Indie Authors find their audience, and you may just find some buried treasure! (And your treasure will even be delivered to your door gift wrapped – you can’t beat that!
The Joke (Depending on How You Look at It)
The subject of my novel came up at the dinner table the other night, and when I said to my daughter, “Yes, I’m publishing it,” she said that she knew I would someday, and I said, “No, it’s being published right now.” Well, you would have thought I’d told her I was destined to be the next Stephenie Meyer – she bubbled over with so 
much excitement I thought she was going to hyperventilate. She exclaimed, “Yeah! Mom, you found a publisher!”
And then I honestly, but proudly, told her, “No, I’m publishing it myself. I’m self publishing,” and I stood just a little bit taller, in defiance.
I’ve never seen an expression change so quickly – she stopped in mid giggle, in mid smile – changed the expression to one of bland pity – and just said “Oh.” Apparently she thought it was too patronizing to be happy for me self -publishing a book. Like, “oops, I shouldn’t have said anything – how embarrassing .”
And I’d just gotten over the vanity of thinking I had to be published by a traditional publisher! Sucker-punched by my own child – the one I gave birth to, painfully I might add.
Who said knock-out punches and Grand Slams only happened in the sports world??
The Reality
The reality is that it took me way too long to get over the vanity of thinking that my book wasn’t a great, marketable book just because I wasn’t going through the traditional publisher route. Today’s reality is that an author must do most of the marketing work themselves anyway, so why not self publish? The goal is to get the book out there, and that’s just what I’m doing. Hopefully it will be ready in the next few weeks! (But thanks, daughter, for reinforcing my belief in my own book – it just got a little stronger!)
P.S. And check out the variety of blogs at condron.us
The Main Course
Well, in the middle of a rejection sandwich, and don’t know whether to use mayo or mustard to make it better.
Two agents recently responded to my query: One agent said she liked the writing but the idea was not right for the list. Another agent said she loved the idea, but the book’s format needed a do-over. WHAAAAAA!!!!!!! Help. I’m so confused.
What’s an author to do?
On the Side
THEN, you have the sour pickle on the side – DIDN’T even make the list of finalists in a contest I entered recently.
The Solution
Sounds like this is the perfect meal for a double Margarita on the rocks, with salt!
