Now it’s a buzz word.

The question is, is self-publishing for you?

I am not an expert. I have a novella published with a reputable e-book first publisher (Samhain Publishing) and another novella coming out with a different e-publisher (Carina Press). I have self-published one title (Siren’s Song) and am about to release a trilogy called Thief of Hearts, a fantastical retelling of Robin Hood, where Little John is a woman in disguise.

But, like I said, I am far from being an expert. However, I do want to share my philosophy and thoughts on self-publishing.

First of all, I can honestly say that self-publishing a novella with plans of publishing more has completely altered my way of thinking about writing and given me the motivation to press on in a difficult-to-break-into industry during a difficult economic climate. I have never written more and never had more ideas. This sort of enthusiasm is manna to a writer and is the sort of excitement that is extremely hard to maintain while waiting months and often years to hear back from editors and agents.

As a writer, I consider myself to be an artist. Yet, in what other medium do we expect people to create art and then hide it away until someone recognizes them? Painters, sculptors and photographers have webpages, put on art shows and sell their work while waiting for big galleries to pick them up. Musicians produce CDs and accept money for gigs–some play on street corners, some in clubs, some at weddings and functions–while waiting to make it to the ‘big time’. Why is it any different for writers

In my opinion, it shouldn’t be.

Which brings me to my next point. Because I’ve embraced self-publishing as an option, does that mean I have given up on traditional publishing avenues?

NO!

Diversification is the key. The principal of diversification is not exclusive to writing. As any financial planner will tell you, an investor should have a diversified portfolio. If one area of their  investment takes a nose dive, they’ve got other investments to keep their portfolio healthy. For years, coaches and personal trainers have preached the importance of cross-training in order to keep the body  balanced and free from repetitive strain injuries. There are countless sayings that speak to this issue; don’t put all your eggs in one basket, variety is the spice of life…

Okay. You get the picture.

Therefore, it is my belief that a balanced approach to self-publishing is the way to go. I am going to continue submitting to agents and editors, both at larger houses and small presses. In the meantime, I’m going to build my name with some self-published titles. I have a plan and that is the important point. There are parts of my plan that I have control over, there are parts where I have no control. But I have a plan. If you decide to take this approach, don’t do it willy nilly. In fact, that’s the joy of self-publishing; as an author, you now have the opportunity to create a business plan and follow through on that plan without completely being at the mercy of the market, a publisher, an editor, an agent and so on.

Keep in mind, however, that what is equally important, of course, is quality. Don’t be fooled, self-publishing is hard work. Yes, you are in control, but you are also responsible for everything, that includes the quality of your work–is it good enough? Is it marketable? Is it professional? The quality of your cover. The quality of your formatting and promotions. It’s all up to you. If your book succeeds it is all due to your hard work. If it doesn’t succeed to the degree you’d hoped, well…

Reblogged from Bandit Creek Books:

UNLOCKING THE STORY OF A SECRET Ahh, secrets. We all have them, don’t we? They are those little (and sometimes not-so-little) tarnished nuggets we keep close to our chest. Sometimes we hold onto them to protect others from pain. Much of the time, however, secrets are leaden weights, a burden heaped with shame, guilt and remorse. Secrets can be lonely and, if kept too long, have a habit of becoming corrosive and gaining a certain power over the psyche. In my story, Siren’s Song, the heroine Joss Jones, …

 This blog post first appeared January 22, 2012 in Bandit Creek Books. It is a tale about the circle of life and the strange and wonderful lessons we are here to learn. If you are interested in adoption, this post might interest you.

Here’s an excerpt of the review. “This was a great story with a sense of humor and though it didn’t have the numerous love scenes you normally associate with Samhain books, that wasn’t what it was all about. When Brea and Cahill finally did make love it was a very powerful scene, which was made even more poignant by the fact that Brea gave herself to Cahill in body, but she still couldn’t/wouldn’t be his wife. A fairy tale of sorts that is definitely worth the read, even if you just want to find out what happens to the remaining dragon and the evil step-mother—they always get their comeuppance and let’s just say that this one got a whole lot more than she bargained for! Loved it!”

Go to the Bandit Creek Books web page to check out the Carla Roma interview with Steena Holmes. Devil Unknown comes out November 1, 2011.

In addition, sign up to receive the very fun, very informative Bandit Creek Gazette Newsletter before December 1  and your name will be entered to receive a $100 Amazon gift certificate! Sign up now!!!

Carla Interviews Jade Buchanan About ‘Penny Candy’ & ‘Hard Candy’

Siren’s Song can be purchased at Amazon.com (for Kindle) or Smashwords.com if you have a different e-reader.

Check out Bandit Creek Books for upcoming releases, Penny Candy and Hard Candy, by Jade Buchanan and Devil Unknown by Steena Holmes.

Hi, I’m Carla Roma and welcome to Bandit Creek, a small town with a mountain of secrets. 

Carla:  Before we get to SIREN’S SONG, would you mind relaying the story I’d read about in the newsletter in Japan?

DL: My most embarrassing moment, you mean?

Carla:  That’s the one.

DL:  (sigh) Okay.  It was a beautiful day, the orange blossoms were in full bloom and I was riding my bike home for lunch from the high school in Wakayama prefecture where I taught English.  I was wearing a breezy, cotton skirt that day and was feeling rather romantic as it blew in the wind while I rode down main street…that is until the skirt got caught in the spokes of my bike and was torn completely from the waistband, leaving me…ahem…semi-naked.

Carla:  Oh dear!  What did you do?

DL:  Well, the wheels wouldn’t turn and the torn skirt had me trapped on the bike.  So, I picked up the bike and, with it stuck between my legs, waddled backwards off the street and up against a building hoping to hide the fact that I was clad only in my underwear.  Unfortunately, I had backed myself up against the glass window of a café.  Not pretty.  In an effort to get away from the window, I fell over.

Carla:  Did anyone help you?

DL:  (groan) Yes.  Some men were working on a building across the street and came running to my aid.  I yelled in English for them to go away and then yelled a few random Japanese words, “Mikan dai yo!”  Which means, ‘Big orange, I assure you.”

Carla:  So, how did you get out of it?

DL:  Honestly Carla, I don’t remember.  I think I’ve blocked the rest of the experience from my memory.  But, when I returned to school after lunch, teachers I barely knew came up to me asking if I was okay and why I’d changed.  Word travels fast in small town, Japan.

Carla: I love that story.  Can we talk about SIREN’S SONG now?

DL: Please!

Carla:  Joss Jones is the main character in SIREN’S SONG and she travels back in time.  Can you tell me about her?

DL:  I don’t know about you, but I think most people secretly – and often not-so-secretly – want to be famous.  Well, Joss Jones has been famous since she was a kid and now she’s convinced herself that all she wants is to be normal, so she moves to Bandit Creek.  There’s only one problem…

Carla: …Bandit Creek is anything but normal?

DL: Exactly!  From the moment she moves in, she’s being followed around by a ghost.  Then she’s sucked back in time to Bandit Creek, 1899.

Carla:  What happens when she arrives?

DL:  First of all she thinks she’s lost her mind.  Then she tries desperately to get back home.  Finally, she tries to figure out why she’s there.

Carla:  Why is she there?

DL:  I can’t tell you that, but I can tell you that Morgan Hawes is either the key to her finding her way back home or he’s the reason for her to stay.

Carla:  Who’s Morgan Hawes?

DL:  Morgan Hawes is the tall, dark mysterious man Joss believes is responsible for her being sucked back in time.  He has a habit of showing up at both the best and worst times and Joss thinks he’s another time traveler.  She’s pretty sure she’s supposed to help him get back home but he’s not very cooperative.

Carla:  You’ve written this story in first person.  Was that done for any specific reason?

DL:  Yes.  I felt first person fit this story best because I only wanted to show Joss’s point of view.  I wanted the reader to wonder, alongside Joss, whether Joss is simply crazy, half-dead and hallucinating or if she’s truly traveled through time.

Carla:  What was your inspiration for writing a time-travel?

DL:  Plenty!  One of my favorite romances as a young adult was A Knight in Shining Armor, by Jude Deveraux.  Then there’s The Terminator – loved the premise of that movie and in my opinion the first and second were by far the best.  Lately, I have been devouring Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.  If you haven’t checked out these books, you must!

Carla:  What is your favorite scene from SIREN’S SONG?

DL:  I’d have to say that the last two scenes are my favorite (sorry, I know you only asked for one).  I still get chills when I read those scenes and I hope the reader will feel the same way!

Carla:  Thanks, DL.  Do you have any final words?

DL:  Yes, two things actually.  First of all, I want to thank Carla Roma for inviting me to join this wonderful group of Bandit Creek authors, I’m thrilled to be part of this project.  Secondly, I want to remind people to make sure to wear clean (and pretty) underwear whenever you leave the house…you never know when your skirt will rip off.

Carla:  Thanks for coming by today, DL.  You can find out more about DL Snow at www.dlsnow.ca.  Her book, SIREN’S SONG will be available from Amazon.com and Smashwords.com on October 1st, 2011. If you have questions or comments for me or for DL, please leave a response and we’d be happy to reply!

The first book in the series is LOST (Mystery) by author Vivi Anna and it will be released September 15.

Kirsten Morgan can hear the dead. And now they are calling to her, to come home to Bandit Creek.

A girl has gone missing, and the law don’t have any leads. But the last thing Sheriff Samuel Morgan wants to see is his famous psychic daughter in his office telling him how to do his job. At odds for years, Kirsten doesn’t know how to talk to her father but she knows she has to push him to a place he doesn’t want to go. Because the dead are talking, and she has to answer, or lose her mind forever.

My Book SIREN’S SONG will be released October 1st.  Love the twists, turns and paradoxes involved in a good time travel?  Then I think you’ll like SIREN’S SONG

Siren’s Song (Romance) – October 1, 2011

After giving up fame, Joss Jones just wants a normal life.  Maybe she’ll find it in Bandit Creek.  Or…maybe not.  From the moment she moves into the old mansion she inherited, she’s stalked by a ghost who enjoys tormenting her before dragging her back in time to Bandit Creek, 1899.  Has she gone crazy or is this old mining town, full of saloons, gambling, whoring and fortune seekers her new reality?  It feels real enough as does the ghost who brought her here.  His name is Morgan Hawes and he’s a living breathing human being who is very much alive.  Is Morgan the key to Joss finding her way home or is Joss stuck for the rest of her life as the Siren of Bandit Creek?