I’m excited to be one of the authors taking part in the Indie Author Summer Fayre 2021.
It’s a great opportunity to discover new books by UK Indie authors. Here is the summer fayre line up!
This event is happening over two days on Facebook. Join using the link below ?
Also, these seems like a good time to remind you that Ocean Heart is currently free on Smashwords for July 2021.
[kofi]
The MC, Ashley, has moved to a new town, Emerald, for a fresh start, with her dad and his new girlfriend. Can she out run her past?
The girl friend works at Ashley’s new school and introduced her to Lucas, a boy in her year group. Ashley settles into her new school quickly as she already has made friends.
Ashley’s auntie has been counseling her to help with behaviour issues that got so out of hand that Ashley was lucky to only have community service.
Ashley is the main character. She went off the rails and is now trying to get her life back on track. She’s very self-involved.
Roxanne is the villain. She is the bad girl from Ashley’s past. Together they had wild parties and commit crimes.
Lucas is the lad that Ashley was introduced to before moving to Emerald. He makes sure she settles into school and has a good new group of friends like Chloe.
Her dad and his girlfriend are really nice. Ashley is struggling with her dad’s new relationship and how she fits in. This was the catalyst for her bad behavior and although she working on changing, she’s still not okay.
This book felt like a book 2. I really wanted to see Ashley go wild and hit rock bottom but the story starts after that, once the dust has settled. Except, Ashley hasn’t really processed what happened.
Ashley integrates into her new school with ease. Her new house is in a nice neighbourhood and next door to one of her new friends. Everything is going good until the burglaries start.
Someone is breaking into homes and stealing peoples jewellery. Ashley can’t help but think her past is catching up with her. When someone she loves gets hurt she decides its time to take responsibility for her mistakes. She runs away from home, back to her old town.
There were a few occasions I felt the story was too safe, and the author could have dug deeper into Ashley’s emotions and upped the stakes. It is a quick easy read.
The story has a satisfying ending with no loose ends. Although it is part of a series you can read it as a standalone. Overall it is a good story about taking responsibility for you actions and forgiveness.
The book deals with or touches on the following topics; moving house & starting a new school, death of a parent, parent remarrying, a new baby to the family, going wild (stealing, drinking, drugs, sleeping around), miscarriage, gun crime, running away/homelessness, and needing therapy.
Below are affiliate links. You can learn more about this on my Affiliate Disclosure page.
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Book Review: And the Stars were Burning Brightly by Danielle Jawando
Book Review: The Practice Boyfriend by Cristina Benjamin
Book Review: Out of my League by Sarah Sutton
Book Review: If the Broom Fits by Sarah Sutton
[kofi]
I’m so happy Ellie agreed to let me interview her as I loved her debut book. There’s a link to my five star review at the end. It’s really exciting to find out what went into making such an amazing book.
I loved Garden in the Sands. It’s not like any book I’ve read before. What genre would you say it is?
It’s interesting that you say that, as Garden in the Sands actually started as a MG fantasy story. When it came to self-publishing, however, I read lots about YA being an easier market to get into. Therefore I re-wrote it, adding Lira’s POV element. Overall I’d say it’s a YA fantasy re-telling.
Despite being set in the desert, it’s very reminiscent of The Secret Garden. Did you plan for it to be like a fantasy version of the classic?
Yes! A re-telling was exactly my aim. I adored Mary in The Secret Garden when I was a child, as she was stroppy and imperfect. She influenced Quil a lot!
There are two MC’s can you give a brief intro to each?
Quil is a human girl born into wealth and privilege that only serves to constrict her. Desperate to gain a shred of attention from her parents, she spent her childhood misbehaving. This led to being frequently sent away from home to learn to become a ‘lady’, something she has no interest in doing. The only ray of light in her life is her main, Sasha.
When she finds herself sent away from the palace and charged with entertaining the sickly prince, she finds she’s not the only one in the world with problems.
Lira was born into greatness too, but as a demi-god this involved learning to wield a sword to prove herself. She rose to the challenge, and when the story starts she is a great heroine. She feels trapped, however, the link to her long dead human mother setting her apart from the other gods. She can’t help but watch the misery of life below in Miran. When a chance arises to break the curse that’s punishing the humans for their king’s crimes, Lira risks all the help them.
Quil learns to garden in the book – are you green thumbed?
I certainly try to be, but it’s a process of trial and error!
Lira is a demi god and fights mythical beasts – did you do a lot of research on this for your novel?
I studied Classics at university, so I’ve loved the mythology of Ancient Greece and Rome for a long time. I knew many of their stories already, but some of the beasts needed some extra research!
Who is your favourite God/Goddess from mythology?
Definitely Athena. She’s so strong and not cowed by any of the males in Olympus. She’s who Lira is based upon.
What can we look forward to from you next?
My next book is and MG adventure fantasy set in Cornwall, where I live.
Where can we go to discover more about you and your books?
Instagram (@ellie_mitten) is where I like to connect with other writers and reads :)
If you enjoyed this you will like:
Book Review: Garden in the Sands by Ellie Mitten
Behind the Book: Crown of Conspiracy by Kara S. Weaver
Book Review: Sea Witch by Sarah Henning
Book Review: Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron
[kofi]
Below are some affiliate links. To learn more about these, please visit my Affiliate Disclosure page.
[kofi]
I love going live with fellow indie authors, and Indie Author Week UK was the perfect excuse.
Joining me live was:
? Romantic Suspense author Cassidy Reyne: https://www.cassidyreyne.com/
? Worldbuilding & World Destroying author Angeline Trevena: https://angelinetrevena.co.uk/
? Contemporary Fantasy author J D Groom (Jodie): https://jodiegroom.wordpress.com/
We discussed what the week is all about and those involved. We talked about how we became indie, our experience, and tips for those considering it, and to help those already with books out.
Going live is terrifying as there’s a fear something will go wrong. But, it builds skills in handling these. Here is what happened:
Kids: I had a few issues getting the kids to bed, so I was cutting it fine when I logged on. I used Stream Yard several times last year for my book launch without issues so I wasn’t too worried as I know it’s super simple. But…
Camera & Mic undetected: I logged on and Stream Yard couldn’t detect my camera or microphone- WTF! This is not what you want when you are about to host a live event. I switched browsers and it still wasn’t happening. It must be my laptop, because when I tried my mobile, it worked!
Unprepared: I wasn’t prepared to go live using my mobile. I had my event notes on my phone – eek! I also didn’t have a stand ready. Although my hubby snuck one over to me a few minutes in when he realised I was struggling to keep it steady. I think I did a good job of keeping the questions going without my notes.
No Link/On screen text: Next up, one of my guests hadn’t got the link to attend. It was in our group chat but for some reason was hidden from her. I accidentally added her cry for help to the screen for everyone to see. I didn’t realise until way into the stream, so you can see it for most of the live.
Lagging & Crashing: Cassidy’s iPad kept lagging making it hard for her to keep up with the chat, and we were rabbiting on. It also kept dropping her. She switched to her laptop and then it was much better.
To find out more about Indie Author Week UK, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndieAuthorWeekUK/
They have a ton of incredible events going on. If you can’t make a live, look out for the replay.
[kofi]
If you enjoyed this you will like:
Behind the Book: Sorceress of Truth by J D Groom
Behind the Book: The Sentinels (series) by Cassidy Reyne
I’m really excited to be involved in this event, especially as so many incredible indie authors are taking part. This year, I’m one of those authors.
I am streaming live to my YouTube channel. Join me on Tues, 15 June at 8pm (GMT+1), where I will be joined by these awesome Indie Authors to chat about why we love being Indie.
The line up includes:
? Romantic Suspense author Cassidy Reyne: https://www.cassidyreyne.com/
? Worldbuilding & World Destroying author Angeline Trevena: https://angelinetrevena.co.uk/
? Contemporary Fantasy author J D Groom (Jodie): https://jodiegroom.wordpress.com/
? And, of course myself, Ally Aldridge: http://lde.tuq.mybluehost.me/
It’s live, so you can join in by asking questions or sharing your thoughts. We can’t wait to see you there.
Here’s the link. Make sure you hit that notification bell so you know when we go live: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TG1203XOADs
You may also want to add the FB event to your calendar so your don’t forget: fb://event/?id=1401390906894506
To find out more about Indie Author Week UK, please visit their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IndieAuthorWeekUK/
They have a ton of incredible events going on. If you can’t make a live, look out for the replay.
[kofi]
If you enjoyed this you will like:
Last year I was the lucky winner of a place on Pagan Malcolm’s course, Story Seller Academy.
This course came at the perfect time for me. I’d recently decided I wanted to self publish my book and the course is perfect for that. This course is all about publishing and marketing your book.
The first module is on mindset and although it sounds a bit hippie, this one is vital. I had previously caught some of Pagan’s free taster sessions on Facebook. Those samples had already empowered me, so doing the full module was next level.
Launching my book was new and scary, and self doubt was already caressing me with her familiar fingers. This module helped me get my head back on track, and to catch self doubt in her tracks before she got her nails into me.
The course covers everything you need to do and consider when self publishing a book. It’s like having someone hold your hand through the process.
Not only that, but there are modules to cover what to do after you publish and other income streams to consider.
There are masterclasses with tips and walkthroughs on how to do a wide range of things. Pagan shares her own personal experiences, including mistakes she has made so you don’t have to.
The course content is shared using videos of Pagan delivering presentations. These are timestamped so if you need to jump to a certain section you can.
Pagan also shares resources to support the content like ideas content ideas for your book launch on social media.
This is a self paced course which means you can study when you want and consume as much content as you like. This was ideal for me because when I gained accessed I didn’t have time. When I did have time, it was all there waiting for me to indulge.
Pagan allows forever access so I can log in and revisit content whenever I need a refresher. She also updates content and adds bonus material. It’s like the course that keeps on giving.
This course has been a real benefit to me and I would recommend it. The flexibility is exactly what I needed to work around my other commitments.
Pagan is a great teacher and really approachable. She was genuinely interested in how I got on with her course as she is continuously improving what she does.
I’m confident her courses will only get better and better over time.
Discover more about Pagan Malcolm by visiting her website: https://psmalcolm.com.
Although I won a place on this course, I was not required to write a review. I was compelled to write this review to help my blog readers discover this awesome course.
Here are some affiliate links to buy her books:
[kofi]
If you enjoyed this, you will like:
My Author Breakthrough Session with Pagan Malcolm
Behind the Book: Lanterns in the Sky by P S Malcoln
Behind the Book: Stuck on Vacation with Ryan Rupert by P S Malcolm
This book is on my pile for June reads, and I’m so lucky that Naomi also agreed to an interview about her book with me.
Meraki is book 1 in your The Syren Story series. What can readers look forward to in the series?
The Syren Stories begins with Meraki when our main character Wren swims away from the greatest threat in the seas. She believes she’s safe until she’s captured within King Kellan’s large net. After hauling her aboard and shipping her back to his Kingdom, we learn that the young King plans to use Wren’s syren song for his own benefit. As the story unfolds, Wren discovers she cannot run (or swim) away from her problems for very long, and as history begins to catch up with her, she must ask herself who is her true enemy? And what the Hel do the gods have planned?
And in Kairos, the adventure continues.
With winter passed and spring arriving, everything appears to be going swimmingly- that is until an arrow knocks Wren out of the sky.
When the mortals she defeated last winter come seeking retribution, she learns that although these mere men are not immortal, they have no problem biding their time.
Revenge, after all, is a dish best served cold. And forgiveness is a gift which can swiftly be retracted.
Full of mythology, magic, mermaids, and fantasy favourite tropes such as enemies to lovers and chosen one, the Syren Stories are sure to float your boat.
Can you introduce the MC, Wren?
Aside from being a syren, Wren is strong-willed, tenacious, and altruistic. Although she appears ruthless and unyielding to some mortals, it’s Wren’s desire to cause no harm to people which sends her fleeing Seven Spikes to begin with. Whilst most mortals would flee screaming at the sight of a centaur or harpy, Wren takes her fellow citizens in her stride and it’s only her inner demons which seem to terrify her.
What are Syren’s like in your novel?
In my book, Syrens are the ruling faction amongst all the creatures who live above and below the waves. They primarily reside in the Water World Queendom within the underwater caves of Seven Spike, but they can slip off their tails crafted from kelp should they want to visit land. Upon leaving the seas, they experience a transition period as the gills which line their sides shut and their lungs readapt to land breathing. During these few minutes, syrens are at their most vulnerable as they are unable to swim or run, nor can they use their legendary songs to protection.
Their veins are full of ichor due to their lingering link to Poseidon, and this means they cannot lie. Syren’s are bound to be truthfully and any vow they make must be upheld unless they want to face their dire consequences which Wren learns the full extent of when she breaks a binding promise to Kellan.
I see book 2, Kairos is out. How many books do you anticipate in The Syren Story series?
The Syren Story series is composed of two books, Meraki and Kairos. I’m currently working on a companion novel which will follow two fan favourite characters as they explore their lives after the events of Kairos.
Can you share a short snippet from Meraki?
There’s a gigantic disturbance in the water halting most of the singing syrens. Waves smack against nearby rocks as water is displaced by something deep down below. A grin unfolded across my mother’s face, as a plump, slithering body breaches the water.
Ugh, I pray to the gods she has not brought a plague of eels with her.
A flash of lightning splits the sky, as the beast splits the water. As it unfolds itself from beneath the waves, water rushes off its endless blank scales.
Through the darkness and sheets of rain I cannot make out its form, but due its limbs and size, it’s definitely not an eel.
Another flash of lightning illuminates the beast.
“Is that…” Kellan’s roar trails off as we are cast into shadow from the monster.
“Hydra.” I gulp.
Meraki by Naomi Kelly
Was this your first published book and why did you choose to self-publish?
The first book I ever published was Trial by Obsidian, back in 2019. This magician story is currently being given a make-over as I have since learnt map designing skills and would love to give readers a visual insight into my fantasy world. Being able to alter my books and have control over cover-art as well as better royalties was a big factor when I was deciding my publishing route. Self-publishing was the right choice for me, and although it can be an overwhelming process at times I’m incredibly lucky to have a support network of other indie authors and loyal readers.
What advice do you have for any aspiring author?
My advice would be to not get overwhelmed with the full story, and instead break the process down into bite-sized chucks. Writing a whole book (or series) is a huge task but writing one page a day is much more achievable. Remember that even the biggest authors in the world take days off so don’t be too hard on yourself if the creativity doesn’t always flow easily.
Where can readers connect with you and discover more about your books?
Readers can follow me and my writing journey over at Instagram(@naomikellywriting), Facebook (@naomikellywriting) and they can read reviews and book quotes on Goodreads.
Meraki and Kairos are avaible on Kindle for eBooks and Book Depositry and Amazon for paperbacks!
Below are affiliate links to buy Meraki. To learn more about these, please visit my Affiliate Disclosure Page.
[kofi]
If you enjoyed this, you
Behind the Book: Tenebrasco by Hannah Read
I love that Felixstowe Book Festival is on my doorstep. They offer a range of events, talks, and workshops. It’s also very affordable. For example, this year, you can attend a full day writing workshop for only £9.99!
To find out more about the various events and to buy tickets head over to the Felixstowe Book Festival website.
You may have already guessed or seen on Instagram, I’ve bought tickets for this years full day writing workshop for the bargain price of £9.99! It is being help in a stunning historic building, the sort that can inspire stories.
I haven’t attended every year, or blogged about every event I have attended. Below are links to my posts about some of the talks or workshops I did attend.
2019 FBF and How to connect with local writers
2019 FBF and The Publishing Industry
2019 FBF and Children’s Events
2018 FBF and Arts & Crafts with Arty Mouse
2018 FBF and Who Runs the World (YA author lunch)
2018 FBF and Learning Through Art
2017 FBF and Alwyn Hamilton – Rebel of the Sands
2017 FBF and All About Picture Book Publishing
[kofi]
Who is Tom MacDonald
Tom MacDonald is an indie artist creating rap music. He has no record label, no publicist, he’s not signed with anyone.
He does most of it on his own, with help from his girlfriend rapper, song writer, video editor, Nova Rockafella. She mainly shoots & edits his videos. Sometimes they enlist the help of of their best friends.
Behind every great man, is an even greater woman! ?
Unknown
How I discovered Tom MacDonald
I discovered Tom MacDonald in 2020. I follow Gothix on YouTube and she posted a reaction video to his song No Lives Matter. In the heat of the BLM movement made me think, “Woah, that’s risky!”
Gothix often speaks out on identity politics and being a black woman. I find her conversations to be intelligent and she supports her points with facts and resources. She gets hate for being controversial, but she’s not, if you listen actually listen to what she’s saying. Here’s the video:
How I became a fan
This lead me to check out more of Tom MacDonald’s videos. I’ve not listened to rap or Hip Hop since the 90s, but I found myself really enjoying his stuff. I subscribed to his channel.
A short while later he dropped Best Rapper Ever. This record needs to be the theme tune of ever indie artist.
As a fellow indie I am well aware of the amount of work that goes into creating and launching your product. Tom is an artist! But like all artists he battles self doubt.
The video tells a story of his inner demon taunting him, and Tom rising above it and becoming The Best Rapper. Believing in oneself is a story many indies can relate to and have struggled with.
Supporting fellow indies
I couldn’t believe this guy had no record label! His small team is his girlfriend (Nova), and two best friends that help out. He writes his lyrics, raps, creates the set, records, edits, formats, publishes, and markets it! He is hitting number one in the charts consistently, and all his profit, is his. Nobody owns him.
I started buying Tom’s tracks from iTunes. As a genuine fan, I want to see him at number one. As a fellow indie, I find him empowering. He encourages me to not give up, to chase my dream, and be a successful indie!
Does Tom diss Eminem?
Whenever someone does well there are those that feel threatened. It’s sad really – Haters gonna hate. Like thinking that fans of Tom’s can’t be fans of anyone else.
Tom is a big fan of Eminem. He’s spoken openly about how he inspired him to get into rap, and is complimentary to his legend. More on this later.
No. He doesn’t diss Eminem but he does have a rap battle with MacLethal. Mac is an Irish rapper famous for his record Look At Me Now, whilst flipping pancakes, and can say 400 words in a minute ?.
Flawdzilla does a great YouTube video reacting to the battle. It’s quite clear that Tom won with his trademark truths, where as Mac resorted to childish taunts that make you cringe. Tom even makes patter cake look cool.
Recently Eminem auctioned the beats of his famous track, Dear Stan. Tom MacDonald placed a bid, and some Eminem fans freaked out. They got scared that Tom was going to use the track to diss Eminem. They created a Go Fund Me to out bid Tom, but Tom won. He used it to create, Dear Slim.
This video really does showcase Tom & Nova’s combined creative talents. They’ve created a set inspired by Eminem’s original video. I think they did it in a matter of weeks too!
The video isn’t dissing Eminem, it’s Tom declaring himself as Eminem’s biggest fan. So big, he has become Eminem.
I enjoyed NoLifeShaq’s reaction video, with guest Tom MacDonald. Seeing Tom react to his own video was next level. He got to share about making it with Shaq, and its just incredible to hear the effort that goes into producing his music.
Another great interview was by Unique Access Ent. and starts off about buying an NFT (how he came to own Eminem’s beat). He also talks about his writing process, generating ideas, inspiration, and everything that goes into making a music video.
My final thoughts…
Tom is not owned by mainstream, and retains his creative freedom. He makes it look easy but so much work goes into producing his results. He has earned every penny, doing it himself, his way. Together with Nova, the pair are unstoppable.
I don’t know how they’re doing it. It feels like they have a new release every other week, but the quantity is not impacting the quality. I hope they don’t burn out which is common with indies. The line between work and play blurs, and we have a habit of forgetting to switch off.
Love or hate Tom, you can’t deny he has talent. He is an example of what working hard for your passions can achieve.
Don’t sit around waiting to be signed. Go make you dreams a reality today. Make it happen!
[kofi]
If you enjoyed this you will like:
Don’t put off writing your novel
Once I decided to self publish one of the first minefields I had to navigate was which platform to use.
Terms used:
Here is a little summary on the most popular choices. Research their current terms thoroughly as they may have changed or I may have misunderstood what I found out. ?
Here are some of the more popular choices in more detail:
At first, I didn’t go with KDP as I thought it meant I would be exclusive to Amazon and I wanted to go wide. , Turns out I thinking of their other service Amazon KDP Select. The name is very similar.
KDP allows you to self publish an ebook and/or a paperback (hardback is coming soon).
You can publish KDP wide. Amazon is a giant in the book selling market place, so it makes sense you’d want your book on their site. However, many bookstores won’t stock Amazon books because they are their biggest competitor. If you want to be in bookshops and libraries it’s best to not to go wide with KDP and choose an aggregator like Ingram. You can publish with KDP & not select the wide option.
The links below are affiliate links. You can learn more about these on my affiliate disclosure page.
Select is when you agree your book is exclusive to Amazon. This does grant you certain benefits. Your book is on kindle unlimited, you get extra promotions, and can offer your book for free.
If you choose this route, you cannot publish your book anywhere else.
This is who I went with. Ingram Sparks are a print on demand service and aggregator. You can do print, ebook, and hardbacks. In fact Ingram has a huge choice of print options.
You publish your book through Ingram and they distribute it to stores like Amazon, high street bookshops, B&N, Kobo, etc. This is often called publishing wide because your book can be sold nearly anywhere. A benefit of Ingram is it can be stocked in libraries like a traditionally published book.
Libraries and bookstores must order your book to stock it. Customers will either request it or you’ll need to approach them to get it stocked. It’s unlikely it will get stocked without any demand. However many online shops will list your book so customers can order it (POD).
They started out as an eBook aggregator for self publishers, but now also do physical print books.
You can use their ISBN for free and they take a cut from your royalties. You cannot use this ISBN on other sites as it belongs to D2D making them the publisher. Or, you can provide your own ISBN and keep all your royalties.
D2D will publish your book wide. A benefit of D2D is you can select or unselect which sellers you want your book to be available to.
They are an eBook Aggregator and store. You can upload your book to Smashwords for them to distribute, but they also enable readers to buy directly from their site too and reward you with 80% royalty. That’s an impressive royalty!
Smashwords allow exclusive deals for eBooks and hold events to promote their authors books like reading challenges.
You can use your own ISBN or they can provide one for free.
They are an eBook & print Aggregator. They have lots of options for paperback, hardback, comics, magazines, etc.
Lulu will distribute your book wide, sell your book from their own shop, and have an app that allows you to sell from your own website. That last option makes me wish I went with Lulu!
You can use your own ISBN or they can provide one for free.
You can publish directly with B&N. I’ve not tried it but I’ve heard authors talk very positively about the quality of their hardback books.
B&N can make your book available in their store and on Kobo. Unlike Amazon Select, they won’t restrict you from publishing your book elsewhere.
Aggregators like Ingram, D2D, and Lulu, can make books available to B&N. I think authors go direct with B&N for their hardback option.
You can use your own ISBN or they can provide one for free.
This is the ebook store for Apple users. Ingram, Smashwords, Lulu and D2D can publish here for you too.
If you have a Mac, you can upload your book directly using their personal book publishing site. They now have a webpage to enable PC users to upload too.
I tried to publish to Apple via Ingram. Unfortunately Apple said my eBook file was too big and rejected my novel.
To fix this, I have attempted to publish directly with them. But, I’m having issues with their webpages. There tech & developer team have been very responsible, it might be just some bugs with the new PC publishing portal – I don’t have a Mac.
A benefit of being on Apple Books is that they are a very popular choice for eBooks by iPhone/iPad readers.
You can use your own ISBN or they can provide one for free.
This is the Android store and allows users to buy and download eBooks. Ingram, Smashwords, Lulu and D2D can publish here for you too.
A benefit of Google Play is that most people without an iPhone have an Android phone, making it another popular choice for eBook downloads.
The benefit of being on Google Play is that Google is one of the largest search engines and by having your book listed in their store (even as just a preview), can boost your discoverability.
I have recently added Ocean Heart and the only issue I’ve had is confirming my bank account. They pay a small amount into your bank to check it’s you. You confirm the amount received, except Google is saying they paid a different amount to the amount I got.
You could find a private printer to produce your book for you. You’d likely need to buy a bulk of books to distribute yourself.
This isn’t self publishing. It often gets confused because the author has paid to publish like an indie author. The difference is the publisher bills the author for the services needed, and the services are provided by the publisher. The author cannot use services by another provider.
The positives is all the services are in one place and your publisher guides you on what service you need and when. Sometimes services are quicker or at a reduced rate as its all in-house.
The cons are that a lot of scammers have used this model to over charge authors or to take money and never deliver on their promises. As you are locked into paying for the services they dictate and the choices the want for your book, you do lose some of your creative freedom.
It’s important to check how long they have been operating and who they have worked with before. See if they are black listed on Writers Beware.
I published my ebook & paperback through Ingram. The quality has been good and I like having everything in one place.
Amazon had long delivery dates for my book, telling preorder customers it’d take 6 weeks to deliver. It didn’t but it was off putting. I don’t know if this was to exceed expectations or what. Other authors told me to get my book on KDP, which I finally have done. I was hesitant as I didn’t want to be restricted to only Amazon or use another ISBN, but you can use the ISBN already in use for your paperback.
My books did get listed for a number of ebook sellers but not GPlay or Apple. I’ve had to go to through them direct. I’d say Google has been the easiest to use, except the verification of my bank.
For my next book I think I’ll use Ingram Sparks to publish my paperback wide, KDP to reduce Amazon deliver delays, and someone else to publish my eBook wide. I’ll also take a closer look at LuLu as that app sounds awesome!
[kofi]
If you found this post useful, you will like:
How to publish a book (collection)
