When I was in Los Angeles, I sold my first mystery novel Gossip Kills (originally titled “Planned Obsolescence”!) to someone who was starting (or, as it turns out, intending to start) a small publishing house. I was very excited at first but then, as months and then even years went by and nothing happened, I finally caught on that nothing was going to happen. Meanwhile, the manuscript had reverted to my ownership.
I was working on my second novel Split Screen, which I am close to finishing now (I don’t even, at this point, want to think about how long this one has taken me so far). I got majorly sidetracked with personal upheavals plus my own insecurity about being a novelist (in L.A.), and I moved home to coastal Maine.
I couldn’t decide what to do about Gossip Kills. It had been over five years since I completed it. I’m proud of it, particularly as a first novel. But I just didn’t feel like putting the (extreme) effort into trying to find an agent and publisher. So I decided to put it out myself, with what was once called a vanity press but is now known as subsidy publishing (or something like that). I used AuthorHouse, and my book is available on Amazon and other places, and for digital download as well. With no effort from me (just money).
As I get closer to completion of Split Screen, I am thinking I’m going to put it out the same way. I find I still don’t feel like trying to get an agent and seeing years go by before the book is available. I found AuthorHouse wonderful and easy to deal with. But if I put the new book out myself, I absolutely have to make some effort at promotion this time. Should I start by trying to actually promote Gossip Kills? This is terrifying.
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