It’s a big week for me. I’ve been anxiously awaiting the completion of various approval processes so I could make my big announcement. Barnes & Noble came through last night, so here it is: the e-book release of my first novel, Fly Up into the Night Air, is now available for sale on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords. Apple and other distributors are on the way. (I’ll post links when they’re available.) The novel falls roughly into the fantasy genre, although it contains elements of romance and even courtroom drama as well. All together, it’s pretty lighthearted. I certainly had fun writing it. It’s the first in a series I’m calling Canny Tales. There’s a full description on my Publications page.
My decision to go the indie route and publish the work myself, in e-book form, comes out of my concerns about legacy publishers and the way they are currently marketing e-books. To my mind, rapidly growing e-books sales, the popularity of e-readers such as the Kindle and Nook, sales of smartphones and tablet computers (which make great reading devices), all provide a clear indication of the what the future holds. E-books are going to become the primary format for popular fiction. Moreover, it’s going to happen faster than most people think. Marketing folks with access to sales figures from Barnes & Noble are predicting that the book store will sell more e-books than paper books in 2013. That’s only a year and a quarter away. Yet most of the big six publishers are still treating e-books like a pesky inconvenience they’d like to make go away. Their pricing models encourage print sales at the expense of e-book sales. I’ll admit, I also find the prospect of keeping around 70 percent of the purchase price much more appealing than keeping about 17 percent, assuming I could find an agent and publisher willing to work with me (as calculated by Barry Eiser and Joe Konrath). Which brings me to my last point: I work. Full time. In addition, I try to write every night. I find the prospect of writing query letters, synopses, and marketing blurbs for agents and editors a whole lot less fun than writing novels. If I’m going to have to market my books, I’d rather use social media such as this blog to communicate directly with my readers. Time–and my sales figures–will tell whether I have chosen appropriately where to spend my time.
Here’s hoping you’ll enjoy reading Fly Up into the Night Air as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Book II 
You probably know by now that Ann Sommerville has reviewed your book on Smashwords, and on her own site, Outlaw Reviews. If not, please read the review. I’m commenting as a potential reader who was impressed by the review (and I will read the sample). But I’m a reader who is easily distracted by poor editing, and I’m very reluctant to spend my money on a book that’s badly in need of editing, however good the story may be. I’m a writer, myself, with two novels published on Smashwords, so I know how difficult it is for new writers to gain a foothold. To write a wonderful story and then fail to make sure it’s well edited is like shooting yourself in the foot before you’re out of the starting gate. I’m sure Ann would have made some useful suggestions for you if she’d been able to contact you.
Thank you for your comment. Actually, Ann and I have been in touch. She has been very kind and helpful. Since her review came out I have posted a new edition of the book with all the errors she pointed out fixed.
I’m glad she managed to reach you. Indie writers tend to try to help other writers when it’s possible. We don’t have the support of agents and publishers, so it’s good that we can lean on each other. I’ll definitely be reading the sample now.
John,
Congratulations on publishing your first novel! I very much look forward to reading Fly Up into the Night Air & will be downloading the Kindle version later this afternoon.
Best,
Celeste Choate