My first traditionally published book came out a couple of weeks ago. This is a moment many writers dream about over a lifetime, and a large percentage of them will never see this particular dream come true. I’m counting my blessings, believe me.
We received a decent advance. Some of my friends back in California have picked up their copies. The author, Chef Antonia Lofaso, for whom I’m co-writer, has a television show called Beat the Chefs that launched on GSN last week.So I’ve been more than a little dismayed that I haven’t been able to find The Busy Mom’s Cookbook on the shelves of either of my local Barnes & Noble bookstores. (My local indie bookstores specialize in used books.)
The publisher sent me several copies of the book, and I could order more via Amazon at any time. But I have to confess. I was looking forward to walking into a bookstore and seeing a book with my name on the title page.
While I know it’s quite possible to have your indie published books on sale in brick and mortar bookstores if you’re willing to do the marketing work, I’m quite satisfied to get make my indie work available online for now. However I thought a major publisher like ours would make this book widely available in a fairly large, food obsessed city like the one I currently call home.
Clearly I still have a lot to learn about this business.
Go write something!
P.S. If you’re surprised to learn you can get indie published books onto bookstores shelves, run, don’t walk, to the blogs of Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. Read. Study. Learn.
Candice L Davis 