The number of competing titles is growing exponentially. Not only are individuals indie publishing, but so are businesses like AskMen magazine, which has launched a line of books to meet the perceived needs of its customers. And successful traditionally published authors like James Patterson are turning their brands into title-churning franchises, handing over writing duties to flocks of co-authors. So you’re competing with an incredible volume of titles, traditional and indie, individual and business, and it’s increasingly difficult to stand out from the crowd.
Be careful basing your “go indie” decision too heavily on widely touted indie-riches stories. For instance, Fifty Shades of Gray was originally indie published, but it became a massive commercial success only after Random House picked it up. From my perspective, it was still a huge coup that Random House discovered it.
Before you decide whether to indie publish, ask yourself:
—Can I deliver the quality needed to make sales?
—Do I have the necessary business skills?
—Can I promote my books to the point of recognition and sales?
—Will I still have time to keep writing my next books?
And, most importantly,
—Why am I choosing to indie publish?
If you only want copies of your book for yourself, your friends, and your family, and you don’t care about making money, it may not matter to you if you ever sell a single book.
For some of us, despite the odds and the cons, our goals reflect our desire for independence. If you’re one of those intrepid souls, stubborn to the bone and yearning to work like a pack mule, then you’re just the kind of loser who’s right for indie publishing.
If that’s a “hell, yeah” or even a “hmmm, maybe,” read on.
To continue reading Loser, click here.
Accolades
2014 USA Best Book Award Finalist
2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-finalist
2013 USA Best Book Award Finalist
2012 Winner of the Houston Writers Guild Ghost Story Contest
2012 USA Best Book Award Winner
2011 Winner of the Houston Writers Guild Novel Contest
2010 Winner of the Writers League of Texas Romance Contest
The Katie & Annalise Series
“An exciting tale . . . twisting investigative and legal subplots . . . a character seeking redemption . . . an exhilarating mystery with a touch of voodoo.” — Midwest Book Review Bookwatch
“A lively romantic mystery.” — Kirkus Reviews
“A riveting drama . . . exciting read, highly recommended.” — Small Press Bookwatch
“Katie is the first character I have absolutely fallen in love with since Stephanie Plum!” — Stephanie Swindell, Bookstore Owner
“Engaging storyline . . . taut suspense.” — MBR Bookwatch
The Emily Series
“Grabs you by the throat from the get-go for a suspenseful, rollicking ride.” — Ken Oder, author of The Closing
“Full of heart, humor, vivid characters, and suspense. Hutchins has done it again!” — Gay Yellen, author of The Body Business
“Hutchins is a master of tension.” — R.L. Nolen, author of Deadly Thyme
“Intriguing mystery . . . captivating romance.” — Patricia Flaherty Pagan, author of Trail Ways Pilgrims
“In my book . . . the makings of a great novel: cheating husbands, murder, and hot cowboys.” — Melissa Algood, contributing author, Eclectically Criminal
The Michele Series
“Immediately hooked.” — Terry Sykes-Bradshaw, author of Sibling Revelry
“Spellbinding.” — Jo Bryan, Dry Creek Book Club
“Fast-paced mystery.” –—Deb Krenzer, Book Reviewer
“Can’t put it down.” — Cathy Bader, Reader
“Full of real characters and powerful emotions.” — Rhonda Erb, Editor
Dedication
To Eric
(of course)
Acknowledgments
Huge thanks to my editor Meghan Pinson, who managed to keep my ego intact without sacrificing her editorial integrity. Thanks of generous proportions to my critique partners, without whose encouragement and honesty I would not be publishing this book. The biggest thanks go to my Crucians: husband Eric, friend Natalie, and house Annaly. They are the ones who inspired me to dream up stories in the islands. Eric gets an extra helping of thanks for plotting, critiquing, editing, listening, holding, encouraging, supporting, browbeating, and miscellaneous other roles, some of which aren’t appropriate for publication.
Thanks also to princess of the universe Heidi Dorey for fantastic cover art. Heartfelt appreciation to Alayah for good eyes and a spirit of adventure.
Finally, to each and every blessed one of you who have read, reviewed, rated, and emailed/Facebooked/Tweeted/commented about my books, I appreciate you more than I can say. Stephanie, Rhonda, Liz, and Rebecca stand above the rest here. It is the readers who move mountains for me and for other authors, and I humbly ask for the honor of your honest reviews and recommendations.
About the Author
Pamela Fagan Hutchins holds nothing back and writes award-winning and best-selling mysteries and hilarious nonfiction from Nowheresville, Texas, where she lives with her household hunks—husband, Eric, and their one-eyed Boston terrier, Petey—plus three rescue dogs, a herd of goats, a coupla cows, a flock of turkeys, and a peacock. She is the author of many books, including Saving Grace, Leaving Annalise, Finding Harmony, Going for Kona, Heaven to Betsy, Earth to Emily, How To Screw Up Your Kids, Hot Flashes and Half Ironmans, and What Kind of Loser Indie Publishes? to name just a few. In 2014, just two years after publication of her first book, the Houston Press named her as one of the Top 10 Houston Authors.
Pamela spends her non-writing time as the Chair of the Board of the Houston Writers Guild, a writing coach, a workplace investigator, and as an employment attorney and human resources professional, and she is the co-founder of a human resources consulting company. You can often find her with her husband—and a few grown kids from their blended brood of five—hiking, running, bicycling, and enjoying the great outdoors.
If you’d like Pamela to speak to your book club, women’s club, or writers group, by Skype or in person, shoot her an email. She’s very likely to say yes.
You can buy Pamela’s e-books, audiobooks, and paperbacks at most online retailers. You can also get her paperbacks from “brick and mortar” stores. If you want a signed copy, contact SkipJack Publishing: http://SkipJackPublishing.com. If your bookstore or library doesn’t carry a book you want, by Pamela or any other author, ask them to order it for you.
You can connect with Pamela all over creation, and you should:
Website http://pamelahutchins.com
Email [email protected]
New releases newsletter http://eepurl.com/iITR
Facebook http://facebook.com/pamela.fagan.hutchins.author
Twitter http://twitter.com/pameloth
Goodreads http://goodreads.com/pamelafaganhutchins
LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/pamelahutchins
Books by the Author
Fiction from SkipJack Publishing:
Saving Grace (Katie & Annalise #1)
Leaving Annalise (Katie & Annalise #2)
Finding Harmony (Katie & Annalise #3)
The Jumbie House (Katie & Annalise Outtake)
Going for Kona (Michele #1)
Heaven to Betsy (Emily #1)
Earth to Emily (Emily #2)
Hell to Pay (Emily #3), coming 2016
Nonfiction from SkipJack Publishing:
The Clark Kent Chronicles: A Mother’s Tale Of Life
With Her ADHD/Asperger’s Son
Hot Flashes and Half Ironmans: Middle-Aged Endurance
Athletics Meets the Hormonally Challenged
How to Screw Up Your Kids: Blended Families, Blendered Style
How to Screw Up Your Marriage: Do-Over Tips for Fir
st-Time Failures
Puppalicious and Beyond: Life Outside The Center Of The Universe
What Kind of Loser Indie Publishes, and How Can I Be One, Too?
Other Books by the Author:
Eve’s Requiem (anthology), Spider Road Press
OMG – That Woman! (anthology), Aakenbaaken & Kent
Ghosts (anthology), Aakenbaaken & Kent
Easy to Love, But Hard to Raise (2012) and Easy to Love, But Hard to Teach (coming soon) (anthologies), DRT Press, edited by Kay Marner & Adrienne Ehlert Bashista
Audiobook versions of the author’s books are available on
Audible, iTunes, and Amazon.
Other Books from SkipJack Publishing
The Closing, by Ken Oder
Old Wounds to the Heart, by Ken Oder
Deadly Thyme, by R. L. Nolen
The Dry, by Rebecca Nolen
Tides of Possibility, edited by K.J. Russell
Tides of Impossibility, edited by K.J. Russell and C. Stuart Hardwick
My Dream of Freedom: From Holocaust to My Beloved America, by Helen Colin
Saving Grace (Katie & Annalise Book 1) Page 33
