Swimming in the Indie pool

A long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, I changed publishers.  This happens more than we’d like to think.  So Former Publisher wanted a novella featuring Finley’s Mother and she wanted it for Mother’s Day.  So I did just that – for those of you unfamiliar with the Finley Anderson Tanner Mysteries, she has a rather challenging relationship with her mother.  I should also mention that old writing adage about ‘write what you know.’  So Finley’s mother, Cassidy, is a poorly veiled caricature of my mother.  The only difference is that my mother was more critical.  I used to snicker when someone would write a review insisting that Finley’s mother couldn’t be that bad.  Well, em, WRONG.  But I’ll save all the details for my therapist <g>.

So here I am with a completed novella with no home.  So, I decided – much at the urging of my agent – to go the indie route.  Sounds simple, right?  Well, it isn’t simple. I’ve spent a great deal of time finding an editor – and yes, after 40 books I still need an editor – that whole second pair of eyes thing.  Then I had to hire a cover artist (amazing person!) I got recommendations from other indie authors and their recommendations were spot on.  So now I’m waiting for the edit to come back so I 

can send it to a formatter.  Enter dear, old, friend @TraciHall

She’s been an indie author forever (and a very talented one), so I gave her a call just to make sure I was going about this correctly.  Bless her, she went through the whole process with me while I took copious notes.  Turns out I have a few more things to do.  So many thanks to Traci for taking time out of her Monday to help me.  Apparently I have to do a newsletter in addition to updating my website (happening now) and that blogs are going the way of the do-do bird.  So now I know what to look for from that formatter so I retain control over this project.

So, the point of all this is to remind everyone on the importance of networking and how much it matters to reach out and touch someone when you hit the wall.  With any luck, Finley should be live and yours for the paying ($2.99) in the next few weeks.  Then the goal is – depending on how she is received in this new format – more Finley Indies because I’m very in love with the character.  And coming from Grand Central – Peyton Tanner Mysteries – where you’ll meet Finley’s cousin.