Why Did I Choose to Go With a Small Publisher?
My very first book, an historical family saga was published by Dorchester Press, not the biggest New York Publisher, but right up there. It actually did pretty well--and might've done better if I'd had a clue about promotion back then. This was before everyone had a computer and no one knew anything about the Internet.
Right after the book was published, my editor left and that was the end of my association with Dorchester. I had another saga published by an outfit that the owner and son turned out to be crooks--yes, crooks, they gambled away all the royalty money in Vegas and ended up going to jail.
Oh, and my time with crooks wasn't over, my first mystery, The Astral Gift, was published by a co-op publishers who did well at first, then absconded with everyone's money. In my case, only 50 books were printed and ordered by a bookstore where I had my first signing. The 50 books were sold and no more could be purchased because the publishers had disappeared.
Golden Eagle Press, small pub in Bakersfield, republished the book. She also went on to publish four of my Deputy Tempe Crabtree mysteries.
Sadly, this publisher passed away unexpectedly. We'd become good friends, so this was doubly sad.
In the meantime, I found an e-publisher for my Rocky Bluff P.D. series who also published in trade paperback. This publisher also redid The Astral Gift. I left this publisher.
Another e-publisher published the first book in the Tempe Crabtree series, Deadly Trail, and also published a couple of others of my books, Kachima Spirit and Wishing Makes It So--these are also available from me in trade paperback.
I wrote three Christian horror novels which got great comments from both Christian and regular publishers, except they were too scary for the Christian market and too Christian for the regular market. I published one myself, The Choice, and still have some copies. Treble Heart Books published Deeds of Darkness and Cup of Demons as e-books and trade paper and are still available.
Mundania Press is now publishing my Deputy Tempe Crabtree mysteries and I'm looking forward to the next one coming out sometime in September, Dispel the Mist, which has Tempe learning about The Hairy Man, the Bear Creek Indians version of Big Foot.
Oak Tree Press is now publishing my Rocky Bluff P.D. series, with No Sanctuary being the latest.
Of course I have to do lots of promoting--but guess what? So do authors with the New York publishers, unless they are really big name.
With all my small, independent publishers I've had input in the covers, been able to e-mail all my questions and get answers back, been edited, and I've met all my publishers in person.
Hard Shell Word Factory has recently been purchased by Mundania Press, a good alliance for me.
If anyone wants to know anything about working with e-publishers or small presses, ask away. I've probably had every experience possible.
And remember, this all happened beginning with the first book being published in 1982. No matter what obstacles I met, I kept on writing the next book, and the next one--something I'm still doing.
Marilyn a.k.a. F. M. Meredith
Right after the book was published, my editor left and that was the end of my association with Dorchester. I had another saga published by an outfit that the owner and son turned out to be crooks--yes, crooks, they gambled away all the royalty money in Vegas and ended up going to jail.
Oh, and my time with crooks wasn't over, my first mystery, The Astral Gift, was published by a co-op publishers who did well at first, then absconded with everyone's money. In my case, only 50 books were printed and ordered by a bookstore where I had my first signing. The 50 books were sold and no more could be purchased because the publishers had disappeared.
Golden Eagle Press, small pub in Bakersfield, republished the book. She also went on to publish four of my Deputy Tempe Crabtree mysteries.
Sadly, this publisher passed away unexpectedly. We'd become good friends, so this was doubly sad.
In the meantime, I found an e-publisher for my Rocky Bluff P.D. series who also published in trade paperback. This publisher also redid The Astral Gift. I left this publisher.
Another e-publisher published the first book in the Tempe Crabtree series, Deadly Trail, and also published a couple of others of my books, Kachima Spirit and Wishing Makes It So--these are also available from me in trade paperback.
I wrote three Christian horror novels which got great comments from both Christian and regular publishers, except they were too scary for the Christian market and too Christian for the regular market. I published one myself, The Choice, and still have some copies. Treble Heart Books published Deeds of Darkness and Cup of Demons as e-books and trade paper and are still available.
Mundania Press is now publishing my Deputy Tempe Crabtree mysteries and I'm looking forward to the next one coming out sometime in September, Dispel the Mist, which has Tempe learning about The Hairy Man, the Bear Creek Indians version of Big Foot.
Oak Tree Press is now publishing my Rocky Bluff P.D. series, with No Sanctuary being the latest.
Of course I have to do lots of promoting--but guess what? So do authors with the New York publishers, unless they are really big name.
With all my small, independent publishers I've had input in the covers, been able to e-mail all my questions and get answers back, been edited, and I've met all my publishers in person.
Hard Shell Word Factory has recently been purchased by Mundania Press, a good alliance for me.
If anyone wants to know anything about working with e-publishers or small presses, ask away. I've probably had every experience possible.
And remember, this all happened beginning with the first book being published in 1982. No matter what obstacles I met, I kept on writing the next book, and the next one--something I'm still doing.
Marilyn a.k.a. F. M. Meredith
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