From Rags to Riches: An Indie Author Success Story

Karpov Kinrade

Karpov Kinrade is the pen name for the husband and wife writing duo of bestselling, award-winning authors Kimberly Kinrade and Dmytry Karpov.

Okay, maybe ‘riches’ is stretching it, but I guess it depends on how you define wealth. As a woman who went from being a single mother of three living on welfare after leaving an abusive marriage, to a now happily married woman who made a comfortable 6-figure income this year in book royalties alone, I feel pretty darn rich. 

When my husband/writing partner (the Karpov to my Kinrade) and I met on Twitter in 2010, I had just barely regained my footing after an abusive marriage that left me financially devastated and physically and emotionally wounded.

 Read the rest of the article.

Amazon reveals quarter of Kindle ebook sales in US were for indie publishers

Figures from world's biggest bookseller trumpeted as sign of how self-publishing and smaller labels are changing the industry

As many as a quarter of the top 100 Kindle books on Amazon.com are from indie publishers, according to data revealed at a trade presentation by the retailer.

A chart detailing the 25 top-selling indie titles in 2012 was passed on by an audience member via Twitter. Though the term indie is broad, covering everything from self-published authors to publishing houses that fall outside the big six, the news has been interpreted as a victory for the go-it-alone author. However in the US the term has come to mean self-published. A spokeswoman for Amazon.com said: "This figure is referring to Kindle books on Amazon.com in 2012, with 'indie' meaning books self-published via Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP). So a quarter of the top 100 bestselling Kindle books on Amazon.com in 2012 were self-published via KDP."

Read the rest of the story. 

Carly Phillips goes Indie!

 Carly’s Big News!

Posted by Carly at Oct 15, 2013 5:51 am

(from The Plot Monkeys)

I know I’ve been teasing everyone for a while now about some exciting news that I have in the works. And I now have the official go-ahead to tell the world what’s coming next for me! Are you ready? I’m so ready to share. I’ve been DYING to shout from the rooftops and have had a hard time keeping the news to myself. But here you go:

I’m going Indie!

That’s right. Instead of publishing my next series of books with a traditional publisher, I’ve decided to self-publish the series. Don’t worry, I’ll explain what this means for you. But first …

I made the decision to self-publish my next series for one primary reason:YOU, my readers. The rise and success of self-publishing has obviously made a huge impact on the industry, and many of my readers have reached out to me personally, encouraging me to make some changes. Although my publishers have always been very good to me and I’ve very much enjoyed working with them, there is a good reason for me to make the switch. More control. Making the move to indie is giving me more control over my books. I’m no longer tied to a specific word count set by a publisher. I have more control over the editing process. I can make the final decisions on covers, release dates, blurbs and content. And the most important factor: I now set the price points of my books. Making the switch to self-publishing is giving me total control to make both myself and you, my readers very, very happy.

Read the rest of the story.

Interview with Rebecca Forster via Smashwords

Interview with Rebecca Forster

When did you first start writing?

I was a voracious reader, but I always thought a writer was 'someone else'. So when I went to college and then graduate school I envisioned a long and happy business career. Then one of my clients requested my marketing team meet at his home. That's where I met his wife - Danielle Steel. I didn't know who she was and when I found out she was an author I flippantly said "I could do that!" That was it. A colleague dared me to write a book and I took that dare. I was in my thirties. Talk about the floodgates opening! I sold my first book and writing became my passion. I wrote for major New York publishers for 25 years. Three years ago I went indie. I can barely remember a time when I didn't write and will be forever grateful for the dare.

What motivated you to become an indie author?

The decision to become an indie author was the result of a perfect publishing storm. Bookstores were disappearing in my area, digital devices were being embraced by the readers, and I had written a book, BEFORE HER EYES, that my publisher thought pushed too much of a creative boundary and decided not to publish it. Just as I was wondering what to do, I read an article about Smashwords and the rest is history. I published BEFORE HER EYES and it was voted B&P's Readers Choice Best Mystery. Over 8,000 readers voted. I never looked back.

Read the rest of the interview.

Indie Author Donna Fasano on USA Today Bestseller List!

Indie Author Donna Fasano made the USA Today Bestseller List with her romance novel, Reclaim My Heart, which came in at #123 on the list this week.

USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list ranks the 150 top-selling titles each week based on an analysis of sales from U.S. booksellers. Contributors represent a variety of outlets: bookstore chains, independent bookstores, mass merchandisers and online retailers.

 Reclaim My Heart

 

Sixteen years ago, Tyne Whitlock cut all ties to her past and left town under the shameful shadow of a teenage pregnancy. Now her fifteen-year-old son is in trouble with the law and she is desperate for help. But reaching out to high-powered attorney Lucas Silver Hawk will tear open the heart-wrenching past in ways Tyne never imagined. 

Forced to return to the Delaware Indian community where Lucas was raised, Tyne and Lucas are tempted by the heated passion that consumed them as teens. Tyne rediscovers all the reasons she found this man irresistible, but there are scandalous secrets waiting to be revealed, disgraceful choices made in the past that cannot be denied. Love is a powerful force that could heal them both--if the truth doesn't rip them apart.

Purchase Links 

Donna Fasano is a three time winner of the HOLT Medallion, a CataRomance Reviewers Choice Award winner for Best Single Title, a Desert Rose Golden Quill Award finalist, and a Golden Heart finalist. Her books have sold nearly 4 million copies worldwide and have been published in nearly two dozen languages. Her books have made the Kindle Top 100 Paid List numerous times, climbing as high as #17.

Visit her blog at www.DonnaFasano.com where you can sign up for e-mail updates and be the first to hear about new releases.

Find Donna on facebook at www.Facebook.com/DonnaFasanoAuthor. She loves to chat with readers.

Follow her on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/DonnaFaz

What others are saying about Donna's books:

"...complex, funny, and realistic..." ~Wilmington News Journal

"Excellent!" ~Bookreview.com

"Could not help myself from reading excerpts to my husband and friends. This book is well written, the characters are real, everyday folks. It is very easy to identify with them. Donna Fasano is a talented author." ~Elizabeth M. Caldwell on Amazon

"...a fast paced riotous look at family life today. Donna Fasano is right on target!" ~Donna Zapf, SingleTitles.com

Why Indie Author Ruth Cardello Turned Down a 7-Figure Book Deal

Why Indie Author Ruth Cardello Turned Down a 7-Figure Book Deal
Written by Jeff Rivera
 

 

She was just a kindergarten teacher barely making ends meet months ago and now she is an indie published New York Times bestselling author who recently turned down a 7-figure book publishing deal to continue on her path, definining her own destiny. I had the privilege of connecting with author Ruth Cardello about her astonishing success and asked her what her advice is for other moms and authors who have a dream of becoming an author but are experiencing nothing but rejection.

Read the interview.

Indie Authors, our time has arrived!

http://rinf.com/alt-news/business-news/big-publishers-terrified-of-kindle-mavericks/8898/

 

Hip hip hooray for Indie Authors and e-books! Our time has finally arrived. I was an Indie Author before being Indie was cool!

Check me out at http://kristieleighmaguire.com.

 

 

 

The Secret Book Club

SHHH! Don't tell anyone that I am sharing this with you! I may get kicked out of the Club if you tell!

It is a SECRET! A SECRET BOOK CLUB! Be sure you DO NOT spread this around the internet. If you do, it will no longer be a SECRET.

But I know I can trust my readers here at Sizzling Hot Romance not to tell anyone. Can't I???

Keep this LINK a closely guarded SECRET. Don't share it with anyone!


Kristie Leigh Maguire - a member of  the Secret Book Club