I is for Indie Life

A few weeks ago, I signed up for Indie Life and today is my first post! Yay!

I get to now inspire you or just talk about my experiences.

So my experiences so far have been pretty amazing and pretty daunting. After publishing my debut novel through Spencer Hill Press last year, I grown more confident in my career and in myself.

Last December, I published my first self-published work, "To Love or Die in a Steamy-Reamy World" and this summer, I'll be self-publishing another work, ALMOST NIGHT.

I can't say I knew exactly what I was doing (or even now know exactly), but I'm learning and I'm loving it. I used to see self-publishing as a step down and now I see as the beautiful opportunity that it is.

If you're self-publishing soon, I say good for you! You will absolutely love it! 

If you are MUCH farther along in the journey than I am, you are amazing! I am so grateful for all the people who've paved the way these past few years and giving self-publishing the wonderful reputation it deserves.

Why I'm Deciding to Self-Publish

My big announcement.

THE post.

I have to admit I've been avoiding it. I avoid a lot of things, especially the big stuff. I've hinted at this decision for a while now, but I came to the conclusion last weekend that I really just needed to make it official.

Except for my three books in the Auri Series (published through Spencer Hill Press), I'll be exclusively self-publishing all of my work.

Now here comes the big question everyone asks (and admittedly, I've been obsessively reading all the "why I decided to self-publish" posts for the past few months, eager to see if anyone had a better reason than mine that I could latch onto)...

Why?

Why? Why?? WHY??? Am I nuts??

How many people get to say a publishing company came to them?? How many people have such great opportunities and amazing people literally thrust on them??

These are questions I asked over and over and over. I couldn't believe I was actually considering it. It honestly wasn't in my "to-do" list of ways to get to the top of the publishing community.

And I know I had the big "why I love self-publishing and this is why I'm doing it post" a couple years ago, but I lied.

There. I said it. I finally admitted it to myself a few months ago and I'm admitting it to you now.

I. Lied.

A few years ago, despite everything I might have told you, I saw self-publishing as just a new way to get to the big six. You literary agents rejected me? Well, I'll show you!

My goal was ALWAYS to get a major book deal with a large publishing company. If I had to publish my own work to get there, I'd do it. I may not have said this out loud to you, my close friends, or even myself, but deep in my heart, this was my goal.

And then Spencer Hill Press made an offer out of nowhere. Holy freakin' cow! Amazing. I have been soooo blessed. I'm not going to skip around that fact. They have been a HUGE blessing. And honestly? (because I know a lot of the these posts come with admissions that publishing with a press didn't turn out like they'd hoped) My experiences with Spencer Hill Press should have absolutely solidified my goal of moving up in the publishing companies.

They have been nothing short of brilliant. I have loved every moment with them. Every time I meet with my editors or talk to them online, they've done everything to encourage me and improve my craft. Based on their treatment of me, I should naturally have submitted another work, gotten an agent, and published another series with them. And believe me, I wanted to badly. That was my next step. I was going to take it last September. It was all worked out.

And then I got an inkling.

Something was wrong.

Not with them, but with me.

I finally admitted to myself that I was a different person and a different writer than I should be because of my goals.

I'm not horribly different. It's not like a split personality thing where you'll wonder where this Emily came from, but it's different enough. I started to get uncomfortable.

You see, I'm a conservative, young Earth creationist Christian/ Speculative fiction writer and I've been hiding that fact.

I think (I HOPE) I've proved already I'm not the nasty stereotype people like to picture when they read those words up there.

And I'm not saying my writing is going to get offensive or derogatory or even controversial. Elemental already completely encapsulates all of my beliefs. In fact, most of my writing does. I think that's true for all of us. We are our belief systems.

I've always been me, but I haven't always been brave enough to admit it out loud. And I've decided to self-publish, not because of any stumbling blocks I got from any publishing professionals, but because of me and how I made myself feel I needed to hide.

And like I said, the writing isn't going to change at all. My feelings about myself are going to change. My goal isn't to be a writing wonder anymore. It isn't to get a big six figure deal or to rock the community with my amazing words.

It's just to be comfortable being me. And to write what I love.

I hope you'll like my books and celebrate with me as I announce the future (summer) release of my first self-published novel:

My YA Contemporary Fantasy:

ALMOST NIGHT

Fourteen-year-old Lilly Grey exists in two worlds at the same time. She just doesn't know it.

As the only albino in a million mile radius, Lilly is used to being different. Pink eyes and white hair aren't exactly the best camouflage in the harrowing jungles formally known as high school. And yeah, she's used to being an outcast and seeing the world in a slightly different way, but she never guessed how literally "different" applied to her.

Not until a clan of shape-shifting dragons tell her she's not just albino. She's a unicorn and the only mortal alive who can live on both Earth and its antithesis, Morcah. Now all those times she thought she saw a floating brown blotch in the sky or eyes peering out at her from the bark of trees make sense. She's been seeing Morcah, a land that exists in the exact same spot as Earth, just in a different phase.

But it's not all sunshine and rainbows for this unicorn. As the only one who can live in both phases, she's also the only one who can bring Morcah--and all its inhabitants--to Earth. And creatures who've been trapped on Earth since the Dark Ages are willing to do worse things than kill to make that happen.

Put it on your Goodreads list.

March Madness

And no, I'm not talking about basketball.

More like I'm going to go mad if I add one more thing to my to-do list.

I really did think I'd be able to keep up with my regular blogging schedule while preparing for the impending launch of ELEMENTAL this summer, but I was wrong.  There are way too many initial details to take care of right now that are impeding on my blogging time.

SO!

I'm going to take March off and come back in April for the A to Z Challenge!  And when I do come back, the awesomeness will begin!

Be prepared.  :)

The Unlucky Second Guy

Can you imagine being the band to come after Pink Floyd at a concert?  It's an awesome opportunity, but come on!  This is Pink Floyd we're talking about here.  How do you follow that?!

Well, that's kind of how I feel about today's post.  How can I possibly follow the EPIC POST OF EPIC EPICNESS?

I'll tell you how.

With clowns!!!!

Hehehe.  It's good I can laugh at my own jokes. :)

But seriously, I didn't want to just have the EPIC POST OF EPIC EPICNESS and then go back to business as usual.  I wanted to take the time to really share with you guys how I came to my decision and just how utterly excited about it I am!

And so to do that, I'm going to answer some questions no one really asked, but I'm sure you were thinking anyway! :)

Why publish independently?  Why not go the traditional route?

I thought for years I did want to go the traditional route.  It was all I really ever knew.  And the little I did know about self-publishing was bad--scam publishing companies, bad product, etc.

Well, over the last year or so, I'd been doing some research, figuring out what authors do when their books come out.  You know, what works and what doesn't.  I've listened to agents, writers, readers, editors, subconsciously gathering information about breaking out with your debut novel.  

And a few weeks ago, I had an epiphany of sorts.  I realized I really could do this on my own.  And then I realized I WANTED to.  Not just, "ho hum, well, if this doesn't work out, I'll upload my novel into Amazon and then I'll be published."  (which is such a bad idea, I can't even go into it now because it needs its own post--which I will do)

No.

I am THRILLED about the business aspect of this!  I love getting to decide all the little details.  Never before has the world of publishing been so available to writers!  In practically every other industry, you make a product and you sell it.  And if you want to be successful, you better make it the best darn product you can.  And now, we as writers can do that!  

We can do what we want!  And no, I'm not speaking ill of traditional publishing in any way shape or form.  I love it, in fact!  Publishing companies have done wondrous things for thousands upon thousands of writers and without them, I doubt we'd have some of the gems that grace our bookshelves today.  I love that both options are viable now and that they can both learn from each other and help each other to grow into the next generation of publishing.

How are you going to handle it all?

Oh my goodness, there is a LOT to do.  A. Lot.  In fact, I am doing everything I can to make sure ELEMENTAL will be as polished and professional as any book that comes out this year.  

But I have a team of people who are helping me get ready for the big day, so I'm not doing it alone.

What kind of fun stuff are you going to do to make us super excited?

Cover reveal!  Contests!  ARC giveaways!  Blog tour!  You name it, and I'm doing it!  In fact, if you have any really unique ideas you'd like to see me try, tell me about it and I'll probably do it! :)

Now, I'm opening it up to you, dear readers.  Do you have any questions I didn't already answer?  Ask them!  Please!  

EPIC POST OF EPIC EPICNESS!!!!!

The day is here!

Break out the wine!

Celebrate with me!

Why, you ask?  Oh, I'll tell you.  It's something big.  It's something grand!  It's something every writer dreams of!

It's...

ELEMENTAL (coming Summer of 2011)!

After much contemplation, prayer, and chocolate I've decided to go indie.  And I can't even begin to tell you how exciting it's been working out all the little details you only ever assume your publisher will handle!  

The photoshoot for my cover is scheduled for this week!  I've got a brilliant artist who is going to make my cover gorgeous!  And no, I'm not sharing her yet because she's MINE!  :)

I've been versing myself in html (not as tough as you'd think, by the way), preparing to format my ebook!

And so much more!

Over the next few months there will be contests!  And giveaways!  An all-out celebration in preparation for ELEMENTAL's release date!  

And I will be obsessively hopping around the blogosphere, so if you'd like to celebrate with me, go ahead and email me at emilywhite_1112(at)yahoo(dot)com! 

Help me make this the most EPIC of epic releases EVER!!!