Who Am I?

In response to a Lulu Forum moderator asking about my credentials for creating this site, I thought I would post them for others who might have questions or concerns. Since this is a freelance blog created of my own free will, I don’t think my references, blood type, and urine sample are necessary. But, for those authors who may want to know why I took on this task and whatever qualifications I might have to run this blog, I’ll list them here…

• I self-published my first book in 2003 with Xlibris. I published my second with Lulu.com in 2006. Satisfied with the quality of Lulu printing, I used it to create a second edition of my first novel as an E-book and more affordable paperback. Why does this matter? I’m a POD author and have faced the same struggles with writing, editing, and marketing as any other POD author. I can relate.
• I have a handful of short stories published with traditional publishers. Two of these are part of the Amazon.com Shorts Program. I am still growing my short story CV.
• I have over seven years of experience in book reviewing. While living in Memphis, Tennessee I reviewed both fiction and nonfiction books for a free small press monthly newspaper. I can write.
• In college, I majored in English with concentration in Creative Writing and Poetry. Like I said, I can write. I like to think I do a pretty good job at it.
• I have over five years of experience working in book wholesale distributing and retail bookstores. I know and speak the language of books very well.
• I’m passionate about reading and love hearing the success stories of how a book is selling so well just because of “word of mouth.” I like to hear how books made people feel after reading them. I like to share how they made me feel. I want people to read me, so I know how other authors must want that too. I want to help create those success stories.
• This year, I have published my second novel with Lulu.  I’ve been keeping a journal of the design process, marketing, publication, and sales of this title as a reference for other authors. You read about this adventure by clicking on the POD Diary tab at the top of this page.

I hope that’s enough to qualify me for the task at hand. If not, post what else you need here on this page and I’ll get back to you. Questions and comments are welcome.

So why did I choose Lulu? Take a look at this post from PODdy Mouth discussing Lulu’s average of 1.8 books sold. Yeah, Lulu makes the publishing part easy. It’s the self-marketing part that most of us don’t want to devote time and money in. In 2003, I invested $900 in a publishing package with Xlibris. I invested another three or four hundred in more author copies, posters, postage, and let’s not forget money for gas for traveling to book signings.

Out of money, I sat back and hoped for some miracle to happen. Maybe Oprah would pick up my book and say something. Maybe some bookseller would love it and start suggesting it to everyone. Maybe I’d get mentioned in some big time newspaper that everyone reads. Outside of my own local newspaper interviewing me and a handful of author signings, none of this stuff happened.

But did I give up? No. And that was over four years ago. Today, I’m currently seeking an agent or traditional publisher for two more books I’ve written, but I haven’t forgotten where I got my feet wet. And there are thousands of writers out there just like me starting down that path of POD for the first time. If I can bring some attention to just a handful of them, then this blog has succeeded. Who knows? Maybe I can help break that 1.8 average. I’d just like to be known for trying to make a difference.

And if that isn’t enough qualification, then I don’t know what is.