wherethejourneytakesme - I can't resist showing off. I self published Dinner at Dark last year.
Important - anyone can self publish. You just need to have an internet connection and a little time to work out the formatting. You can self publish a shopping list. I didn't use outside editors or anything like that but I did get my book cover from designer Melissa Alvarez. Even though I didn't use outside editors, I do think I managed to do okay with grammar and spelling (please let no-one point out really obvious mistakes...again!)
The intro I use is
How would Martha Stewart deal with a dinner party where two of the guests were vampires, four of the guests were werewolves, one guest was completely unaware of this and one was a housekeeper with very high standards? What happens when you buy Holy Water from the Internet? When eight guests are trapped in the rugged British Pennines, the dinner party at Darke Manor takes an unexpected turn.
and I don't exactly know where you are in God's Own County but I set the story above Hebden Bridge during the awful floods. It's not gory - I get scared too easily! - but there is some horror and some humour and I hope it's not too obvious. I like to think it's very British, but I can't always tell.
I strongly believe that if you really want to write a book then you can. It may not be popular and it may not make money (mine don't), but I found a wonderful satisfaction in writing the story. If you want to write, go for it! Alan Moore said that you become a writer by the act of writing. If all you ever do is enjoy working on the story then it's completely worth it!
Now I'll step back from showing off back to business as usual. If you do dip in I hope you enjoy it.(important I never mind if anyone doesn't want to read my stuff, I'd rather just 'chat' passing through and keep friendship than you feel obligated)
I like your point that ones book may not be popular and may not make money (though, of course, it would be wonderful if they did like it and it was profitable). You are absolutely right -there is a wonderful satisfaction in the act of writing it. I love writing my book. It's slow going but I WILL get there in the end, and I will have loved doing it.
ReplyDeleteI will get a copy and save it to read at Christmas as I am curious now. I wouldn't know where to start with a story but will find it interesting to see how yours goes. I asked if it was like an Agatha Christie because my mum is an avid reader of those kind of murder mysteries - she reads Agatha Raisin too.
ReplyDeleteOh and for the record I am near to Last of the Summer Wine country but I do know the heights above Hebden Bridge so will be an interesting read.