• Blog

    Welcome to 2017 – may it be full of books and laughter

    12/31/2016

    Fall in Love with the Upper Crust Series Banner - Original Covers

    Any Way You Want It - Upper Crust Series - Monique McDonell - Original CoverWelcome readers to the new year.

    I for one am very happy to be kissing 2016 good-bye. I usually do a little recap of the year that was but this year I’m moving on and looking ahead rather than looking back.

    Not that I’m not proud of what I managed to accomplish in 2016 but it didn’t feel like much. A lot of two steps back and one step forward. I will say that I was particularly pleased with the finished novella Snowbound, A Chicklit Christmas Novella and if you haven’t yet read it and you enjoy my books I urge you to get a copy for a fun read.

    I’m very happy to announce that Any Way You Want It, the fifth book in the Upper Crust Series is out this week. I love this book because I adore the main characters. Chloe and Moose have both appeared in previous books as minor characters and now they get their own story which I just loved writing. I think Moose might be my best book-boyfriend yet which is no small call and especially hard for a character called Moose to pull off.

    I have a Valentine’s Day novella I’m hoping to release in February and then the final book in the Upper Crust Series, for now anyway.

    After that we’ll see. I have another series started and a couple of stand-alone novels so we’ll just have to see what speaks to me. (If you have any thoughts on that, let me know). Either way the next batch of books are set back in Australia although they have strong American connections.

    That’s it, for now, Any Way You Slice It I hope 2017 is a good year for all of us.

  • Blog

    Don’t Mean a Thing Blog Tour with Renee Connoulty

    12/11/2016

    Don't Mean A Thing Blog Tour 2016 Banner
    Don't Mean a Thing - Renee Conoulty - CoverRenee is a debut Australian author who I was lucky enough to meet in person at the Romance Writers of Australia Conference this year. I hope you enjoy her novel – Don’t Mean a Thing.

    Title: Don’t Mean a Thing
    Author: Renee Conoulty
    Series: Got That Swing #1
    Release Date: November 2, 2016
    Genres: Chick Lit, Romantic Comedy, Women’s Fiction
    Publisher: Kindred Ink Press

     

     

    Summary

    What if you finally took the lead, but life refused to follow?

    Thirty-year-old introvert, Macie Harman, has finally found a career she is passionate about, and after months of training, she’s begun her new job in the Royal Australian Air Force. Leaving behind her family, friends, and the life she knew, Macie has travelled to the other side of the country where the only person she knows is Rachael, the extroverted girl she went through basic training with. Everywhere Macie goes, Rachael is there too.

    While looking for a way to widen her circle of friends in her new town, Macie discovers a local swing dancing class. The jazz music captures her heart, and Matt, the sexy swing dancer, sweeps her off her feet. Matt has claimed the tropical Northern Territory as home and has no plans to leave. He loves his teaching career with its predictable routine and has a great bunch of friends. All he wants now is the right girl to make his house a home.

    Military life is tougher than Macie expected, and not everyone can deal with the inevitable separations and last minute changes. Is this exciting but unpredictable life something Macie wants to fight for, or could she give it up and put down roots with Matt?

    Renee Conoulty
    Author Biography

    Renee Conoulty is an Australian Air Force wife and mother of two. Her debut chick lit novel, Don’t Mean a Thing, is now available through Kindred Ink Press.

    When she’s not devouring books, reviewing and blogging on HeySaidRenee, or writing her own stories, Renee can be found swing dancing. Or possibly napping. She tweets about reading and reviewing @HeySaidRenee and about writing, military life and dancing @ReneeConoulty, but hasn’t created a handle for nap talk yet.

    Sign up for Renee’s monthly newsletter for her highlights on blogging, reading, writing and life. http://eepurl.com/bPay5r

    Book Links

    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32219339-don-t-mean-a-thing
    Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M4RFBS6/
    Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M4RFBS6/
    Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/d/B01M4RFBS6/
    iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1171945608
    Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dont-mean-a-thing-renee-conoulty/1125165298?ean=2940157140847
    Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/don-t-mean-a-thing
    Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/678344

    Social Networking Links
    Website: http://heysaidrenee.blogspot.com.au/
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14782154.Renee_Conoulty
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReneeConoultyAuthor/
    Twitter: http://twitter.com/reneeconoulty
    Amazon Author: https://www.amazon.com/Renee-Conoulty/e/B01M2CTMXS/
    Newsletter Signup: http://eepurl.com/bPay5r

  • Blog

    Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop (time to win some festive prizes)

    12/8/2016

    Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop 2016 Promo
    Today is my day for a stop on the Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop

    Today I’m participating in the Holly Jolly ChickLit Hop. That means you have the chance to win a $10 Amazon Giftcard (so you can buy some fabulous chicklit books I hope). All you have to do is stop to my website, sign up for my newsletter and HOP back to FACEBOOK and tell me what type of Christmas tree you get real or artificial. TOO EASY.
    (existing subscribers can also enter)

    Don’t forget to comment on Facebook after you subscribe!! https://www.facebook.com/MoniqueMcDonellAuthor/

    Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop 2016 Promo

    Make the holiday season even merrier by discovering new reads from some of today’s best chick lit and romantic comedy authors during the Holly Jolly Chick Lit Hop on Facebook.

    Here’s how it works: every day from Monday, December 5 through Friday, December 16, readers are invited to hop around to more than 60 authors’ Facebook pages (with about five stops each day) to receive gifts and enter to win prizes.

    Here is the schedule, which includes the list of authors posting each day and links to their Facebook pages in case you’d like to give them a “like” and follow along:

    MONDAY, DECEMBER 5
    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6
    WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
    THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8
    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9
    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10
    SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
    MONDAY, DECEMBER 12
    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13
    WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14
    THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15
    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16

     

    We will also give away several Amazon gift cards as bonus prizes on the event page. Every day that you participate and leave a comment on the main post for the day, you will be entered into the drawing to receive the prizes. Be sure to check back every day to maximize your chances!

    Happy Holidays to all and to all some fabulous reading!

  • Blog

    A video interview with my book cover designer Erin Cawood about the design process

    11/19/2016

    Snowbound - CoverI am so excited today to have Erin Cawood on the blog. Erin has done the cover for Snowbound, A Chicklit Christmas Novella which releases this week.

    I absolutely love this cover. It really captures the feel and the essence of the book, which is what you always hope for when you set out to have a cover designed.

    Erin has made a video talking you through her design experience and how we worked together to come up with the design which I think you will find really interesting.

    Erin lives in the UK and I live in Australia so we’ve never met in real life so seeing her on video was extra fun for me. (Don’t you just love how the internet makes it possible for us to collaborate with people who live a world away?)

    This isn’t the first cover Erin and I have done together, she did all my Upper Crust Series Covers as well, but this is our first illustrated cover together.

    I really hope you enjoy the video and if you are an author I highly recommend getting in touch with Erin to look at working with her.

     

    Fall in Love with the Upper Crust Series Banner - Original Covers

    Comment

    Terri Green
    11/22/2016 01:16:36 pm

    Love the cover for snowbound and very interesting to hear how the collaboration process comes together.

  • Blog

    Fast (Holiday) Five with Author Susan Murphy

    11/12/2016

    Ipad Pic of They Do I Don't and Annabel's Wedding by Susan MurphyThis is my second blog post interviewing contributors to the It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Chick Lit Anthology …today’s interview is with Susan Murphy.

    1. You have a holiday story in It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chicklit…what’s your favourite holiday?
    My favourite holiday is definitely Christmas. Ever since I was a kid, I’d start counting down the days from as early as July. I am the youngest of 5 kids and we didn’t have very much growing up, so when Christmas came around it was the only time we’d really get new toys and clothes. It was also fun to see all of our cousins and have roast dinner and dessert. In Australia Christmas is also in the summertime so it’s stinking hot. We would have the sprinklers on in the back yard and after opening our presents in the morning, lunch would be cooking while we played and got wet. I loved it.

    2. What book are you reading right now or looking forward to reading next?
    Right now I can’t wait to start reading The Florentine Bridge by Vanessa Carnevale and Don’t Mean a Thing by Renee Conoulty. They both look great and are wonderful ladies.

    3. Of your own novels do you have a favourite?
    I have 2 published books, a series called ‘Confetti Confidential’ which is loosely based on my work as a marriage and funeral celebrant. I loved book 1, ‘They Do, I Don’t’ but I think the second, ‘Annabel’s Wedding’ was actually better. My books have a lot of comedy, so most of the reviewers said that there were a lot of laugh out loud moments, but there’s also romance and of course, because I am a marriage celebrant, there are weddings!

    4. Are you working on a novel/book/story now? Can you tell me a little bit about it?
    I am working on something now, several things actually. I have written another ChickLit story which is based in Hawaii and is a bit more romance based than my other 2. I hope to have that out early next year. I’ve also been working on a thriller with another author and I have co-written a middle-grade children’s book with a fellow children’s author, Adam Cece. I also have a historical romance in the works too, based on the stories of my grandparents, but I need to wait until I visit Edinburgh next year, where the story is based, before I can really get into the details for that one.

    5. What’s your favourite holiday song/or food or tradition?
    I am one of those awful people that has Christmas carol CDs playing on loop all through December. My favourite tradition is taking the kids out so that they can buy gifts for each other and us with their own money. We wander the shops, listening to carols playing overhead. We have lunch and they spend time sneakily buying gifts and hiding them so that we don’t see. It’s my favourite thing in the lead-up. Boxing Day is also a big one for my family as my siblings and parents usually go our separate ways on Christmas day, to in-laws etc, but then on Boxing Day we have a big feast and celebration.

    Susan MurphyAbout Susan Murphy
    Susan Murphy is an author and marriage (and funeral) celebrant from Adelaide, South Australia. From weddings on cruise ships to family brawls at funerals, Susan has seen (and completely enjoyed) all of it. These situations have of course provided much inspiration for her writing.
    Her first book ‘Confetti Confidential: They Do, I Don’t’ was published with Harper Collins in 2015 with the follow-up, ‘Annabel’s Wedding’ released on November 1st 2015.
    After a stint as the Writer in Residence at the SA Writers Centre, Susan has co-written a middle-grade children’s book and is now working on a historical fiction project as well as a new romantic comedy series.
    In her ‘spare’ time she mainly eats chocolate and drinks wine, although she occasionally turns up at work and sometimes parents her three children, 2 dogs, cat and cockatiel, Moe.

     

    Website: www.susanmurphyauthor.com/
    Facebook author Page: https://www.facebook.com/susanmurphyauthor/
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/SMurphyAuthor
    Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Susan-Murphy/e/B00VCZ7HTO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_4?qid=1475038372&sr=1-4
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13495153.Susan_Murphy
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanmurphyauthor/
    Blog: http://www.susanmurphyauthor.com/comechatblog
    Pinterest: https://au.pinterest.com/SmurphyAuthor/
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13495153.Susan_Murphy
    Harper Collins listing: http://www.harpercollins.com.au/cr-113929/susan-murphy/
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE_DBLbbRGKLOPzCjOrWrFA

    Look for Susan’s story in It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chick Lit out now and free at all major retailers.

    Chick Lit Anthology Promo 2016

    Comment

    Dianne Maguire
    11/13/2016 07:00:11 pm

    Loved this interview Susan. ‘It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chit Lit,’ will definitely be part of my holiday reading. 🙂

  • Blog

    Cover reveal for my new release – Snowbound – which will published November 21st 2016

    11/9/2016

    Today I am so excited to reveal the gorgeous cover for my Christmas novella – Snowbound….take a look below. Isn’t it gorgeous?
    Snowbound – A Chicklit Christmas novella
    ​When Zara’s boyfriend can’t come home to Sydney from New York for Christmas she decides to surprise him instead. Sure, the ticket costs a bomb and her overbearing family thinks it is a bad idea, but that’s what you do for love right? Or so she tells the tall and hunky ex-basketball star, Kyle, who is squeezed into the plane seat beside her.

    When a blizzard hits and she finds herself stranded in Denver a few things become clear – her boyfriend isn’t that heartbroken about her absence, the airport doesn’t seem like a very festive place to be snowed-in, and there certainly aren’t enough pumpkin spiced lattes to fix the situation.

    So when Kyle offers to take her to stay at his buddy’s empty house she decides to take a chance and make the best of her first white Christmas. What she hadn’t banked on was Kyle’s ex and a reality television crew crashing the Christmas party.

    If you like fun and flirty heroes, ugly sweaters, snow covered mountains and sugar cookies, you’ll enjoy reading Snowbound these holidays.

    Snowbound will be released on November 21st.

    If you are a blogger who would like to participate in the release day blitz please sign up here.

    Snowbound - Cover

  • Blog

    The Fast (Holiday) Five with Amy Gettinger

    11/8/2016

    To celebrate the launch of the new anthology It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chick Lit, which I have a story in I’m doing a series of interviews with some of the authors involved in the project. First up is Amy Gettinger.

    The Five (Holiday) Five With Amy Gettinger
    Alice in Monologue Land - CoverKiss My Sweet Skull - CoverRoll With the Punches - Cover

     

     

     

     

     

     

    1. You have a holiday story in It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Chicklit…what’s your favourite holiday?
    I probably love Thanksgiving more than Christmas at this point. I used to love Christmas best, but for the woman of the house, it is a huge, exhausting, month-long production with few surprises. Thanksgiving is much less material and just involves a huge, gorgeous meal with a lot of lovely people. Besides, I love turkey and mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce AND pumpkin pie.

    2. What book are you reading right now or looking forward to reading next?
    I’m reading In a Gilded Cage and Crowned and Dangerous, both by Rhys Bowen. I love mystery with a female sleuth, and I really enjoy both Bowen’s Molly Murphy series and her Royal Spyness series.

    3. Of your own novels do you have a favourite?
    Probably. I think Roll with the Punches is my favorite. I loved the research into roller derby, and I really knew my stuff as far as Alzheimer’s, so it was easy to write. Plus, it helped me process my father’s long siege of Alzheimer’s.

    4. Are you working on a novel/book/story now? Can you tell me a little bit about it?
    I have a WIP about another roller girl, the biggest one on the team. I can’t say more at the moment. It’s very much in process, and it just isn’t calming down into a smooth story the way I’d like. (darn characters)

    5. What’s your favourite holiday song/or food or tradition?
    I send Christmas cards to over 100 people every year. If you’re on my good list, you get one—plus a long, thorough Christmas letter with pictures. I’m a good writer, and these letters are hilarious. It’s my favorite thing to do at Christmas.

    Amy Gettinger and TaffyAbout Amy
    Amy Gettinger, once a community college ESL instructor, now coaches reader’s theater for seniors. She lives in her dream house in Orange County, California underneath a eucalyptus windrow full of parrots and crows. For fun, she walks the local beach cliff path with her husband and the dogs–and thinks up perfectly ridiculous characters and crimes to write about.

    Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amy-Gettinger/e/B00S9Y99II
    Blog: https://amygettinger.com/
    Twitter: @AmyGettinger
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Amy-Gettinger-1412625005719904/

    Chick Lit Anthology Promo 2016

  • Blog

    Release Day Blitz for A Drakenfall Christmas by Geralyn Corcillo

    10/18/2016

    A Drakenfall Christmas Release Blitz Promo Banner
    A Drakenfall Christmas - CoverI’m really excited to be a part of the launch day of Drakenfall Christmas by Geralyn Corcillo. I’ve known Geralyn since we did a chicklit box set a few years ago. I’m always excited when someone I know has a new book out and I think that you’ll love this one. Enjoy!

    Title: A Drakenfall Christmas
    Author: Geralyn Corcillo
    Genre: Romantic Comedy
    Publisher: Blackbird Press
    Release Date: October 19, 2016

    Summary
    Get ready for a Christmas treat, generously sprinkled with laughter and lavishly frosted with romance!
    The magic of Drakenfall is in the air, spiced with cinnamon and mistletoe as Lord and Lady Mark and Maisy, along with their madcap staff, welcome Yuletide guests to their country estate-turned-resort.
    In an uncharacteristic turn, unflappable house manager Glynis Ferry seems to be getting her duster ruffled every time she catches sight of Shaun Fletcher, the new head groom. Pippa Taylor, a whirling dervish of a domestic, works below stairs to make the magic of Drakenfall happen for everyone else. But will there ever be enough dazzle left over for her? There will if most worthy valet Kafi Diop has anything to say about it, as he tries to spin holiday enchantment every which way. But his best laid plans seem to go cataclysmically awry, even with Maisy helping out as his faithful sidekick.
    And what about Kafi’s grandest of schemes, set to take flight at the Drakenfall Christmas Ball? He’s depending on guest Jamie Tovell, who’s depending on his long-time crush Lea Sinclair. But even if everything goes off without a hitch, will the secret Maisy’s been hiding from Mark all season pop up at the most inopportune moment to set everything asunder?
    It’s a Drakenfall Christmas … topsy-turvy, but generously sprinkled with laughter and lavishly frosted with romance!

    Book Links
    Amazon US: https://amzn.com/B01JU75TRW
    Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01JU75TRW
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31521644-a-drakenfall-christmas

    Geralyn CorcilloMeet the Author
    When she was a kid growing up in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Geralyn Vivian Ruane Corcillo dreamed of one day becoming the superhero Dyna Girl. So, she did her best and grew up to constantly pick up litter and rescue animals. At home, she loves watching black & white movies, British mysteries, and the NY Giants. Corcillo lives in a drafty old house in Hollywood with her husband Ron, a guy who’s even cooler than Kip Dynamite.

     

    Connect with the Author
    Website: http://geralyncorcillo.com
    Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8394712.Geralyn_Corcillo
    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/geralyncorcillothewriter/
    Twitter: https://twitter.com/geralyncorcillo
    Amazon Author: http://author.to/GeralynCorcillo

     

    Comment

    Geralyn Corcillo
    10/19/2016 08:43:17 am

    Thanks for the shout-out, Monique! I’m so excited about this Christmas release – thanks for being a part of the big day!

  • Blog

    Guest Post by Author Ce Ce Osgood – author of Murder & Margaritas – including a great recipe

    10/14/2016

    Austin TexasAuthor CeCe Osgood Shares the Secrets of a Scrumptious Margarita
    Thank you Monique for letting me post a little ditty to celebrate my new chick lit cozy mystery series. The first book in the series is MARGARITAS & MURDER: A Sunny Truly Mystery.

    The main character, Sunny, is an apprentice private investigator in Austin, Texas. I chose Austin for the setting of the book because I lived there for many years, and it’s where I tasted my first margarita.

    When I was in college in Austin, my pals and I always enjoyed Friday night gatherings at a Tex-Mex restaurant that served okay food, but fantastic margaritas. They were super limey, ice-cold and refreshingly delicious when served with spicy tamales, sour cream enchiladas or cheesy nachos. But as good as those margaritas were, the best I’ve ever had was just recently at a friend’s house. She often vacations in a lovely town in Central Mexico and brought back a terrific recipe for margaritas.

    The first thing she told me was to get a top-notch (expensive) tequila because then you wouldn’t get a headache if you over imbibed. (FYI: I was staying at her house that night so no drinking and driving as that is never a good idea.)

    Here is my friend’s recommendation for a great tequila: Gran Centenario Plata. I had never of it before, so the writer in me wanted to do a little research.

    Gran Centenario Plata (owned by Jose Cuervo) is 100% blue agave silver tequila. Growing up in Texas, I’d heard of blue agave, but I couldn’t really tell you what it is.
    Agave
    A digression: Agave is also the name of a character in Greek mythology and means “illustrious.” She was the daughter of Cadmus, the founder and king of the city Thebes – the major rival of ancient Athens. Agave was a follower of Dionysus, the god of the grape harvest, wine and intoxication.

    Returning to the subject of tequila, I found another factoid. Unlike other plata (silver) tequilas, the Gran Centenario Plata rests for 28 days in French Limousin oak barrels. Intrigued, I looked it up and it turns out that the oak trees come from a region in France called Limousi. Duh. I had imagined something more flamboyant.

    Still, I wondered why the Limousi oak barrel was so important. Then I read that the storage in these oak barrels softens the tang of the alcohol giving it a smooth finish, and it is the smooth finish that makes this tequila so superior. And expensive. I have had my share of cheap tequila burning like a slice of hot pizza in my mouth, so yeah, smooth is better.

    Now, how about that recipe?
    First, of course, is to fill your blender with ice.
    Then pour in:
    6 oz. tequila
    2 oz. triple sec
    The juice of six limes
    Then add Simple Syrup to taste.
    (To make simple syrup: add one cup of sugar and one cup of water in a saucepan. Heat until dissolved.)

    I’ve gotten to where I don’t care much for salt on the rim of my glass, but if you do, sprinkle the salt, kosher for a lighter taste, into a shallow plate.

    Moisten the rim of your glass with a cut lime (or lemon) wedge. Notch the wedge for it to slip easily around the rim. Then turn the glass upside down and dip it into the salt. Sssh, here’s a secret. If you prefer a less salty taste, mix sugar into the plate of salt, say 50-50, and then dip the moistened rim into it.

    This recipe is for lime margaritas. For fruity drinks, simply blend the fruit first, then add the ice and other ingredients and blend until smooth.

    For this Texan, enjoying a scrumptious margarita with spicy cheese nachos topped with thin slices of avocado is divine.
    (There’s a legend in Texas that if you drink too much tequila you might see God. That’s never happened to me, but then I don’t drink more than one or two margaritas. If it does happen to you, do let me know, and please say “howdy” for me.)

    Margaritas & Murder - Cover
    Margaritas & Murder: A Sunny Truly Mystery is FREE on Amazon – Friday Oct. 14 thru Tues. Oct. 18. (Pacific Standard Time USA)

    AMAZON
    AMAZON UK

     

     

    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    CeCe Osgood’s debut novel, THE DIVORCED NOT DEAD WORKSHOP, was awarded a Crowned Heart for Excellence by InD’tale magazine. It’s a chick lit romantic comedy about a dating workshop during a cruise to Cabo. www.myBook.to/TDNDW

    Her new work is the Sunny Truly Mystery series. The first book is MARGARITAS & MURDER, which is FREE on Amazon from Friday Oct. 14 thru Tuesday Oct. 18, 2016. (Pacific Standard Time USA).
    The second book in the series, MERLOT & MURDER, is also available on Amazon. www.myBook.to/MerlotCozy
    Find CeCe Osgood here: WEBSITE    FACEBOOK….TWITTER

  • Blog

    Indie Author Day – What is an Indie author anyway?

    10/1/2016

    Monique McDonell Author Photo - Mr Right and Other MongrelsWhen you are involved in any industry whether it’s mining, medicine or accounting you find there is language unique to that field. ( If you eavesdrop on three town planners it is my belief there will be so many acronyms used you may find yourself wondering if they’re speaking another language). Once you understand that field or industry the language becomes common place and you forget that others don’t know what you’re talking about.

    Since I’ve embarked on my journey to write and to get published I have learned all sorts of terms and phases that are used in contexts I would not previously have understood.

    Some examples:
    What does it mean when someone ‘requests a partial’? A publisher or agent wants to see part of your manuscript more than likely the first three chapters.
    What is a ‘beta reader’? (It is not a fish). It is someone, usually not a writer, who reads your book in its draft stage and offers feedback.
    What is a ‘crit partner’? This is a person who critiques your writing and you critique theirs, so usually another writer.

    So then we come to authors. Authors used to fall into two categories published and unpublished – simple right? Well not in the 20th century – we have another category – indie, and that’s what I am.

    So now when I say I’m an indie author, people very often don’t know what I’m talking about. Most of the time I have to take a moment to explain, so I thought I’d do that here.

    What is an indie author?
    That’s an author who is independently published…you know how musicians have indie records (which everyone thinks is mega cool and is pretty standard in that field) same thing really! I’m like that guy in the garage band. (Maybe I can become writing’s answer to Silverchair!)

    Lets’ do another Q&A.

    Are indie authors just people publishers won’t publish?
    Sometimes they are. Sometimes they aren’t. These days lots of traditionally authors also do some books as indies – by the way those authors who are both indie and traditionally published are knowns as hybrid.
    Sometimes if a book isn’t in a popular genre or is cross-genre traditional publishers don’t believe they can sell a book – publishing is a business so they need to be sure they can see a book before they publish it. These books often do quite well as indie books. Some later get picked up by traditional publishers and lots don’t. Wool by Hugh Howey is a great example of an indie book that later found a traditional publisher.

    Why would anyone be an indie author?
    Some people like control of their work – choosing covers, setting prices and controlling how their books are marketed. For example I’ve enjoyed creating distinctive brand for myself and choosing how and when I would release my books. When you’re indie you can release books to your own schedule as well, which really suits some authors.

    Don’t you make more money going through a publisher? Not always. These days with Amazon, Smashwords etc you can often do better on your own than with a small publisher, especially a publisher who is only offering you e-publication and not print. In fact you can make a pretty strong case lots of authors make less money with that approach. That’s not to say authors with small publishers don’t make money or big publishers because every author is unique and everyone’s journey is different.

    Do indie authors make money?
    Well authors generally don’t make a fortune to begin with – that is another misconception about authors. In Australia (where I live) the average author makes around $10,000 a year from their writing regardless of the method of publication. Of course that’s an average so lots are making more and plenty are making less. That’s true for indie’s as well. So some indie authors make a lot of money and lots don’t but then that’s true of authors in general.

    In summary – an indie author is just someone going it alone in the writing world. Of course, that’s a pretty loose definition and not true really because I have a writing group, beta readers, cover designers, editors and of course readers so I’m not alone at all.
    As a reader of course much of this doesn’t matter. What you are looking for is a well-crafted story that you can’t put down.
    If you’d like to find a whole slew of new indie authors visit this Pinterest Board.
    https://www.pinterest.com/kathrynrbiel/indie-book-day-2016/