Tag: authors

Dear Self-Published Author, You Have Options!

While Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing is excellent, there are other options for print-on-demand publishing that self-published authors can explore.

Draft2Digital

Draft2Digital is a gem. D2D is an aggregator that distributes your books to major retailers online, from Barnes and Noble to Apple iBooks to Baker & Taylor. They have merged with Smashwords and now also offer a paperback option. The upload procedure is simple and efficient. Your only issue is if your book still needs to be formatted. You should finish, edit, and format your text before uploading it.

I have only used their ebook service so I cannot comment on the quality of the paperback, but it is an option for self-publishers who don’t want to use Amazon. Also, the speed of making your book available everywhere online is top-tier.

Ingram Spark

Ingram is another option, although the upload process is slightly more complicated. However, it is set up that way because Ingram is a distributor designed to get your book into bookstores.

During the process, you’d want to think about things like your wholesale price (usually 40%), and you will need an ISBN. While Ingram does offer a free one, I highly recommend Indie authors own their ISBN.

Buying them in bulk (assuming you will self-publish more than one book) from Bowker can save a ton of money. I haven’t had to buy one in three years. I am using Ingram for the hardcover version of my book (which requires a different ISBN than the paperback), and I was able to use one of the numbers I still have left.

Note: Do not give away your ISBNs unless you are a publisher. Your number is like your book’s social security number and is attached to your name or the company you registered under. Thus, you will be the publisher of the record.

Photo by Pixabay

An exciting thing about Ingram Spark is its choice of paper. As experienced self-publishers know, you can choose your paper, usually white or creme, during uploading on Amazon. However, with Ingram, you have another choice. You can select Groundwood, an eggshell paper typically used in traditionally published mass-markets.

Note: I recommend using Amazon separately.

Upload your files for ebook using Kindle Direct Publishing like you normally would to put your book on Amazon. Then, use the other programs for the other retailers. If you do this, do not check the expanded distribution box on Amazon.

Example: If using D2D or Ingram and your ebook is already published on Amazon, you do not need to check the Amazon box during set-up.

Bookbaby

For independent authors who want to self-publish but don’t have the time to look for editors and cover artists, Bookbaby is a possibility. By offering you publication packages for cover design, ebook conversion, ISBN, and even marketing, Bookbaby serves as a self-publisher assistant or vanity publisher.

Any publishing that demands payment is regarded as vanity publishing despite being verified and far more professional. Pay attention to the features supplied with each tier when using Bookbaby because it is also rather pricey and not all packages include editing. Remember that even if they include books with each bundle, ordering your own books through Amazon’s KDP or Ingram will save you a lot more money.

I’ve seen from other authors that their print quality is pretty good. So, though I have not used them, and have my concerns about their prices, they are an option.

Lulu

Lulu is a possibility. However, it’s not my first pick. Early on, I utilized them for The Stella Trilogy and my volumes of poetry. Your book can be distributed via Lulu to several online retailers. The pricing of the books is substantial, and I don’t like their customer support method. The paperbacks’ quality is great and solid, though. Additionally, their upload procedure is quite simple. Again, they are an option, albeit I wouldn’t make them my first pick.

48 Hour Books

Now 48 Hour Books is what I like to call a hidden gem. They are an organization that prints bookstore-quality books. They work as a book printer and offer book templates, editing resources, self-publishing, and more. Imagine if Amazon’s KDP went down; 48hr books would be a great resource for printing your books. They also sell ISBNs and Barcodes, though I only recommend buying ISBNs from Bowker.

I have not used them, but I want to in the future to investigate their quality. From what I see, the paperbacks are top-notch.

Remember that you are not limited to the mainstream or most popular option when you embark on your self-publishing path. You may always assess what best aligns with your vision and objectives. You are not constrained to a single viewpoint either. Whether you hire a publisher or outsource, you are free to publish your book however you see fit.

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.

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Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – The Romeo and Juliet Delusion: Finding Freedom After Trauma by Lori Abbott

Title: The Romeo and Juliet Delusion: Finding Freedom After Trauma

Author: Lori Abbott

Publisher: ‎ Lori Abbott

Published: April 16, 2023

Pages: 125

This is the second memoir I’ve read that grabs your attention from the opening page and delivers an essential message about addiction without holding back.

Lori Abbott is a well-educated attorney with over 15 years of experience in family and criminal law. Yet, she has not discerned that something is off with the guy at the bar. In fact, she finds herself incredibly drawn to him.

Romeo’s energy is electrifying and pulls her in at first glance. Once they start to talk, the attraction is mutual. Though they are each in a relationship now, the chemistry is undeniable.

Abbott and Romeo break it off with their spouses and eventually get together, and that’s when things get weird.

The first red flag was when Romeo invited Lori to his lake cabin in Nisswa, Minnesota, and opened the door using a credit card.

Then, he takes her to a place he said was his house, which looked like a college dorm. She asks about the Harley he said he had, which is nowhere around. Romeo becomes anxious and insists they leave for dinner. Lori complies.

Later, when she asks if they could return to the house, he says they can’t.

Huh?

Abbott catches Romeo in a series of lies but lets it slide, which she later realizes becomes a dangerous pattern.

Romeo loses control and smashes Lori’s car’s radio as the situation worsens. She is then forced to call his mother after he vanishes for several days.

It turns out that Romeo is a meth and heroin addict who is in and out of trouble. He is on child support for his daughter and has a felony case. The lake house was his parent’s year-round lake home, and the house belonged to a roommate who kicked him out. Romeo spends his nights at casinos or crashing on someone’s couch.

And these ain’t spoilers either because chile, things actually get worse.

This book stands out because the author does not shy away from the fact that while Romeo was addicted to drugs, she was addicted to Romeo. Abbott continues to fall for him because he persuades her that he is a victim of his past.

“What I did not realize at the time was that I was already becoming addicted to Romeo—one of the many lessons I have learned the hard way about addiction. I went from stagnation to intoxicating, reckless abandonment in a dangerously short period of time. The dichotomy between those two existences was the greatest rush I had ever felt in my life, and I was hooked.”

-Lori Abbott

The way the author ignored her intuition, knowledge, and awareness to excuse Romeo’s behavior is a warning for all women struggling to leave abusive relationships. Romeo would do the most outlandish things, and Abbott would close her eyes to it because she believed he could change.

“If you do not want to be doing something, but cannot stop doing it, you have a problem. Period.”

-Lori Abbott

This honest, well-written, and vulnerable story is a guide for women overcoming addiction, domestic abuse, and toxic relationships.

Trigger Warning: If you are struggling with similar addictions, be aware the author does not hold back in her descriptions. Proceed with caution. 

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Ratings:

  • Strong Introduction: 4/5
  • Authenticity / Believable: 5/5
  • Organization: 5/5
  • Thought Provoking: 5/5
  • Solid Conclusion: 4/5

Overall: 5/5

Grab Your Copy of The Romeo and Juliet Delusion Here

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The review registry for 2023 is closed. To learn how to have your book reviewed on this blog for 2024, click here.

We have two more books to promote that were registered before the deadline!

Stay tuned for our next dope read!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.

 

Dear Self-Publishers, Don’t Limit Your Potential

The Martian started as a self-published book.

Its author, Andy Weir, said he didn’t think the book had mainstream appeal and was surprised anyone was interested.

It began as a series on Weir’s website, and when readers complained it was hard to read the stories sitting at their computer, Weir listened to his audience and put it out as an ebook and then on Amazon’s Kindle.

It then got picked up by a small Canadian audiobook company.

Then Random House was interested, and before he knew it, Weir had a movie based on a book he started writing on his website that he went on to Self-Publish.

The Martian would later be nominated for several Oscars.

Photo by RF.

Self-publishing doesn’t just benefit authors who wish to go Independent, but it could also help authors who want to attract the attention of publishing houses.

Everyone’s publishing journey is different, and there is no telling where yours might take you.

Going the traditional route doesn’t make you a sellout, and self-publishing doesn’t mean your book is trash.

If you take the time to craft a well-written, high-quality book that people just can’t stop talking about, the sky is not even the limit of where it could take you.

Remember, The Martian did not automatically go to print by a traditional publisher. It first got picked up as an audiobook which, according to Weir, made him more money than the movie!

For a more personal example, I didn’t intend to give the platform much attention when TikTok launched. I thought it was for kids, I don’t dance, and I didn’t think I had time to learn another app.

But I took a chance and have grown my account to over 18K followers (updated: We are now at 23.6K!) went viral at 1.3million views, started a TiKTok shop, and have over 20 new email sign-ups that came directly from TikTok.

I am not telling you to start a TikTok account. I am telling you not to limit yourself.

In the words of Maya Angelou: “Pursue the things you love doing and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – Everyday I’m Hustling by Vivica A. Fox

Title: Everyday I’m Hustling

Author: Vivica A. Fox

Publisher: ‎ St. Martin’s Press

Published: April 3, 2018

Pages: 264

There are a few books I come back to a few times a year to savor their wisdom and life lessons. Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, Tabitha Brown’s Feeding the Soul, and Vivica A. Fox’s Everyday I’m Hustling are a few.

I met Miss Fox at her 2018 book signing. I am Soul had passed the review board the same year and was approved to be in the same store. We were in the same space, our books on the shelves of Nia Damali’s (aka Mama Nia’s) Medu Bookstore at the Greenbriar Mall in Atlanta.

With Soul Food and Set It Off being two of my favorite movies, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say hi. What I enjoyed most is Fox personality is the same as you see in public and the same voice you read about in her book. She is down to earth, funny, and wants to know how a girl from Chicago ended up with a name like Yecheilyah.

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Everyday I’m Hustling is part memoir, part self-help, and part recipe book. It is filled with life experiences of Fox’s upbringing in Indiana, her acting career, strategies and business advice, and some tea on her relationship with Curtis “50 Cent,” Jackson.

Reading this book feels like sitting down with your Aunt and listening to her tell you life stories while giving advice. “Success does not guarantee the absence of getting your ass kicked,” she says while stirring a pot of Sug’s Crock-Pot Black-Eyed Peas. In true elder fashion, she deviates from the story to give cooking lessons.

You’ll roll your eyes in your head, wanting her to come back to the story. Her recipe pauses are your least favorite part, but then she’ll start talking about bonding with Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Kimberly Elise off-camera during the Set It Off filming and bring you back. You’ll learn fun tidbits, such as how the line “You didn’t even bother to ask me if I was thirsty, sister,” was an adlib Fox asked to be in the film. She says she wanted there to be at least one sister-to-sister moment.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:

“Don’t let anybody dim the shine of your accomplishments. If they’re not paying your bills, why in the hell would they validate your worth?”

“Don’t overpay to play.”

“You can’t get typecast in life. There is a shelf life for certain chapters in your life. If you learn how to go into each chapter gracefully, then you can extend the longevity of your career.”

“Don’t point out the slips that only you know you made.”

I love this one! It reminds me of what Mr. Tolson (Denzel Washington) said in the movie The Great Debaters (another one of my favorites) when one of his students talked badly about himself. “Would you punch yourself in a street fight” The boy frowns, “No.” Then don’t punch yourself in a word fight,” says Denzel.

You don’t have to constantly bring up your flaws to be seen as valuable. You were born worthy. Stop pointing out slips (flaws) no one knows exist but you.

“I always tell people to educate themselves with real experience.”

“When you are working with someone, you are cobranding, so you have to look at the visibility of that brand.”

This is a good gem since collaboration is a popular word today. It is not wise to collaborate with just anyone. There must be something in it for you too. Does the person or company share your mission, purpose, and goal? Do they have the visibility and connections to help you like you are helping them? It’s a lot of people who just want to look important, but when you investigate further you see they can’t really do anything for you.

“Pitch your niche. It’s not bragging, it’s establishing your credibility.”

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Ratings:

  • Strong Introduction: 4/5
  • Authenticity / Believable: 5/5
  • Organization: 4/5
  • Thought Provoking: 5/5
  • Solid Conclusion: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Grab Your Copy of Everyday I’m Hustling Today

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To have your book reviewed on this blog apply here. TOMORROW (7/31) IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER FOR A BOOK REVIEW!

All books reviewed from this point forward are books I’ve read on my own time or books registered before the deadline!

Stay tuned for our next dope read!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.

 

Why You Shouldn’t Worry about Family Not Supporting Your Books

When the Power series was first hot, my cousin said to me: “You should write books like on Power! The way we grew up, I know you can put some stuff together.”

That bothered me for two reasons:

  • I am not that kind of writer. Yes, I grew up around drug dealers and addicts, but I don’t write those kinds of books. (TWWBE was the closest book I’ve written with those themes.)
  • I interpreted it to mean the kinds of books I write already aren’t good enough for my Black audiences. In my mind she may as well have said: “We Black people wanna read books like the Power TV series.”

Self-Publishing is a lot of work, and not feeling supported by our family and friends can be crushing.

However, consider these facts, with a focus on point two:

  • Family and long-time friends don’t know the author you. They are only focused on who you’ve been to them growing up and will probably only jump on the bandwagon if you make the New York Times Best Seller and are introduced by Oprah.
  • More seriously, family, relatives, and long-time friends who don’t read the kind of books you write are not your targeted audience anyway.

Meaning you didn’t write this urban romance novel for your auntie.

You wrote it for the 34-to-44-year-old single Black woman who spends her time sharing relationship memes on Facebook, analyzing the breakups of celebrities in the Shaderoom, and devouring novels by Ashley Antoinette Coleman.

This is called appealing to your target audience, or the specific group of people within your market that your marketing is trying to reach.

Put simply: the strangers most interested in the kind of book you write who will likely go from strangers to book besties.

This is why worrying about why your relatives aren’t supporting your writing career is a waste of time.

Because you didn’t write the book for them in the first place.

Not unless they are part of your intended group.

So if auntie is within that wheelhouse, she will be a fan of your books.

But if she is more interested in the Power TV series, she should probably find an author who writes books like that.

Be encouraged.

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews – No Idle Word by Tehilayah Ysrayl

Title: No Idle Word: Poetry and Prose

Author: Tehilayah Ysrayl

Publisher: ‎ Tehilayah Ysrayl

Published: May 7, 2019

Pages: 98

Her name means “A song of praise to Yah,” and Tehilayah’s anthology of poetry and prose sings just like the book of Psalms. We can tell the author thought through each piece before she penned it, as each poem is focused and intentional. There are no idle words in this anthology, as the title implies. Each stanza seeks to emphasize the significance of the use of language.

This is a short and quick read, but you will want to take your time with this one. The poems force us to pause and savor the meanings between the lines. Tehilayah speaks with gentleness and wisdom. I can hear the poetry being read aloud, and she makes excellent use of metaphor and imagery.

This author is also a great singer, which is also a testament to her name and why this book reads like a collection of hymns.

Finally, I enjoyed how the author stayed close to the book’s theme. We are reminded that there are no idle words from the opening to the end.

Ratings:

  • Presentation: 4/5
  • Authenticity /Authentic Voice: 5/5
  • Creativity/Lyrical Content: 5/5
  • Thought Provoking: 5/5

Overall: 5/5

Grab Your Copy of No Idle Word Here

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To have your book reviewed on this blog apply here. The registry is open UNTIL AUGUST 1ST!

Be sure to apply BEFORE August even if your book releases after if you want a review on this blog.

Stay tuned for our next dope read!

Yecheilyah’s Book Reviews is a reputable review service that features writers from all over the world, both traditionally and independently published. We are listed on Kindlepreneur as a top-tier book review blog and Reedsy as one of their vetted active book blogs that provide insightful, excellent book reviews.

*Books are read in the order they are received.

 

Preparing Your Self-Published Book for Bookstores (Part 1)

Contrary to popular belief, self-published books can get into brick-and-mortar bookstores.

Ask me how I know…

Here Are Three Easy Ways to Prepare Your Self-Published / Indie Book for a Store:

1. Have a professionally designed cover with your name and title on the spine.

Usually, I will tell you to ensure it’s edited first (do that, please), but I want to highlight book covers here because they become even more important offline.

Imagine you are in Barnes and Noble (or anywhere) looking for your next read. The cover is going to attract you first.

Also, because you see it from that point of view, the book becomes easier to notice if the name and title are on the spine.

Some bookstores also take your book through a review process, where their team has to vote on the book. If the cover is poor and the editing is not up to standard, they’ll reject stocking your book.

2. Buy Your ISBN from Bowker

You can get your book into Independent stores with a free ISBN on consignment. However, having your book registered under your or your company’s name is a plus if your target is larger chains.

It’s a plus because bookstores hate Amazon’s guts. As soon as they see you are published with Amazon, they are judging you and already trying to come up with a way to let you down easy. It’s almost an instant no.

There are also tons of benefits to having your own ISBN. I go into depth about that here.

3. Use both Amazon and Ingram Spark.

Publish with Kindle Direct Publishing for Amazon only. Do not choose the expanded distribution. This option puts your book into Ingram Spark’s system but under Amazon.

Instead, you will opt out of this and create your own Ingram account.

Then, you are going to publish your book there as well.

This will allow bookstores to order your book directly from Ingram Spark through you instead of Amazon should they decide to carry your title. It also prevents you from bringing copies in yourself, which you would do under consignment.

More on this in part two…

Check out more Indie Author Basics articles here.