Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Good Friends are Hard to Find

As we go through this tough world it is always good to have a friend by your side to share your ups and downs and keep you centered. For me that's Cherri Galbiati. Cherri and I have been down the same publishing roads together. We've watched as our excitment over having our books "traditionally published" turned to dismay as our books languished in the ozone due to publisher indifference. For many years, I thought poor book sales were my fault. I spent money and time on marketing and promotion and I just couldn't get ahead. Then, Cherri helped me begin to think straight. She'd been watching how well the Indie Authors were doing financially and she was learning about the different avenues that were available for Indie Authors that just aren't available to traditionally published writer. Together, Cherri and I, saw the writing world open up.

I have to say, that I was a little leery about breaking with my publisher and going off on my own. But, I'd been down the Indie Author road before and I'd been making great headway when I gave it up and signed with a traditional press. I knew I could pursue avenues on my own that I couldn't pursue with a traditional press and it wouldn't hurt to try. After all, my last royalty check from my publisher wasn't even worth depositing. (In fact I have it here in front of me and every now and then I let my Bengal cat chew on it.) But, the proof is in the puddling so to speak. I uploaded my first Indie project on January 18, 2011. As of this date, March 29th, 2011, I've made more sales than I ever imagined! Obviously, I'm stunned. Me? Make money writing? Who'd have thought such a thing?

Good friends are hard to find. Friends that are truthful about the road less traveled and how that road is actually the better path than the one you're currently on - and why. Bless her heart. Cherri never let up, she guided me and lectured me and argued with me until my vision cleared and I saw the world and its opportunities through her eyes. Anyone else would have walked away from my stubborness.

Good friends are hard to find and I bless the day I found Cherri Galbiati. Cherri has two short stories Yesterday's Chance, and Halo and Holly on Kindle, but her first Indie Novel, Tracking Perception is now available (also on Kindle) for 99 cents. It's a good! mystery written by a cop's wife, and although Cherri is now retired from Search and Rescue, she writes about the lifestyle of being a handler, owning (and training) these incredible dogs, and what it's like to go on a "mission." All the elements of this well crafted cozy mystery will keep you turning the pages until you find out "who done it."

So, plunk down your 99 cents, sit back and enjoy a good, well-crafted cozy mystery, and when you're done send Cherri an email and say, "Diana sent me!"

5 comments:

cornelia amiri said...

Great blog post Diana. I am going take the leap as well based on wonderful information from Cherri. She's the best. It's hard for me to make the leap - I've been with royalty paying e-pubs since 2000 but I'm going to do it on some of my books as well. Cherri so generously suppled the information I needed. Your books and Cherri's books are both wonderful and it's no surprise to me that they are doing so well as indie pubbed. Best Wishes. Go Indie authors Go!

Susan Whitfield said...

Diana, I'm reading of more and more authors who're going Indie and having great success. I read the artic;e about Barry Eisler turning down a huge amount of money to do his own thing and pricing digital books so that absolutely everyone can afford them. I have finally ordered a Kindle and I'm seriously considering following you gals. I,too, have had experience with self-publishing but got sneers and rejections from bookstores who are now going to have to get with the program. Thanks for an honest post. Good friends may be hard to find, but when we do, it's for life!

Cherri Galbiati said...

Diana,
My goodness! I don't deserve so much praise. We've walked this path together from the beginning in our writing journey...side-by-side. I know I drove you crazy with "read this, read that...do it, just do it! till you were blue in the face. But I did it because your NINTH LORD OF THE NIGHT is an outstanding novel for everyone to read. It should be read--deserves to be read. And I wanted you to see how "easy-peasy" doing it yourself could be. I wanted you to feel what I felt. I wanted you find that CONTROL we speak of so often...again. You're a strong woman with a good mind and an exceptional heart, Diana. I'm so very blessed to have you in my life. Love you.

Diana said...

Cornelia,
I have always been a great supporter of you and your books. No one I know works harder at both writing and promotion. You've always amazed me at how prolific you are while juggling your day job.

There's a lot to learn, but the payoff can be worth all the effort.

Diana said...

Susan,
I was on a roll when my novel was self-published. Within weeks of Ninth Lord of the Night's release it was optioned for film. I had a publicist who said she'd work for me for free - if I'd use her name in my personal promotion. I had B&N CRMs calling me for signings and I had write-ups in the Houston Chronicle.

But, like you, I was constantly told that self-publishing would taint my work, so when I had an opportunity to go with a traditional publisher I leaped at the chance. Everything I'd worked so hard to build, simply vanished.

I tried my best. I paid my dues. I spent my money and I took my chances. But, I wasn't a novelty anymore and even B&N changed not only in their dealings with self-published authors, but also with their attitude about traditional publishers.

Now, once again, the world has opened up and I'm earning the money instead of spending it.

Cherri has been a big part of this. She and I have paid a lot of very, very hard and unnecessary dues. I don't know about me, but she really deserves the success she's getting.