For first time authors seeking to use the independent publishing route, this “how-to” book provides a lot of insight into what to look out for as they navigate the process to publish and market that first book within a crowded digital market. From dealing with editing, design, and legal contractual concerns to understanding the marketing and publicity barriers to selling the completed works, the author lays it straight out as warnings that can upend or hurt success. Her bio demonstrates a long history of working with traditional and self-publishing avenues, so this list of potential problems is based on fundamental experience. However, one is given a sense from the writing that all of these “blunders” are pertinent to all genres and types of creative works, but I felt some tips would be better for non-fiction handbooks, where expertise would be more important in the marketing tip; whereas in fictional storytelling, the creative exuberance would need to be considered. For first-time authors of fiction who suddenly write that first novel from a sudden idea that drives a creative burst, this book may be seen as a warning of discouragement for not seeing the marketing before the storytelling, but I feel that some of the marketing ideas can still be valid after a book is formed. Authors should use this book as a positive means to learn the background on the new world of book publishing, not as a potential discouragement to their creativity.

I received a copy of this book from the author at a recent book fair. ( )