Writer and photographer
I have a new novella published!
Between the Virgin and the Sea, a magical realism story featuring a boy who dreams his future, is now published in Novella Express #3 by Leamington Books, an Edinburgh-based indie publisher.
You can buy the book, containing novellas by three authors, here
Alternatively – or as well! – you can buy the ebook of Between the Virgin and the Sea here
I hope you enjoy it!
Indie publishing is a vital part of the book world. It enables unagented writers like me to get our books out in the world. But indie publishers not only operate on a shoestring, with tiny profit margins; they also swim in a sea where the big fish – the Big 5 publishers – get most of the publicity, reviews in the national press and book awards. Why? Because those big publishers have the financial clout.
So it is down to us, the readers (I’m a reader as well as a writer) to do help redress the balance. Here are 8 ways we can all do our bit to help independent publishing survive and thrive:
1 Buy direct from indie publishers. That way their income is (unless they choose to offer promotional discounts) the full cover price of the book.
2 Use social media to spread the word about a book you enjoy: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tik Tok (if you know how that works!) and any others I don’t even know about!
3 Review books you like – on your own blog if you have one, and also on Goodreads and Amazon (if it will let you). Even a couple of lines about a book is valuable.
4 Tell a friend, or two. Word of mouth is hugely powerful.
5 Ask your local bookshop to stock a book you’ve enjoyed. Having books on display, available for potential purchasers to browse, really boosts them.
6 Ask your local library to buy a book you’ve enjoyed. You might be surprised how amenable libraries are to this.
And, particularly now, in the run-up to Christmas:
7 Buy books you’ve enjoyed as Christmas presents for your family and friends. Some indie publishers offer Christmas boxes with other goodies alongside their books. Louise Walters Books for example, supplies local Banbury cakes with her books.
8 Submit your favourite books of year to the end-of-year readers’ listings such as that published by The Guardian.
Thank you!
I’m proud to say that I’m now a two-book author.
My second novella, In the Sweep of the Bay, was published on 23rd November by Louise Walters Books and is currently available in paperback and ebook. An audio book is in preparation.
We had a launch party on Zoom on the eve of publication and you can watch the recording of this on Louise’s YouTube channel here.
The book is selling so well that Louise had to order a reprint two days after publication!!
We are currently midway though a blog tour:
Louise are I are both very grateful to everyone who has bought the book and for all reviews on Goodreads and Amazon. Keep them coming and support independent publishing.
I think I’m now entitled to call myself a member of The Lonely Crowd, as I have a story in the new issue (#8) of the Welsh-based print journal of that name, in the company of many prestigious writers.
I’m delighted to have had my story selected. It’s called The Wood has Ears, The Field has Eyes. It’s about something out-of -the-ordinary which happens in a small museum somewhere in Wales. If you want to know more you’ll have to buy the magazine – here’s the link.
If you buy it I won’t get any money personally, but you’ll be supporting indie publishing and enabling more writers to get published. As well as getting the work of over 30 poets and short story writers to read. I met some of them at a launch event in Swansea this week, where I read part of my story. And there’s a Cardiff launch on Wednesday next (15th November) – details here.
And while you’re here – pop over to my Stories page for a couple of new ones you can read online…
Cath Barton 