David Fingerman on the Pros and Cons of Self-Publishing

David Fingerman would like to introduce two novels:

EDGING PAST REALITY and

SILENT KILL

Get ready to expect the unexpected when you read this collection of chilling short stories by David Fingerman. The short stories of Edging Past Reality will take you to the precipice of reason and then push you over the edge. If you think you can always believe your eyes, and you're sure that what you believe is true, it's time to check your certainties at the door ... and start Edging Past Reality.

Imagine an inviting, lush meadow that turns shockingly deadly. A mirror that holds more than mere reflections. A trial where your life hangs by a call-in vote.

David Fingerman, a master of the unforeseen and unpredictable, will take you on a number of seemingly ordinary journeys and then smoothly veer off course, surprising you with twists and turns that propel you toward destinations that are not only unexpected, but often terrifying.

Edging Past Reality has received rave reviews so far, so if you like your stories short, sharp and terrifiying then why not give the book a go?

Coming soon is Fingerman's next novel, a suspense/thriller titled Silent Kill. Keep checking his website for its release date. Out now!

Louise Miller is a Minneapolis Police Officer whose friend and fellow officer is found murdered. Being gay, Louise has is plagued by homophobic comments from her fellow colleges, and being only a regular street cop she's not privy to inside information. She and her brother Andrew, a deputy sheriff, team up to track down the killer. As the body count rises, they're led into a maze of violence and killing where all the clues seem to revolve around a rottweiler.

David Fingerman on self-publishing:

Although Silent Kill is my first novel, Edging Past Reality is my first book. I was under no illusions, or at least became very quickly aware, that a traditional publisher would never have any interest in a book of short stories. That's not to say that I didn't try. Along with the form letter rejects, I got some very nice and complimentary personal rejects.

It's then that I started researching self-publishing. My plan was that self-publishing would get my name out to the masses, and then I would try the traditional route with my novels. I was stunned at how many companies wanted to publish my book. The price ranges I found went from $0 to over ten thousand dollars. I quickly decided free was not the way to go for me. After days of turning my brain to mush, I opted for a local company and chose a package I could afford. What I liked about going local was I actually drove down to their office and got to meet the people face-to-face. That's certainly not a necessity, but it made me feel better about my choice. About five months later, Edging Past Reality came out, and I must say that it looked every bit professional as any traditionally published book

Here are a few advantages and disadvantages I found with self-publishing.

Advantages: (again, do your research – not all of these will apply with every company)

(1) You retain total control of your book.

(2) You set the price of your book.

(3) You keep a much higher percentage of royalties.

(4) Your book will be out much faster than with a traditional publisher.

Disadvantages:

(1) Good luck getting your book into major bookstores. (I got "EPR" into some wonderful indi bookstores, but B&N and Borders wouldn't even talk to me.)

(2) There's still the stigma that self-publishing = crap. It's not as bad as it used to be and getting better, but the label still there.

(3) It's very possible that the money you invest will not be made up in sales (welcome to the world of marketing, but that's another blog for another day).

Self-publishing is a great viable option. I don't know if I'll go that route again, but my over-all experience was good. I've also read some excellent self-published books that, if traditional publishers rejected them, it's their loss.

Anyway, as far as my plan, I have no idea if it worked. It doesn't really matter. Silent Kill found a fantastic home with L & L Dreamspell, a non-traditional, but not a self-publishing company. I don't think they had ever heard of me before, so in that respect I guess my plan failed. In another respect – so what?

Before anyone heads down the self-publishing route check out these sites first: Writer Beware and  Predators and Editors. They are invaluable websites to assist in research.