ANNOUNCEMENT!

I have an announcement.... :D

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to self-publish my novel, Cutlass. I am ecstatic. I have been planning the stages of my impending book release and with each new idea, I become even more motivated. I absolutely cannot wait until my book is available to everyone.

I would like to say that my decision to self-publish rests on the fact that, first, I really do enjoy getting to have a say in EVERYTHING that goes into my book, and second, I am a little...impatient. I feel as though I have been very idle in my attempts to have my work seen. This decision puts and end to that. My query stats weren't actually that bad. I queried 20 agents had had 2 partial requests and 2 full requests. In the end, I've decided that I will move forward with my publishing date and whatever happens, happens.

I have so many of you awesome bloggers to thank for ALL my resources. You have no idea how all of YOUR insight and resources directed me into feeling so absolutely comfortable with this decision.

Here are some people I would just like to thank real fast:

Mina Lobo - Thank you for editor suggestion on your blog, Jena! She had my book back to me in THREE days with AMAZING feedback!
Micalea Smeltzer - Thank you for the wonderful cover artist!
Regina - Thanks for BEING an amazing cover artist!
Sam - Thank you for you amazing video skills! I know the book trailer you put together is going to be amazing and unique.
Barbara Kloss - Thank you for your excellent encouragement and help with all my self-pubbing questions. Also, thank you for your suggestions on editors and future formatting help!

I have a list of things I have to do which include: 

• Finishing up edits and sending to betas 
• Another proofread from the editor 
• Revealing my cover
• Revealing my book trailer
• Deciding who to query for reviews before and after my book release
• Deciding who to query for a blog tour
• Buy my own ISBNs (I want to, essentially, create my own publishing company)
• Figuring out formatting for createspace
• After I figure out formatting and see the proof, attempt to create ARCs
• Making shirts and other SWAG
• Planning my release party!

I have had so much fun creating my marketing plan (luckily, I have a marketing class that's been super helpful!), and researching all of this info about publishing. I really want my book to be high-quality and look and read much like a traditionally published book. 

So, without and further rambling, I give you some very important dates:

December 18, 2013 - cover reveal
January 15, 2014 - book trailer reveal
April 23, 2014 - release day!!


Yes, April 23rd is my birthday! Lol. I figured why not give myself the greatest thing I have wanted for 10 years, which is sharing my characters and worlds with readers?

For my cover reveal I will post a linky list for anyone interested in helping me reveal my cover to the world! That will come around November. Then, in December, I will post another linky list for those of you interested in revealing the book trailer. For the actual release day, I will begin a blog tour from April 23-May 5. I will probably give away books, swag and whatever else I can come up with to thrust into your hands. I am so very excited about this, and I hope you guys are, too! If you wanna know more about my book, you can read the "CUTLASS" tab at the top of my page, or go to my website: HERE.

So, who's self-published and who's not? What are some of your favorite self-published books? Do you run away from a book when you hear the word self-published?