Just keep in mind that there was a time that any book not published by one of New York's big houses wasn't considered a real book either. Times are a changing folks and I'm not the only one saying so. I just have to share this with you. The following is by Gail Delaney, Editor-In-Chief of Desert Breeze Publishing (one of the up and coming Ebook publishers) in an informal discussion among authors of the publishing house.
… Mind you, there are some exceptionally successful self-published authors. Did you know Eragon -- a hugely popular YA fantasy novel -- was technically self-published? The parents of the young man who wrote it created a publishing company to produce it.
I realize as the owner of the company, some might see my view as tainted -- but remember, I was first an author with other houses.
Ebooks are your money makers. Book for book, you will make more on an ebook than a print book. That goes for traditional publishing, small press, wherever. The cost of producing an ebook is realized mostly before the book is published, and while it takes the sales of a few books to make up for the cost to the publisher it's not the same as a print book.
Print books have upfront costs, distribution costs, and manufacturing costs. The manufacturing costs hit every single book produced -- POD or not. We made the decision to keep our print prices on the lower side to encourage sales. Yes, both DBP and you make less per book, but if we SELL more books because they're more competitively priced then the bottom line is more attractive. Rather than making $1.00 a book for five books sold, you might make $.75 per book but sell twenty. You're ahead of the game.
When I tell people we publish ebooks, I never ever use phrases like "Only ebooks", "Just ebooks", etc. That diminishes the ebook. Present it from the get-go as the best possible means of reading a book and you'll convince people. "My book will be available in multiple electronic formats" sounds better than "It's an ebook."
Personally, I hardly EVER read print anymore. I find it cumbersome. And I like having a bunch of books to choose from at any given time on my iPad or Nook. And I tell people that. I tote the benefits, pluses, and reasons for ebook.
Gail R. Delaney
Editor-In-Chief
Desert Breeze Publishing
http://www.desertbreezepublishing.com/
In the same discussion, an ongoing discussion I might add this from one of our most successful authors.
Stepping back from my personal opinions and feelings, to look at the industry, I see this.
Book stores wouldn't have declined if sales hadn't dropped. Thriving businesses don't usually close their doors. There were reports of reading being down, of younger people not reading.
We may look back and see that eBooks saved the print books. It could be the best thing that ever happened to books. Book stores, libraries and reading had all declined to a certain degree.
Young readers love ebooks. I know seniors who do too. And ebook sales are up and still climbing. I see this as a good thing. More people reading and individuals reading more books.
Debra Parmley
western historical romance:
Dangerous Ties, release Feb 15, 2012, Desert Breeze Publishing
A Desperate Journey, March 2009, Samhain
contemporary romance:
Aboard the Wishing Star release Oct 2012, Desert Breeze Publishing
http://www.debraparmley.com/
March 2, 2012
March 1, 2012
Getting to know Joyce DiPastena author of Dangerous Favor
Me: So here we sit, me in my fuschia and blue and you in your fuschia and teal. Romance authors at ease.
I just have to know, since we like similiar colors, do we like similair writing background noises too? What music groups/artists blast from your CD player, if any, blast while you write?
Joyce: I can’t write to music or any noise in the background. I write my best in silence. (I guess I have enough voices going on in my head to keep me company!)
Me: Me too. I'm smiling and ask: What or who inspires you to write?
Joyce: Reading other books. I guess creativity feeds creativity.
Me: So true, Joyce why did you begin writing?
Joyce: I had this story in my head that I wanted someone to write so I could read it. I remember in college how I kept going to the bookstore and looking for that book, but none of the ones I found ever came close to the story I had in my head. I finally decided if I wanted to read that story, I’d have to write it myself. At first, I never intended to share that story with anyone, but of course, once a writer finishes a book, that almost irresistible itch to share it sets in.
Me: Tell me about your latest book, how did you come up with your premise for Dangerous Favor?
Joyce: I had a pair of secondary characters from an earlier book, two young men who were best friends, and I decided I wanted to write a dual romance for them. It’s hard to say where the premise came from beyond that. I always start with some characters who intrigue me, but I rarely know where they’re going when I begin a story. They prefer to reveal that to me along the way.
Me: For those who are not familiar with this story, would you please give us the blurb?
Joyce: Mathilde de Reivelle's father has been accused of stealing from the king, an allegation that has reduced her family to poverty. She has one chance to find and marry a man who can help her prove her father's innocence. Lord Therri, heir to a rich barony, has the wealth and connections Mathilde needs to delve into the mysteries of her father's past. Furthermore, Therri embodies all her romantic dreams.
Etienne, the younger son of a disgraced family, has neither wealth nor connections, but is smitten with Mathilde at a glance. She finds the knight intriguing, but believes he is only out to seduce her. While she seeks for a way to win Therri's attention, Etienne tricks her into granting him her favor, an embroidered white ribbon, for a tournament, setting in motion a dangerous chain reaction of events. Can Etienne save Mathilde from a nightmare from her past and prove himself the true hero of her dreams?
Me: How did you decide on the setting?
Joyce: I’ve always been fascinated with the Middle Ages, and with King Henry II of England in particular. Henry also ruled large areas of France, and when I decided I wanted to set a book during his reign, I realized that all the exciting political action was taking place in his lands in France rather than in England, so I thought that would prove a fertile playground to set my characters in.
Dangerous Favor is available right now on Amazon for $18.99. http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Favor-Joyce-DiPastena/dp/159992806X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328493177&sr=8-1 (But often it’s on sale, so check.) It should also be available soon on BarnesandNoble.com, DeseretBook.com, and in Deseret Bookstores.
Joyce Twitters
Twitter: @JoyceDiPastena
I just have to know, since we like similiar colors, do we like similair writing background noises too? What music groups/artists blast from your CD player, if any, blast while you write?
Joyce: I can’t write to music or any noise in the background. I write my best in silence. (I guess I have enough voices going on in my head to keep me company!)
Me: Me too. I'm smiling and ask: What or who inspires you to write?
Joyce: Reading other books. I guess creativity feeds creativity.
Me: So true, Joyce why did you begin writing?
Joyce: I had this story in my head that I wanted someone to write so I could read it. I remember in college how I kept going to the bookstore and looking for that book, but none of the ones I found ever came close to the story I had in my head. I finally decided if I wanted to read that story, I’d have to write it myself. At first, I never intended to share that story with anyone, but of course, once a writer finishes a book, that almost irresistible itch to share it sets in.
Joyce: I had a pair of secondary characters from an earlier book, two young men who were best friends, and I decided I wanted to write a dual romance for them. It’s hard to say where the premise came from beyond that. I always start with some characters who intrigue me, but I rarely know where they’re going when I begin a story. They prefer to reveal that to me along the way.
Me: For those who are not familiar with this story, would you please give us the blurb?
Joyce: Mathilde de Reivelle's father has been accused of stealing from the king, an allegation that has reduced her family to poverty. She has one chance to find and marry a man who can help her prove her father's innocence. Lord Therri, heir to a rich barony, has the wealth and connections Mathilde needs to delve into the mysteries of her father's past. Furthermore, Therri embodies all her romantic dreams.
Etienne, the younger son of a disgraced family, has neither wealth nor connections, but is smitten with Mathilde at a glance. She finds the knight intriguing, but believes he is only out to seduce her. While she seeks for a way to win Therri's attention, Etienne tricks her into granting him her favor, an embroidered white ribbon, for a tournament, setting in motion a dangerous chain reaction of events. Can Etienne save Mathilde from a nightmare from her past and prove himself the true hero of her dreams?
Me: How did you decide on the setting?
Joyce: I’ve always been fascinated with the Middle Ages, and with King Henry II of England in particular. Henry also ruled large areas of France, and when I decided I wanted to set a book during his reign, I realized that all the exciting political action was taking place in his lands in France rather than in England, so I thought that would prove a fertile playground to set my characters in.
Dangerous Favor is available right now on Amazon for $18.99. http://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Favor-Joyce-DiPastena/dp/159992806X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328493177&sr=8-1 (But often it’s on sale, so check.) It should also be available soon on BarnesandNoble.com, DeseretBook.com, and in Deseret Bookstores.
Joyce Twitters
Twitter: @JoyceDiPastena
February 26, 2012
Joyce DiPastena's Bio
Joyce DiPastena moved from Utah to Arizona at the age of two, and grew up to be a dyed-in-the-fur desert rat. She first fell in love with the Middle Ages when she read Thomas B. Costaine’s The Conquering Family in high school. She attended the University of Arizona, where she graduated with a degree specializing in medieval history.
Joyce loves to play the piano and sing for her own amusement, and sings in her church choir. Other interests include reading, spending time with her sister, trying out new restaurants, and, unfortunately, buying new clothes. The highlight of her year is attending the Arizona Renaissance Festival, which she has not missed once in its twenty-four years of existence.
Joyce enjoys hearing from her readers and may be contacted at jdipastena@yahoo.com
You can also visit her on her website at http://www.joyce-dipastena.com/
keep up with her latest news on her JDP NEWS blog (http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/)
or follow along as she researches her novels at Medieval Research with Joyce (http://medievalresearch.blogspot.com/)
Joyce loves to play the piano and sing for her own amusement, and sings in her church choir. Other interests include reading, spending time with her sister, trying out new restaurants, and, unfortunately, buying new clothes. The highlight of her year is attending the Arizona Renaissance Festival, which she has not missed once in its twenty-four years of existence.
Joyce enjoys hearing from her readers and may be contacted at jdipastena@yahoo.com
You can also visit her on her website at http://www.joyce-dipastena.com/
keep up with her latest news on her JDP NEWS blog (http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/)
or follow along as she researches her novels at Medieval Research with Joyce (http://medievalresearch.blogspot.com/)
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