POINT OF VIEW: Stepping Off the Ledge

Hey all,

I’m about to step off the ledge. To take the plunge. To dive into the great unknown.

I am about to become * gulp * a self publisher.

I have two projects already teed up for this year, with more to come if things go well.

The first is the long-awaited publication of “The River City Chronicles” in book form – my 102 chapter online serial that ended last October. It’s been a long slog to get to this point for this, my love letter to Sacramento. I just got the preliminary cover art from Kelley York, a local Sacramento cover artist. I am in love with the cover she created, and will share it with you all soon.

Also this year, we’re taking over the publication of the annual Queer Sci Fi flash fiction anthology from Mischief Corner Books – this year it’s titled “Impact.” MCB has been wonderful to work with, but it took a lot of their time, money and energy to produce the anthology, and so we’re excited to take this in-house for the first time. We’ll see if we can live up to their high standards of production and design.

I will also continue to publish with a few traditional publishers – both MCB and Dreamspinner have been fantastic to me. But it’s time for me to evolve.

And so, I am biting my nails to the quick. Sure, one day this whole process will be old hat. But for now, it’s bright and scary and new.

So my question fo my hybrid author friends, who have previously taken the leap into self publishing: What’s the one thing you think I should know, going in? Your est tip, or your most dire warning?