Independence Day showed up early for me this year. It arrived
in June when I published a new version of my mystery Lies at Six. A traditional publishing house brought the book out
last year. This time, it is an independent venture.
Lies at Six is the
first of a planned series with protagonist Jolie Marston and her erudite pal
Martin Everett. It’s great to have them in the world again.
I opted out of a 3-year contract with my traditional
publisher when the chance arose subsequent to a policy change. By this time, I’d
read and heard enough about self-publishing or indie publishing to know this
route was my preferred option, and by far the quickest one, for getting the
book back in the hands of readers. I didn’t mind taking on or hiring out the
tasks of independent publishing. Autonomy and I get along well.
Author and friend Carolyn J. Rose (Sea of Regret, No Substitute for Money, Hemlock Lake, and several
other books) once again proved herself to be an invaluable mentor and way-pointer.
(Autonomy and I sometimes enjoy the company of others.) After Carolyn’s more
extensive experience with traditional publishing, she now chooses to self-publish
exclusively.
The new edition of Lies
at Six is a wide-ranging collaboration: Booknook.biz based in Arizona created
the ebook files; Patty G. Henderson of Boulevard Photografica in Florida formatted
the print version; Dorion Rose of Broken Cork Photography in Connecticut produced
a dynamite cover. Everyone I worked with was helpful, good-humored, and expert.
Catharine Gallagher, friend and graphic artist extraordinaire in Washington state, updated the website
she had created for http://www.sarahscottbooks.com.
Lies at Six is
available online and in some bricks-and-mortar venues. Amazon as well as Barnes
& Noble offer it as an ebook and paperback, and this time, it’s also
available as a Kobo ebook. My hearty thanks to the shops, bookstores, and
libraries that carry Lies at Six.
Jolie and Martin are having new adventures in Tennessee as I
write. Soon, I hope they’ll be ready to let me share them with you.
