Sunday, July 7, 2013

Independence Day Came Early



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. 

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