*Update: Cooking Up Love is now available through Amazon. and Barnes and Noble.

I’m excited to announce that the last editor I sent my manuscript to finally said no a few days ago and I’m so happy she did. I know you’re asking yourself why on earth would she be happy about that. The truth is, I really want to self-publish. If you’d asked me three years ago–which some of you may have– I would’ve said no. Thanks to the advancements in technology with the Kindle, Nook and iPad as well as social media outlets, self-publishing has become easier and more lucrative.

I thought about sending the manuscript to a few other traditional publishing companies on my list, but I decided against it. I prayed over it and discussed the decision with my husband and critique partners. I thought about the pros and cons of both ways to publish. The pros of self-publishing out-weighed the pros of traditional publishing. I now have full control over the direction of my book without having to follow set-in-stone guidelines that a traditional publishing company has.  Even though my genre  is traditional contemporary romance, it still has a few twists and curve balls that don’t necessarily fit the guidelines of a traditional publishing house. I’m also able to select my own book covers and title that convey the tone of the book.

The other pros that pretty much made me say “girl, go for it” were the royalties and ownership of my book.  Traditional publishing companies may only offer 6 to 10% of the book’s price for print books and 25 to 50% for an eBook.  By self-publishing through channels such as Amazon and Barnes and Nobles, the eBook royalties are 70%.  Because I write series romance novels (such as Harlequin’s lines), the shelf life of such a book may only be a few months in a bookstore, which unfortunately are all closing it seems. The print books would also be available on the publisher’s website, but only for a year or two. By self-publishing, my print books will be available for as long as I wish through Amazon.

The only con I see is marketing without a traditional publisher but the majority of authors market their own books anyway, so I’m not really concerned with that con. I’ve already begun my marketing plan and will provide an update as soon as I have a blog tour schedule for this summer.

I’m currently tweaking the book one more time before sending it to a freelance editor that edits for traditional publishing companies.  Oh you didn’t really think I would publish my book without it being professionally edited did you?  First of all, my name is on it and second of all, I’m serious about my writing career.

So overall, I’m ecstatic with the turn of events.  I will continue to keep you posted.  Oh I forgot the most important reason for this long blog post. Cooking up Love will be released on May 24, 2012 as an eBook through Kindle, Nook and All Romance eBooks. I haven’t selected a release date yet for the print book. Stay tuned and read the book’s blurb below.

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Fresh out of medical school, Shelbi Arrington has decided to forego her residency and accept a position as a food critic for the Memphis Tribune. Using the food critic position as a scapegoat, she tries to forget her guilt of a patient dying under her care during her internship. Upon meeting executive chef and restaurant owner Justin Richardson, they both feel an immediate connection of cooking together while falling for each other. Justin is leery of doctors, especially the one who couldn’t save his mother when he was twelve. When Shelbi finds out doctors aren’t his favorite people as well as a shocking revelation,  she is faced with a devastating decision and the fear of losing the man she loves.

CS

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