On "Being Indie" : Lorena Bathey

On "Being Indie" is a new monthly feature that will be hosted here on TNBBC. We will meet a wide variety of independent authors, publishers, and booksellers as they discuss what being indie means to them.

Meet Lorena Bathey. In 2005, she self-published her first book Happy Beginnings: How I Became My Own Fairy Godmother. Unwilling to buckle under the pressures agented/published authors were having, she went on to develop her own publishing company and calls it Lorena B Books. In celebration of her new novel Beatrice Munson, Lorena shares what being indie means to her.

What is an Indie Author?

I = Independent: Is a nice way to say self published or balking the conventional publisher/agent route to do everything yourself. I like the moniker Indie author because it fits the definition more than simply self-published. As an Indie author you must be writer, editor, printer, sales, marketing, publicity, and promoter all rolled into one. A tough but satisfying job.

N= Nervous: Being an Indie author can be nerve wracking. Success is happening for Indie authors, especially with eReaders, but it's still a gamble. Being an Indie gives you control over the things that make you nervous like publicity and promotion. You then can get more involved with wonder

D = Dedication: To win in the Indie genre you have to be dedicated. You must know your work, the promotion, and the Indie publishing industry. But mostly you must dedicate yourself to writing. Wearing all the hats means dedicating time for all aspects that aid your success as an Indie author. Stay the course; don't give up if you don't make a million dollars with your first book. You need to build a platform of fans.

I = Innovative: This medium changes quickly so you have to pay attention to the trends. Be clued into sites that tell the scoop in the Indie world then get to know individuals that are forerunners of the concept. Sites are popping up every day giving advice to help keep your work out there, be noticed, and creating an Indie author community. The market sees the intelligence of this rapidly growing format. Even established authors with success at standard publishing houses are now self-publishing to reach those using the newest technology.

E= End Result: We Indie authors write because it lets others feel and experience. Creating a printed book, eBook, poetry, etc, you have something that someone centuries from now can pick up and read. That is a thrilling concept for us. We also like the idea that whatever profit is made from the hard work is ours to keep. This is a strong motivation!

Self-publishing is changing, but it can only continue to do this if the writing is strong and the package it arrives is professional. Editing and marketing take time, ingenuity, and some cash, too. Those that go Indie but don't take the time to create quality work make it more difficult for other authors to break into the mainstream.

I'd like to introduce you to Beatrice Munson.

Being released today, April 13th, my first novel is a trip to a neighborhood and a group of women that you may recognize. Released by Lorena B Books (www.LorenaBBooks.com) it is available in both print and as an eReader.

"In Vista Heights, the women of the neighborhood have started to look like their homes, varying shades of beige. Lost in this world of suburbia, Marissa Lyons learns her high school nemesis has bought the house right across the street from her. Afraid that her arch enemy, Beatrice Munson, will arrive with Marissa’s high school crush as her husband and cause Marissa to relive the insecurity of high school in her forties she decides to face the music and heads to Beatrice’s house with warm cupcakes. But what Marissa finds is something she never expected.

How will Marissa and the rest of the women of San Martino deal with someone like Beatrice Munson, whose defining moment in her life was to get a boob job or go on a trip to Egypt.

This story is about friendship, love, learning to look at things differently, and great parties."

You can find the print version at www.amazon.com or download for most eReaders at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/48084 . Those with an eReader can receive a 20% discount as a Beatrice Munson birthday present! Just input this code BD76M on the Smashwords page. This coupon will be valid until April 16th.

Thank you to TNBBB for letting me stop by and share what I know about the world of Indie authors and publishing.