Self-Publishing Success Intensive

Ally Peltier and Internet marketing expert Angela Render invite you to join them for this one-day, info-packed intensive to learn everything you need to know for self-publishing success. The event takes place in Columbia, Maryland on March 31, 2012. See the  website  for details. Continue reading “Self-Publishing Success Intensive”

And the Winner Is…

Today we’re pleased to announce the winner of the first weekly “Writing Exercise with a Twist” here at Indies Unlimited.  The winning entry is rewarded with a special feature here today (a prize so valuable, it cannot even be calculated in terms of dollars and cents – really), and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.  Seventeen entrants received a total of 75 votes, and with nearly 25% of those, the winner is:  Contestant #16 –  Sally Whitney, for her entry, An Inconvenient Journey.

Thank you to everyone who participated – what a great number of excellent entries!  Now, without further ado, (drum-roll) here’s the winning entry by Sally Whitney:

Continue reading “And the Winner Is…”

Indies Unlimited Press Release

We here at Indies Unlimited are beginning a national and regional media blitz.  It is all part of Evil Mastermind Hise’s plan for world domination.  You may see the following press release floating around the internetosphere.  Then again, you may not.  Either way, you heard it here first.  Or, I guess, you read it here first.  Our fearless leader Mr. Hise would have posted this message himself, but he was too busy gleefully rubbing his hands together whilst emitting an evil laugh.   Oops, now he’s choking.  I need to get him a glass of water.

STEPHEN HISE LAUNCHES INDIES UNLIMITED

New Web Site Will Be A Resource for Indie Authors and Readers

Phoenix, AZ – 05 Jan 2012 – Indie Author Stephen Hise has launched a new website called Indies Unlimited.  The goal of the site is to celebrate, educate, and promote independent authors. Content includes interviews, articles, links, video book trailers, contests, reviews, industry news, tutorials and recommendations.

“We are at the beginning of a technological revolution in how books are written, published, marketed, purchased, and read,” Hise explains. “I started Indies Unlimited to showcase the amazing amount of talent in the indie author community. I hope to connect authors with each other and with readers as well.” Continue reading “Indies Unlimited Press Release”

Hello everyone, I’m Valerie

Valerie Douglas

I’m the newest addition on the staff. Yes, you can call me Val, everyone does even though when they ask if I prefer Valerie, and say yes, they still call me Val. So I’ve given up. *grins* Just call me Val.

Wow, what a weird wonderful year it’s been.  At this time last year I didn’t even  know this weird guy named Stephen Hise.

I was still publishing through a small press back then – in fact, my latest would be coming out in a few weeks – and I’d learned a lot from them but they hadn’t proved to be the boost to my writing career as I’d hoped.  I had eleven or so novels in my back pocket written over the span of years that weren’t going anywhere. No, I won’t tell you how old I am. Let’s just say I remember assassinations and moon landings. Now, you have to understand that I’m a bit of a perfectionist – it comes from having a German (second generation) engineer for a father. He was also a Gemini, kind of cool and intellectual. But I digress. So I mined the internet, gathering every bit of information I could find on improving my writing, creating a pretty comprehensive list of all the standard mistakes writers make. I attended conventions (fortunately a big one was held here in Columbus Uhioh *that’s how they pronounce it here*.). I wrote and rewrote query letters. I had gotten close – an agent who actually called me at home on a Saturday – then backed away. A request for a full from a major publishing house…who then took over a year to let me know they weren’t taking my manuscript. (Truth be told, I’d already given up on them and sold it to my small press publisher – it was the one just coming out.)

It was getting pretty frustrating. I had self-published a book in print form – I really wanted to hold a book of my own in my hand before I died – but the whole e-book revolution was just taking off. Kindles were out, the Nook was coming out in color… I was seeing lots of fairy tales and scare stories about Indie publishing. (Don’t self publish, real publishers won’t take you. Self-publishing is just vanity publishing. Most self-publishers don’t make any money.) However I still had those novels languishing in my back pocket – good work, especially two or three of them – and they weren’t going anywhere. What did I have to lose… Continue reading “Hello everyone, I’m Valerie”