– David Brinkley

Amidst the Christmas greetings and coupons galore, guess what I received in my inbox yesterday. A rejection letter. Again. You'd think I'd be used to this crazed publishing merry-go-round and be well past the I-feel-like-throwing-up stage. Yeah. Not so much. 

Yes, I know the market is tighter than the Grinch's green tights right now. I understand that with the rise of self-publishing, the high-water mark of books for sale is way over the readers' heads. Every traditional publisher is playing it safe with big names and/or sweet Amish tales of a simpler life. It's dog eat dog out there in the cold, cruel book biz world. Scaring up a contract is next to impossible.

Which is why I'm seriously starting to think about self-publishing. All the cool kids are doing it. I'm keeping close tabs on two writerly buddies who have already belly-flopped into the deep end of the self-pubbing industry. 

So I'm thinking I need to branch out and actually read some more self-pubbed books to learn what to avoid and what works well. Anyone have any suggestions? I do. If you haven't yet read Heather Day Gilbert's GOD'S DAUGHTER, do yourself a favor and pick it up as an early Christmas gift for yourself.