Book Reviews

For anyone who thinks that self-published novels are a jumble of poor language and half-thought ideas should take a look at this novel.  It’s professionally-written, professionally designed.  The cover is sharp, and proof that you don’t need an expensive illustration to have a pro-quality cover.  Jesse Gordon knows his way around a design program because all of his books and promotional materials are well done.  He’s also got some amusing Youtube spots for the book.

The novel itself is just as professionally written.  The problem with this novel is not necessarily in the quality of the prose, but the […]

There’s something about discovering a great self-published novel that’s different than discovering a novel that’s traditionally published, no matter how small the press. On the hand, you’re happy to have found something good, on the other hand you think, “Why did this have to be self-published?” For anyone who thinks that if a book is great it will find a publisher is just wrong and Kristen Tsetsi’s Homefront is the perfect example.

It may be understandable why the novel didn’t find takers – though the novel’s about the biggest thing imaginable, war, there’s no great overwhelming dramatic arc – no […]

Futureproof is a self-publishing success story.  Begun as a Lulu book, it is set to be released by Harper Perennial this month.  For anyone looking to promote a self-published novel, N. Frank Daniels is proof that aggressive marketing of a self-published novel can reap rewards – and getting a book out into the world can lead to good things.  Frank Daniels was able to sell thousands of copies of a Lulu book and then land a publishing deal with a mainstream publisher.

The novel began as this:

In January 2009, it will be released as this:

His marketing tactics were […]

If there’s an everyman, then Michael Sennet is every celebrity. Michael Sennet is a movie star. He should be happy, but he’s bored. What does he do after he’s achieved the best of everything: the best women, the best cars, the best homes, the best drugs? He doesn’t have an answer. Meanwhile, the Vanity Plate Killer is roaming the streets of Los Angeles looking for new victims and dreaming of fame of his own. When Michael Sennet uses the M.O. of the Vanity Plate Killer, they find something that eclipses any starring role.

“North of Sunset would make a […]