To Osnos’ point about computers, the modern cult of self-publishing certainly owns itself to computer technology.  Prior to the digital age, one would have had to go all Anias Nin, purchasing and operating a printing press, to publish one’s own books; the investments of time and capital for doing so are neither attainable nor palatable for every given author.  Self-publishers such as CreateSpace and Author Solutions (recently acquired by Pearson’s for a whopping $116 million) have offered a new horizon for authors – one can publish a book without an agent or a publisher.  What’s more is that e-readers such as Kindles and Nooks have offered a new medium for consuming books, fostering an explosion of e-books, and encouraging some authors to publish e-books exclusively instead of hand-held print copies of their work, giving edge to digital books like never before.

The diversity of book publishing is at an all-time high, and Ingram Content Group has monopolized on that to become the largest distributor of physical and electronic media worldwide.  Their mission statement is, “to help published content in any format reach more readers around the world.”  Perhaps one day they will lay claim to being the hero who saved print books amidst the war with electronic books and readers.  Pardon the romantic digression.

Lightning Source, a business unit within Ingram Content, offers electronic and hard copy publishing to independent publishers.  As a print-on-demand book publishing service (think of the Espresso Book Machine), enabling independent publishers (Scribe Publishing is one of them!) to be more efficient and cost-effective than ever before.  With printing operations in the US and Europe, publishers will see fast turnaround for books, whether printing a single copy or thousands of a given title.  In offering a distribution network that includes Amazon, Ingram, Barnes & Noble, Gardners and Bertrams and Baker & Taylor, Lightning Source offers avenues to the shelves of major booksellers, contending with the sentiment of Random House’s former editorial director, Jason Epstein, who said, “… no author since Homer has ever found his own book in a bookstore.”

“KDP Select” is a program that enables Amazon Prime members to check out a limited amount of books from the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library at no cost, and read them at their leisure (there’s no due date). The best part, for authors and publishers, is that royalties are paid by Amazon for each copy borrowed. The amount per copy changes monthly, based on a fund that Amazon sets aside every month as incentive for publishers or authors who list their books this way, and is determined in part by how many books are borrowed overall (among all the titles listed in this program). But in general, the royalties are comparable, or sometimes better than, the royalties that would typically be earned by an eBook sale.

The catch? KDP Select requires that the book is released as an eBook through Kindle exclusively for a period of three months. Afterwards, it can be released as an eBook everywhere else (for the Nook, Sony e-readers, and so on), and after the three-month exclusivity period is up, the book will still be enrolled in KDP Select, forever, it seems (or until they end this innovative program). The good news is that the restrictions do not apply to print versions, so the book can be released in print and in the Kindle format simultaneously.

Books published by Scribe Publishing Company will always be made available for Kindle and will participate in this program as long as it lasts. Like book reviews, signings, and other promotional efforts, allowing readers to borrow your work for free is another way to expose potential readers to your work.  Word of mouth travels fast, and if someone borrows your book and likes what they read, they may decide to tell all their friends.

“Easter Ann Peters’ Operation Cool,” written for children ages eight to 13, is slated for release on November 6 by Scribe Publishing Company.

“This is a tender story of friendship, coping with parental alcoholism and the power of hope,” said Jennifer Baum, founder and editorial director of Scribe Publishing Company. “It stands out because it’s told by Easter Ann, a lovable, witty character readers will cheer for as she copes with common family drama and coming-of-age struggles.”

Lamb was inspired to write the story when she learned how common parental alcoholism is for American children.

Researchers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Association for Children of Alcoholics estimate that 10 to 25 percent of American kids live with at least one parent who abuses alcohol.

“When I was growing up, I thought alcoholism was unique to my family,” Lamb said. “When I discovered how common it is, I was disappointed in the lack of contemporary, effective books on the subject. Millions of kids are coping with the destructive effects of loved ones’ alcoholism and they believe they are alone because it remains a family secret. I wrote a realistic story to spark discussion, awareness and hope.”

Accomplished middle-grade authors and Jerry Moe, National Director of Children’s Programs at Betty Ford Center, have praised the novel.

“[This story is] a sensitive look at how alcoholism affects the entire family, especially the children,” Moe said. “A message of hope and the possibility of healing makes this a very powerful read.”

The novel will be available for purchase on November 6 in bookstores and on Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. An e-book edition is also available in the Kindle store.

A reading and book-signing event is planned for Sunday, November 11 at 1 p.m. at Barnes & Noble bookstore in Brighton, Michigan.

The novel cover image, author photos, videos, event details and other media materials are available at www.JodyLamb.com.

Stanley Williams has a few tips for you, tips that are tried and true per his clients in Hollywood.  The author of “The Moral Premise: Harnessing Virtue and Vice” insists that the most compelling stories (be it fictional books or screen plays) are those in which a character’s behavior and motives align with real-life morals and values.  Focusing in on the “psychological and moral premise” of your story, and developing it according to the guidance in “The Moral Premise” is the recipe for success, according to Stan.

Want to learn more?  Purchase the book, or attend one of Stan’s workshops or seminars.  Get down to the business of making your work of fiction a great success – and may your premise be moral!

The latest version, yWriter5, is available as freeware (though, happy users can register their copies if they wish to support Simon).  Detailed installation instructions are provided for Windows, Linux and Mac platforms.

A favorable review of yWriter was featured on CNET several years ago, and one novelist praised yWriter even compared to commercial softwares with similar functionality.

Oh, and while this word processing tool was created with fiction writing in mind, it’s applicable to everything from playwriting to non-fiction.  Now go grab your free copy – happy writing!