Some books have to be chalked up as disappointments, and FAKE is one of them. I love the story, love the ways the characters' telling of their views lead the reader into an understanding of both their crimes and their motivations. Those who have read it seemed to like it too, since the reviews are positive. One person commented on the "great" cover, the wolf in sheep's clothing that represents the main character, Kip. But nothing much happened with sales.

When I'm being philosophical, I can accept the fact that my books don't get the same notice as books with "big" publishers. From my days with a publishing house, I know that before a book goes out, there's significant activity aimed at seeing that bookstores and libraries will buy it. I benefited from that back then, but now I'm one person trying not to bankrupt myself by paying for promotion. 

Here are some things I don't have anymore to help me get the word out about a new book.

     Recommendations: When I was with a publishing house, we were expected to "blurb" each other's books. I read the books I was asked to blurb, but I know for a fact that not all authors do. Still, their name on the back convinces some buyers that the book really is "gripping" or "ground-breaking" or "heartwarming."

    Advance notice: My publishers sent out news (in those days they were called sell-sheets) of upcoming books, giving bookstore owners and librarians everything they needed to judge, order, and shelf a new book.

    Recognition:  Organizations, from reviewers to book bloggers to award-givers, prefer traditionally published books. I don't blame them; self-publishing is a mass of material, some good, some horrible, but it makes the process difficult for those of us who produce readable, well-prepared books.

I should not complain, because I choose to self-publish. I like having control of my work, and I like getting more than the $2/book I got from my traditional publishers. But still, there was a time when I got awards, great reviews from reputable sources, and pre-release sales from stores and libraries. And I was writing the same kinds of books I write now. Like the Lion in The Wizard of Oz, what a decent self-published writer is missing is testimonials, someone outside her circle who will say, "This is good stuff."

FAKE begins with Kip, a con artist, applying for a job at a newly-opened detective agency run by two middle-aged women. He intends to take them for a bundle, but they've got lots of surprises in store for him. This book is available here for $4.99