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Self-published/indie books that you've enjoyed
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Owww..that Absolutely story is already in my TBR list :) Looks like we think alike :) Is the other book on Amazon? The link seems to be broken.
I've read some cracking self pub books, in fact they make up the majority of my read list this year.Days of Throbbing Gristle, by Kevin Cole; Into the Veil, an UF by Jennifer R. McDonald; Atancia, a PR by Wren Figueiro; and We Won't Feel a Thing & How to Repair a Mechanical Heart both YA by J.C. Lillis are definitely worthwhile reads :)
That looks like an interesting selection you've got there :)
I found Dangerous Liaisons by Sarah Stuart on Amazon. That's great if you like romantic suspense.It took some finding! New self-published authors always do. I put keywords in my kindle and hope.
Theatrical Suspense brought up that title first.
Typing in Romantic Suspense is hopeless if you're looking for NEW writers. There are over 9000 titles with authors like Nora Roberts filling the pages.
I like her books, but I've read them all.
I've read a couple of good Indie books this year: a Science Fiction/Paranormal book, Wander Home, by Karen Wyle, which I awarded four stars to; and a Historical Fiction novel, The Doctor's Daughter: Journey to Justice, by Belle Blackburn, which for me was a five-star read.
For a mystery/thriller with "real" characters and plenty of believable action, I can recommend Blood Pool
PS--There's a wonderful little twist at the end!
Hmm looks like there are quite a number of books to look at..
The Lady of Devices series by Shelley Adina and The Emperor's Edge series by Lindsey Buroker are both relatively good in my opinion.
I've 2 suggestions off the top of my head.Both are fantasy, cause that's just what I seem to scrounge up the most of for self-pub/indie.
For lovers of the grandiose, political scheming, I suppose game of Thrones style fantasy, I'd pitch The Hollow March and its whole series without batting an eye.
For lovers of the fun, adventuring fantasy, with plenty of humor, I'd go for The Emperor's Edge, hands down.
Brother, Love, Friendship, Growing up,
It does not have that many reviews on amazon or here. But so far all 5 star
Edward M. Erdelac is a friend and an indie author I'm a huge fan of.Also, I feel like I've missed a lot of the indie hate. Self-published I've kinda seen. I don't understand why there would be hate for indie and self-publishing authors. That's like hating the same for music. How much good stuff will you miss with that attitude?
Here are some of the indie boooks I have read and enjoyed!
Here are some I have enjoyed!Stone Heart
Scepter
Quest of the Hybrid
EVERWUD The TREE, The BOY & The DOG
Oh great! Quite a number of title it seems..Yeah I dont get why the hate as well..Sure there are some terrible indie and self published books but lots of lovely too..Id rather focus on the good instead of the bad..
The hardest thing to understand is the complaint that we Indie authors should do something about the bad apples, and if we don't, we deserve the stigma assigned to us. I don't know about anyone else, but I have NO power to do anything except give bad reviews to those who deserve it and good reviews to those who earn it. In the U.S., Freedom of Speech is a Constitutional right, and the only ones with the power to limit what bad writers write are the owners of the medium they use to display their products--Amazon, Smashwords, etc. As with any product, it's "buyer beware," and I think that even if I could regulate it so that only the "good" writing could be marketed, I'm not sure I would; who am I to judge? One man's noise is another man's music.
Another book I enjoyed is this one, a coming-of-age story set in the sixties.Just Another Sunday: A Novel
Ken wrote: "The hardest thing to understand is the complaint that we Indie authors should do something about the bad apples, and if we don't, we deserve the stigma assigned to us. I don't know about anyone el..."Agree, Ken. Everyone has the right to put their stuff out there, even if it's terrible. The only thing the rest of us can do is give honest reviews in support of the writers we do like.
Here are some absolutely cracking books by indie authors that I've read, and reviewed, in the last year. (I have read some terrible stuff as well, but I prefer to forget about those.)Cloud Storage Deranged backpacker in a dystopian nightmare. Brilliant.
Manannan Trilogy Vikings and Celts on the 10th-century Isle of Man. Beautifully written with spare, elegant prose.
Tackling The Imago Unusual and affecting coming-of-age novel set in Poland.
Gay & Genderqueer Speculative Fiction Original and courageous stories that challenge your preconceptions.
Over Cast Witty well-written YA fiction, fun for all ages really.
The Blue Suit Short but vivid and moving 9/11 memoir.
Reprobate: A Katla Novel Really well-plotted thriller set in Amsterdam, one of a series.
The Consultant What used to be called a bodice-ripper - but well done and an easy, entertaining read.
Eight books by very different authors, but all worth reading.
Steven wrote: "The Slayer RuneWho doesn't like Vikings."
If you like Vikings, you might like this - I did: Manannan Trilogy
Mike wrote: "Ken wrote: "The hardest thing to understand is the complaint that we Indie authors should do something about the bad apples, and if we don't, we deserve the stigma assigned to us. I don't know abo..."I need to point out that it's not the writing alone that gives self-published books a bad reputation. The remarks made about SP authors doing something to help was in reference to the unethical behavior of many SP authors. The bad writing is being pushed by that behavior and when readers get sucked in - they get pissed off and many turn their backs on any further SP reading.
SP authors group into author circles that give each other 5* ratings. They buy reviews, trade reviews, and create sock puppets to push their books. Lists are manipulated and spamming is common. These authors intimidate and try to punish anyone who tries to stop them.
There are members who try to curb much of this behavior, but no matter how hard they work, the problem continues. Amazon lets it go and stops nothing. Goodreads is slow but does eventually get somethings done (has removed over 6,000 paid reviews).
When these hard working readers get little to no support from the legit SP authors, I think they have every reason to question why that support is not forthcoming - it is the SP reputation at stake.
Christine wrote: "Mike wrote: "Ken wrote: "The hardest thing to understand is the complaint that we Indie authors should do something about the bad apples, and if we don't, we deserve the stigma assigned to us. I d..."I do agree that this is a big problem. Paid-for and reciprocal reviews are unethical, and intimidation of reviewers is unspeakable. Everyone has the right to publish, but not to behave like that.
Christine wrote: "I need to point out that it's not the writing alone that gives self-published books a bad reputation. The remarks made about SP authors doing something to help was in reference to the unethical behavior of many SP authors. The bad writing is being pushed by that behavior and when readers get sucked in - they get pissed off and many turn their backs on any further SP reading...."
You're right, but there is nothing I as a writer can do about that, either. If I try, these same self-aggrandizing groups will attack me with one-star reviews. We simply have to hope that readers do their homework as a consumer group, and help us to identify and avoid these writers. I'm a reader, too, and I look carefully at all books by unfamiliar writers, including traditionally published, before I buy. To avoid Indie books as a matter of policy is to deny yourself some of the best and most original writing out there.
Edit: As a reader I rarely give bad reviews on Goodreads, but on places where I can be anonymous, like Amazon, I one-star every awful book I find.
You're right, but there is nothing I as a writer can do about that, either. If I try, these same self-aggrandizing groups will attack me with one-star reviews. We simply have to hope that readers do their homework as a consumer group, and help us to identify and avoid these writers. I'm a reader, too, and I look carefully at all books by unfamiliar writers, including traditionally published, before I buy. To avoid Indie books as a matter of policy is to deny yourself some of the best and most original writing out there.
Edit: As a reader I rarely give bad reviews on Goodreads, but on places where I can be anonymous, like Amazon, I one-star every awful book I find.
Ken wrote: "...To avoid Indie books as a matter of policy is to deny yourself some of the best and most original writing out there..."I'm not arguing with this statement - I agree there are some exceptional books out there. You do need to understand some readers have very limited budgets and others have limited time. Given the hours it takes to read a book and the financial cost, it's going to be very upsetting when a book has tons of 5* reviews and turns out to be unreadable - especially if you invest five or six hours before the story falls apart. You really can't blame them for turning off the SP community.
They need to be educated to be able to recognize unethical marketing - some of it is very convincing and is going to hook some people. I'd love to teach every reader how to recognize the con but I don't always see it. The only way we have of protecting readers is by spreading the word and making sure they know what is happening out there.
Write a blog - comment in a thread, you don't have to be specific, just let people know about the problems and give them ways to make good book-buying decisions. That kind of support can go a long way.
Mike wrote: "Paid-for and reciprocal reviews are unethical, and intimidation of reviewers is unspeakable. Everyone has the right to publish, but not to behave like that."
This issue was never about the right to publish. It's about the right to do ethical honest reviewing and marketing. Readers deserve no less.
I have addressed this subject in other discussion groups and threads in the past; so please excuse me if you have read this comment before.Not very long ago, the title published author merited respect and admiration, since only an elite group of writers could legitimately lay claim to it.
Today, the literary market is rife with books that have been independently or self-published. Anyone with access to a personal computer and the internet may now technically claim to be a published author.
Many independently and self-published books are as well-written and entertaining as those released by a mainline publisher. Unfortunately, far too many are not. In fact, some are so bad that they have led many readers to presume that any independently or self-published book is not worth buying.
Writers who lack the knowledge and/or discipline to expend the time and energy necessary to produce a manuscript that is technically well-written and skillfully narrated, or are just too lazy to do so, negatively impact the reputation of those conscientious writers who work hard to create a quality literary work.
Anyone with access to the internet or a public library can find books, guidelines, and low-cost or free courses that focus specifically upon spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, and writing etiquette.
If every Indie and SAP begins to expend the effort and energy to obtain the skills required to produce a literary work worth reading, as many of their peers already have, the stigma attached to independent and self-publishing will disappear. Don't and it won't.
Christine wrote: "You do need to understand some readers have very limited budgets and others have limited time. Given the hours it takes to read a book and the financial cost, it's going to be very upsetting when a book has tons of 5* reviews and turns out to be unreadable - especially if you invest five or six hours before the story falls apart. ..."
Why wouldn't I understand that already? I'm one of them. And I wasted too much money on some really awful books long before the Indies came along.
Christine wrote: "They need to be educated to be able to recognize unethical marketing - some of it is very convincing and is going to hook some people..."
Educating people about anything is an endless and thankless job; I leave it up to professionals to determine who needs to be educated, and about what. If a person has the interest, he can educate himself; if he doesn't he gets screwed or misses out. I'm not arrogant enough or patient enough to lecture him on it.
Why wouldn't I understand that already? I'm one of them. And I wasted too much money on some really awful books long before the Indies came along.
Christine wrote: "They need to be educated to be able to recognize unethical marketing - some of it is very convincing and is going to hook some people..."
Educating people about anything is an endless and thankless job; I leave it up to professionals to determine who needs to be educated, and about what. If a person has the interest, he can educate himself; if he doesn't he gets screwed or misses out. I'm not arrogant enough or patient enough to lecture him on it.
Well said Ken. I don't think readers are that gullible anyway.
Wow, I never realized there is such hatred of self-published authors out there. I am still trying to learn the ropes of finding reviewers myself. I don't want a review that isn't honest. If you didn't like my book, so be it. I don't like everything out there, even by authors I usually like.
I would hope for honest reviews, especially from my author friends. That whole 5 star circle thing just seems like a great way to make sure you never grow as a writer. But I guess that's the difference. Someone just giving me a 5 star cause they know me would make me feel like all the work i did was pointless.
Exactly. Most authors would want an honest review. And its not their fault really if others cheat. And how long can cheaters cheat anyway? I mean "you can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time".
Theresa wrote: "Wow, I never realized there is such hatred of self-published authors out there. I am still trying to learn the ropes of finding reviewers myself. I don't want a review that isn't honest. If you did..."
Hatred of people as a group is called bigotry, and it's the way a lot of people react when they run into the worst examples of any group. It's all too evident on this website.
Ashe wrote: "I would hope for honest reviews, especially from my author friends. That whole 5 star circle thing just seems like a great way to make sure you never grow as a writer. But I guess that's the differ..."
I don't see how that would work in the long term anyway. Readers would soon learn to avoid your work, post honest reviews, and then you end up selling only a few books now and then to your friends. Any future in writing has to be built over time.
Hatred of people as a group is called bigotry, and it's the way a lot of people react when they run into the worst examples of any group. It's all too evident on this website.
Ashe wrote: "I would hope for honest reviews, especially from my author friends. That whole 5 star circle thing just seems like a great way to make sure you never grow as a writer. But I guess that's the differ..."
I don't see how that would work in the long term anyway. Readers would soon learn to avoid your work, post honest reviews, and then you end up selling only a few books now and then to your friends. Any future in writing has to be built over time.
This is a really important conversation in terms of the, hopefully, evolving -- and rising -- bar set by self publishers for their own industry. And I agree with so many of the comments on this thread! Since I published my book in May and began to join various writers groups on Facebook or here as a way to introduce myself and promote my book, I have discovered, as many others have, the "5 star circle" club. And it IS very dispiriting to realize writers are willing to give 4 and 5 stars to the work of other writers despite those ratings being wholly undeserved.
I just happen to have read one such a book recently -- and found it almost unreadable -- and now have the unenviable task of being, perhaps, the only reader in this particular group who will definitely NOT be giving it a 4 or 5 star... which is likely to cause some ruffled feelings.
I have also noticed many "review swap" threads here on Goodreads (and other places) and made the decision long ago that I would avoid those like the plague; there is simply no way to control the quid pro quo mentality that exists there. Hence, I do have fewer reviews than many other indie writers whose work is undeniably subpar, but I'd rather every review I DO have to reflect honest and authentic response... and no pressure to "swap" an automatic, expected rave.
If anyone's interested, I've covered this topic -- both the attitude of writers and the accompanying (and in some cases, deserved) condescension of readers toward the self-published market -- on my blog and at Indies Unlimited. I'll leave the links below if you want to grab a read.
But ultimately, as many here have stated, we self-pubbers have the power to change these trends and raise the bar on our industry. But it will only happen if we hold ourselves to the highest standards of excellence in terms of our own writing and publishing, and do not, under any circumstances, succumb to the rampant and cultish pressure of attitudes like the "5 star club." Failing at either really is a disservice to ourselves... and continuing fodder for those who dismiss wholesale self-published authors and their books.
Here are those two pieces: Who Do We Have To _____ To Get a Little Respect Around Here? (http://bit.ly/1qW6E8S) and
The Persistence of Self-Publishing Stigmas and How To Transcend Them | Indies Unlimited (http://bit.ly/1wBEDnW)
OH, and to answer the initial prompt of this thread -- self published books I've enjoyed: I read this one recently and really enjoyed it: Kathy Shuker's book, Deep Water, Thin Ice:
Thanks and great to know there are a lot of others out there troubled enough by the same issues to speak out!
Lorraine
I loved these. It's a pretty good range of books. :) Hope you go grab one or more!!
Charlotte wrote: "Hi. Hear hear! There is so much hate out there. I'll admit that even I had reservations about diving into the world of self-published/indie authors. That was until I finally bought a Kindle (access..."Thanks Charlotte!! You're on my list to read!!!
David wrote: "4.01 Rating 150 ratings, 120 reviews...The Reflections of Queen Snow White
"Yes!!! Excellent, beautiful, well-written.
'Hatred of people as a group is called bigotry, and it's the way a lot of people react when they run into the worst examples of any group. It's all too evident on this website.'That is all too true Ken. I am hoping the couple self-published books I'm putting on my Christmas list are worth all those 4 and 5 star reviews they got.
I know there's some great self-published authors out there, I went to school with one who was self published long before I was.
Just a few of the self-publishing/indie authors I've read. I've read quite a lot.
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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