CALL ME CRAZY, BUT …
For the past three months, my third novel, The Custer Conspiracy, has been circulating among the NY Literati looking for an agent. To date, I have received five requests to see the entire manuscript seeded between thirty-three outright rejections.
Even though I think The Custer Conspiracy is worthy of a mainstream publishing house, I’m not surprised at the level of disinterest. I understand the book business pretty well (I think), and can appreciate the pressures the agent class is under when trying to select books the ordinary reader (you and me) will be allowed to read.
But when you realize those same pressures caused them to whiff on Tom Clancy, Steve Coonts, Sue Grafton, Vince Flynn, J.K. Rowling; E.L James; K.A. Tucker; James Redfield; David Chilton and Lisa Genova (to name but a few), I can see them whiffing on me. And let me tell you, that pisses me off.
Call me crazy, but …
I’m thinking of starting an on-line bookstore (soon-to-be indieauthorsguildbookstore.com) that would make available to all of us who aren’t NY agents the works of the three, four or five hundred best Indie authors out there (covering all genres).
I know these indie authors’ works are already available on Amazon, so why, you ask, would I (or anyone) think of starting a “rival” bookstore?
Call me crazy, but …
I’m personally not fond of having to rifle through approximately 10 million books on Amazon to find that one “nugget”, (The Custer Conspiracy, for example).
I’m thinking about launching the “bookstore” in the fall, and am looking for feedback from you … the indie authors I want to promote and the readers who want to discover the new Tom Clancy or J.K. Rowling or K.A. Tucker, et al.
I would appreciate your thoughts in the comments below.
Strength in Numbers.
My latest suspense novel, The Custer Conspiracy, is in New York seeking an agent. While it makes its rounds, I’d like to offer you a free preview. Sign up as a “follower” of my blog and I’ll send you the 1st chapter for free. I would love to hear your feedback. A quick summary:
Within a week of his uncovering the secret that General George Armstrong Custer did not die at the Battle of the Little Bighorn, history professor Matt Conroy was lying in a morgue with the back of his head blown off.
To learn more, click “Follow” in the sidebar menu of this page. (Already a follower? You can request a sample of The Custer Conspiracy via email at denniskollerauthor@gmail.com or comment below.)
Dennis Koller, Author 
Best of luck! Please write or call if you have questions.
Good seeing you Mike at the Book Fair in Berkeley. If I can get this idea off the ground, it would be a big boost to all the Indie writers you help in your conferences and workshops.
You are crazy to think that you can compete with Amazon. There may be a few other crazies who would search your genre, but not enough to make it profitable. Think how stupid the average person is. Then realize that 50% of the people are even stupider.
Bob
Bob … I think you misunderstand. The problem’s not Amazon, per se. The problem is the mainstream agents, most of whom are reluctant to sign good, new authors, leaving (or forcing) them to “self-publish”. Amazon takes and makes available “self-published” (Indie) authors, but doesn’t segment between those authors or the better known mainstream authors. The practical consequences is that indie authors face impossible odds selling their works because no one has ever heard of them.
Indie-authors-guild-bookstore will give the buying public a one-stop store-front to find, buy and read the best of the indie authors (in all the various genres). I am going to test my thesis that good Indie authors produce just as readable and enjoyable works as good mainstream authors by allowing the Indie authors to finally be able to compete on a level playing field.
I think it’s a great idea, The biggest challenges are going getting people to use it and letting people know it’s out there (market education) That said, there are certainly ways to do it.
I personally would be very interested in submitting my work to a website like this. It would a great way to establish a website for manuscripts that won’t even get considered unless they have websites to begin with.
Thanks, George. I’m hoping to launch this in the fall. we’ll talk before that, for sure.
Can you please tell me how much the ebook will be?
Donna .. The Custer Conspiracy book will come on the market for $6.99 (Sept. pub. date), but if you contact me at denniskollerauthor@gmail.com, I’ll send you a free copy. (But then you’ll have to review it for me 🙂 ) Deal?
Dennis
Hi Dennis! I found you courtesy of Bookwormroom.com and loved “The Oath.” The premise of “The Custer Conspirancy” sounds intriguing!
An acquaintance of mine found a home for her mystery novels through Poison Pen Press. Perhaps they would be a good fit for you?
And I love the idea of an online “indie” book site. After all, we have the IFC channel on cable for Indie films. Why not one for books, especially e-books? Or perhaps an “Indie Publishing Group” on Goodreads.com? Just, please, keep the name simple and easy to type!
March,
Glad you enjoyed “The Oath”. I’m really happy that it’s finally getting noticed in Veteran circles – especially Viet Nam Vet circles.
Also, thank you for the referral to Poison Pen Press. I’d never heard of them (shows I’ve been living under a rock all these years). I’m intrigued by what they do, but, alas, they are no longer taking new submissions. I’ll keep checking, however, because as soon as their backlog diminishes, they’ll be back in the hunt.
March,
If you want to purchase and read The Custer Conspiracy, go to my website denniskoller.com/home. You can get a discount on either the print version or the eBook version as soon as its published (which will be the end of this month). The Custer Conspiracy is a good read. You’ll enjoy it.