Do what, Paul? Enter the ABNA? Perhaps, but not in 2011. It’s a very long contest. Self-publish again? Darn right! In fact, I’m self-publishing Gold Under Ice tlater this summer through CreateSpace. Good luck to you!

Ned, you’re probably right about what ABNA has been looking for. But I’m still mystified by the finalists’ reviews, although I’m very happy for their success. May all writers succeed with their dreams!

Ned, we’ll never be able to second guess any publisher, or any contest that doesn’t specify its criteria, but bases its selections on some amorphous “feel” for what might sell well. The publishers, in my opinion, are trying to time the market as it were, to speculate in advance of public taste. That’s about as [...]

The great hing about self-publishing, Paul, is that we can go direct to the reader without the intervening publisher. It’s a viable alternative to traditional publishing for some, and a shortcut for others.

I’m glad your book is availble on Kindle and doing well! All the best to you, too!

When I suggested radio stations, I was thinking of going to the radio stations in your area and suggesting yourself for an interview. Not by phone, but in person. When I was interviewed for Montana PBS, the producer of the show “The Write Question” came to me with her tape recorder. Don’t be stymied by [...]

So let the local newspaper be & pursue other publicity avenues. My local newspaper didn’t pay much attention until I had the Spur. Have you talked to radio stations? They need to fill up airtime. A newsworthy item might be to use readers’ comments in an article on how you made the successful transition from [...]

A.S., forgot to mention that if you enter the ABNA again, I wish you success.

Once again, James, I agree, but as I wrote earlier, I don’t think they have criteria for a “good” book.

Forgot to say above that if you enter ABNA next year, I wish you success.

Congratulations for making it into the quarter-finals! That’s an achievement to be proud of.

“Baffled” is exactly how I feel about it. Do you think you’ll enter the ABNA again?

Yup! You’re right, Kristen. The criteria for winning the ABNA are just as mysterious as the criteria for placing a book with a publisher or an agent.

Self-publishing makes more sense all the time!

I agree, James. You’ve touched on the primary lack in the contest: standards of excellence. Maybe I’m naive (probably so), but I associate “contest” with “excellence.” I expected to read stunning excerpts from the finalists, and I saw two inferior ones and one better-than-average. Even after reading the reviews of (now) all three excerpts, I’m [...]

Nope. I wrote nonfiction on horticulture, and I write literary Westerns, aka historical fiction set (so far) in Montana. A friend of mine, though, is building a fan base through nonfiction for a projected novel. At this point, she may just turn out to be a nonfiction writer.

Forty years ago, Bonnie, neither of us would have self-published. At least I wouldn’t have, not under any circumstances. It was “vanity” publishing then, and the only way it happened was to have books printed with ugly covers that said, “Vanity! Vanity! Vanity!” and then to peddle a garageful of books. I remember my writing [...]