Mick Rooney | Self-Publishing Review

About Mick Rooney

Mick Rooney is an author, editor, researcher and publishing consultant from the Republic of Ireland. He has published nine books since 1990, through his own imprint, using author solutions services, and he has also published through mainstream publishers. Several years ago he began researching the publishing industry, and in particular Independent, POD (print-on-demand) and subsidy/self-publishers. Many of the findings of his research can be found at his site, The Independent Publishing Magazine together with his own experiences in the world of writing and publishing. He is the author of To Self-Publish or Not to Self-Publish? A Seriously Useful Author’s Guide. He is also a contributor to many magazines and online resources including, Writers’ Forum, Publishing Basics Magazine, Publetariat, Carnival of the Indies, selfpublishingreview.com, Irish Publishing News, as well as many writing and publishing forums. In September 2011, he published his latest novel with Book Republic, The Memory of Trees, available in hardback and ebook.

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Review

Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) has established itself as the single most recognisable DIY self-publishing platform for authors wanting to publish their books in e-book. Amazon launched Kindle Direct Publishing back in 2007 in beta form and pitched it initially to ‘publishers’ via marketing emails. Amazon had also just launched the first Kindle e-reader hardware—a basic e-ink, black and white text device.

It was clear even back then Amazon saw the Kindle experience as both a facilitator for readers and author/publishers. Since 2007, the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform is available to authors in many countries including USA, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, […]

Mick Rooney2020-02-21T04:33:24+02:00April 18th, 2014|Categories: Publisher Reviews|Tags: Amazon|

Balboa Press Review

Balboa Press is the paid-publishing division of self-help book publisher Hay House Publishing. All their packages and services are administered and powered by Author Solutions (ASI), a global provider of self-publishing services and solutions. ASI has similar partnerships in place with other mainstream publishers and these types of self-publishing service divisions look set to become more commonplace in the publishing industry.

Today is the day for you to pursue your dreams and discover the author within you. At Balboa Press, a division of Hay House, we’re committed to helping you start your journey in book publishing.

This is […]

Mick Rooney2017-02-12T05:30:43+02:00October 25th, 2011|Categories: Publisher Reviews|Tags: Subsidy Publishing|

Blurb Review

Blurb was founded by Eileen Gittens, a highly successful business woman with US global companies Kodak and Wall Data amongst others on her CV. She studied photography in her younger days and set up Blurb as on line self-publishing solutions company to serve the needs of both photographers and authors. In spite of all her success, she says Blurb is the most fun thing she has ever done. Fun is probably the best description of Blurb itself.

In 2007 Blurb produced 80,000 titles, with much of this output being a mixture of ‘coffee table’ photographic albums in book form ranging […]

Mick Rooney2017-02-12T05:34:05+02:00October 7th, 2011|Categories: Publisher Reviews|

CreateSpace Review

CreateSpace is the publishing engine of global online retailer and publisher Amazon. Createspace began life in 2002 as CustomFlix Labs (DVD), originally intended to make widespread distribution easier for independent filmmakers by providing on-demand DVD production. In 2000, a small group of writers pooled resources to form Booksurge with the intention of creating opportunities for authors to self-publish their books and retain content rights and sales profits. Both companies quickly flourished and in 2005, Amazon acquired them, with CustomFlix Labs changing its name to CreateSpace in 2007. By late 2009, Amazon took the logical step and merged CreateSpace and […]

Mick Rooney2017-02-12T05:36:10+02:00September 15th, 2011|Categories: Publisher Reviews|Tags: Subsidy Publishing|

Cold River Studio Review

Cold River Studio, based in Tennessee, USA, offer graphic design and self-publishing services for writers, designers and corporate clients. The principal partner of the company is Peter Honsberger, formerly of Cold Tree Publishing.

“We believe in the importance of creative collaboration between clients, writers, editors, and designers. In the spirit of that collaboration, we strive to treat every client as we would like to be treated, with honesty, trust, and respect. We love what we do, and we believe that, in order to produce the kind of work that will reflect the success of our clients business or

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Mick Rooney2017-02-12T05:35:42+02:00August 14th, 2011|Categories: Publisher Reviews|Tags: Hybrid Publishing|

Diadem Books Review

Diadem Books are a Scottish author solutions company based in Fife, Scotland, and run by Charles Muller, a South African born academic and former hotelier. An author in his own right, he founded Diadem Books in 1997 and for many years used iUniverse’s print on demand service to issue Diadem’s published books. Diadem became a sister company of Spiderwize in 2010.

“Diadem Books was founded in 1997 by Charles Muller, who is Editor-in-Chief and Proprietor of Diadem Books. Since then well over 200 books have been published and given worldwide exposure through Diadem Books in association with the US company

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Mick Rooney2017-02-12T05:35:24+02:00July 14th, 2011|Categories: Publisher Reviews|Tags: Subsidy Publishing|

Aventine Press Review

Aventine Press is one of those publishing services I continually keep coming across when I read about self-published books, particular in online magazines and self-publishing reviews. It’s like stumbling upon a sheepdog in a country cabin in the mountains sprawled out in front of a roaring fire. You know you are home and you don’t have to keep looking over your shoulder for the wolves. Mind you— didn’t the uni-bomber live in a log cabin in the mountains?

Author Discount: Most self-publishing authors purchase numerous copies of their own book for marketing giveaways, reviews, to sell or to distribute to

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Mick Rooney2017-02-12T09:01:44+02:00July 14th, 2011|Categories: Publisher Reviews|Tags: Subsidy Publishing|

Authors Online Review

Authors Online describe their company as an author solutions service. They proudly claim to be the original UK based company to offer a digital Print On Demand publishing service with full distribution. They may have been, but a lot has changed in self-publishing since they first began in internet publishing in 1997. There are more companies offering these services across the globe than at any time ever before, and the quality of service can vary widely.