Not house (I have far too much stuff for that thought to ever be a welcome prospect), but from a self-publishing platform to a hybrid one with Bolide Publishing Ltd. This means that I will get a different ISBN number and a listing with Gardeners that will allow my books to be stocked in shops. Getting it into shops is a prospect I had all but given up on until yesterday. I don’t have any firm dates yet so, for the moment, my book will remain where it is on Amazon. However, I don’t think I will be able to keep selling the book through my website.

My decision to move comes not only from my longing to see my book in a bookshop, but I need to unload some of my workload for the sake of my mental health. Having so much on my plate is not helping my stress levels, let alone the anxiety or depression (which feed off each other and continually tell me how generally useless I am at everything). This is not easy for me to bring up, but I don’t want readers to think I have sold out on the self-publishing idea for an advance. It’s also a big step for me, emotionally. I’m fiercely independent anyway, and I deliberately went self-pub so I could retain the creative control over my work and decide how it would be promoted. In practice, this decision has played havoc with my confidence, especially when my book stopped selling. Insisting on doing everything myself when I have no background in marketing was entirely counterproductive. While I love the idea of total independence, it’s not for everyone. There is no ‘right way’ to publish, but finding the right way for me has been a learning curve, to say the least.

Many of you already know I am an editor, and the amount of work I have coming in doesn’t allow me the time to properly promote the book on my own, as well as take the time to write the next book. It’s on the go, I promise, but there are only so many hours in the day. I am also a parent of three very energetic boys who need my attention, and all work and no play makes mummy a dull girl.

I would also like to publicly express my gratitude for Michelle’s willingness to take my book under her label. for the next five years. I understand taking on any book is a big gamble for a publisher, and my book is no different. I’m a new author and therefore untested. and that makes me a risk, so thank you. I only hope that your faith in my work pays off.