Once I began writing the Peg Shaw series I realized there was a chance that someday I would actually want to publish the books. After sending out letters to agents, and receiving 'thank you but no thank you' responses, I began the process of researching blogs of indie writers. For those of you unfamiliar with the term 'indie writer' it is quite simply an author who totally owns every aspect of their work, including the control over publishing their books.

I was fortunate to have begun writing at a point in time when self-publishing was becoming quite popular, thanks in no small part of authors having access to various methods of the publishing world that didn't exist 30 years ago; namely, the internet. No longer were authors at the mercy of the big name publishing companies and the agents necessary to access those publishing houses.

One of my favorite blogs was, and still is, written by Joanna Penn; thecreativepenn.com. Not only a best seller for her fiction books, but a wealth of information on the how-to's of self-publishing. Her website was invaluable to me as I researched which avenue to choose when the time came to publish. I took several of her webinars, some free, some not, and gained a wealth of information.

I truly enjoy Joanna's down-to-earth style and relaxed demeanor. While not the only blog or self-publishing website I read, hers is the #1 site for me. A ton of information in small enough segments for a newbie to grasp---there's a lot of information to digest when you are considering the self-publishing road.

Even if you aren't a writer, check out her site. It's worth the time and effort.

Remember: Everybody's got a story!