Backlists self-published by authors?

ficbot · 07-25-2010, 01:42 PM

The recent thread about Patricia Ryan has me wondering how many other authors there are who have self-published their own backlist titles in DRM-free places like Smashwords. I would like to purchase more books like this! Fun as it can be to discover a new author on Smashwords, sometimes I would rather go with a proven author who already has a solid reputation. I know Konrath has some stuff. Who else can you think of who is a proven, published author who has released their backlist themselves on Smashwords or another indie site?

- J.A. Konrath
- Patricia Ryan
- ?

mr ploppy · 07-25-2010, 02:37 PM

William Meikle has, sort of.

Scott Nicholson · 07-25-2010, 03:49 PM

I'm doing it--The Red Church was a Stoker Award finalist in 2003. I have also put up several story collections and three original novels and as soon as I get MY rights back, I am putting them all up, starting with FOREVER NEVER ENDS in September (and I will be releasing "author's preferred editions" with my original titles on them instead of the ones the publisher picked. In other words, now they are mine to share with you the way I want.)

I am really thrilled to have a chance for readers to find these books again. I published six novels with Kensington Books but I will probably earn more and reach more readers this year than I ever did in mass market paperback. This is awesome.

I also know Kevin J. Anderson is putting up some of his science fiction backlist. Konrath doesn't have any rights to his NY novels so he's publishing all the novels that NY rejected, as well as the new ones he's rejected NY on. There are dozens if not hundreds of authors doing this now and in five years almost every author will be doing this with book old and new titles. It's too simple not to.

Scott
http://www.hauntedcomputer.com

AnemicOak · 07-25-2010, 04:12 PM

Alexis Harrington is doing her backlist through Smashwords.

Mike Stackpole is doing a couple of his old titles on his website and on Amazon.

Dana Stabenow is doing her Liam Campbell (except for the new one) and Star Svensdotter books through Amazon. They're DRM free which is good, because the one I bought had the worst formatting you can get (no paragraph indents nor with those lacking spaces between the paragraphs).

Which brings up a point. It's great that they can bring out their backlists themselves and basically get all the money for their work, but in many cases I think we as readers are often better off if they would go through someplace like EReads who will do the "publisher part" of things like formatting and stuff. Smashwords and the like make it simple to upload a Word doc and publish your material, but it's seldom I've downloaded a books from there that didn't need work before I could comfortably read it. Smashwords makes it easy (so does Amazon DTP for that matter), but I wish all their authors would spend the time to get their books to look decent. Hope that doesn't sound to negative or anything, I think it's great all the avenues that e-publishing offers authors to put out their backlists themselves and if they have the know how to do it without help great, but some need help and seem to be forgoing it to do things on the cheap with mixed results.

Some of the Book View Cafe titles are authors bringing out their backlists. There are also CJ Cherryh and friends efforts at http://www.closed-circle.net/ and the author consortium at http://awriterswork.com/

phenomshel · 07-25-2010, 08:58 PM

Tim Myers just did it! All of his backlist, (the ones originally under Elizabeth Bright, too) are now on Smashwords!!
Lighthouse series
Soap Boutique series
Candlemaking series
Card Making series (Elizabeth Bright)

Worldwalker · 07-25-2010, 09:59 PM

Which series would you recommend for a good starter?

dreams · 07-25-2010, 10:39 PM

A few I know:
F Paul Wilson has started.

Patricia Rice through Book View Cafe on smashwords

Mark T Sullivan has one of his.

Jon F. Merz has added some.

Rebecca Forster legal thrillers

Worldwalker · 07-25-2010, 11:12 PM

Since Phenom didn't get back before my patience ran out (a process which, admittedly, can be measured in minutes, very few minutes, when I'm in a bookstore) I picked up the first books of both the Lighthouse and Candlemaking series; I'll report back.

AnemicOak · 07-25-2010, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

Since Phenom didn't get back before my patience ran out (a process which, admittedly, can be measured in minutes, very few minutes, when I'm in a bookstore) I picked up the first books of both the Lighthouse and Candlemaking series; I'll report back.

I look forward to your report, these seem like books I might like.

Greg Anos · 07-25-2010, 11:15 PM

You know, we ought to start a sticky or some such to provide a author/linkset for ebook backlists...

Think of it as a partner to the PD ebooks we host here...

AnemicOak · 07-25-2010, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ralph Sir Edward

You know, we ought to start a sticky or some such to provide a author/linkset for ebook backlists...

Think of it as a partner to the PD ebooks we host here...

Maybe a Wiki entry (with a sticky that has a link to it?) so it could be edited by anyone?

J. Strnad · 07-25-2010, 11:25 PM

Risen was published by Pinnacle Books for six months, out of print for six years! I'm thrilled to have the rights back, to do some rewriting, and make it available again. It has me considering finishing another novel that's 80% done.

fjtorres · 07-25-2010, 11:35 PM

C.J. Cherryh, Jane Fancher, and Lynn Abbey are running their own ebook store at The Closed Circle.
http://www.closed-circle.net/

They also link to other authors with similar efforts, like Barbara Hambly:
http://www.barbarahambly.com/?page_id=78#purchase

AnemicOak · 07-25-2010, 11:58 PM

Michael McCollum has a website where he has his backlist available (along with new works?) at http://scifi-az.com/

sabredog · 07-26-2010, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

Michael McCollum has a website where he has his backlist available (along with new works?) at http://scifi-az.com/

Yes, his new works are also exclusively available at his website.

Choice of format, DRM and GR free.

07-25-2010, 01:42 PM	#1
ficbot Wizard Posts: 2,409 Karma: 4132096 Join Date: Sep 2008 Device: Kindle Paperwhite/iOS Kindle App	Backlists self-published by authors? The recent thread about Patricia Ryan has me wondering how many other authors there are who have self-published their own backlist titles in DRM-free places like Smashwords. I would like to purchase more books like this! Fun as it can be to discover a new author on Smashwords, sometimes I would rather go with a proven author who already has a solid reputation. I know Konrath has some stuff. Who else can you think of who is a proven, published author who has released their backlist themselves on Smashwords or another indie site? - J.A. Konrath - Patricia Ryan - ?

07-25-2010, 03:49 PM	#3
Scott Nicholson Scott Nicholson, author Posts: 363 Karma: 2029337 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Boone NC Device: Kindle	I'm doing it--The Red Church was a Stoker Award finalist in 2003. I have also put up several story collections and three original novels and as soon as I get MY rights back, I am putting them all up, starting with FOREVER NEVER ENDS in September (and I will be releasing "author's preferred editions" with my original titles on them instead of the ones the publisher picked. In other words, now they are mine to share with you the way I want.) I am really thrilled to have a chance for readers to find these books again. I published six novels with Kensington Books but I will probably earn more and reach more readers this year than I ever did in mass market paperback. This is awesome. I also know Kevin J. Anderson is putting up some of his science fiction backlist. Konrath doesn't have any rights to his NY novels so he's publishing all the novels that NY rejected, as well as the new ones he's rejected NY on. There are dozens if not hundreds of authors doing this now and in five years almost every author will be doing this with book old and new titles. It's too simple not to. Scott http://www.hauntedcomputer.com Last edited by Scott Nicholson; 07-25-2010 at 03:51 PM. Reason: spelling

07-25-2010, 04:12 PM	#4
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Alexis Harrington is doing her backlist through Smashwords. Mike Stackpole is doing a couple of his old titles on his website and on Amazon. Dana Stabenow is doing her Liam Campbell (except for the new one) and Star Svensdotter books through Amazon. They're DRM free which is good, because the one I bought had the worst formatting you can get (no paragraph indents nor with those lacking spaces between the paragraphs). Which brings up a point. It's great that they can bring out their backlists themselves and basically get all the money for their work, but in many cases I think we as readers are often better off if they would go through someplace like EReads who will do the "publisher part" of things like formatting and stuff. Smashwords and the like make it simple to upload a Word doc and publish your material, but it's seldom I've downloaded a books from there that didn't need work before I could comfortably read it. Smashwords makes it easy (so does Amazon DTP for that matter), but I wish all their authors would spend the time to get their books to look decent. Hope that doesn't sound to negative or anything, I think it's great all the avenues that e-publishing offers authors to put out their backlists themselves and if they have the know how to do it without help great, but some need help and seem to be forgoing it to do things on the cheap with mixed results. Some of the Book View Cafe titles are authors bringing out their backlists. There are also CJ Cherryh and friends efforts at http://www.closed-circle.net/ and the author consortium at http://awriterswork.com/ Last edited by AnemicOak; 07-25-2010 at 04:14 PM.

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07-25-2010, 02:37 PM	#2
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	William Meikle has, sort of.

07-25-2010, 08:58 PM	#5
phenomshel ZCD BombShel Posts: 4,793 Karma: 8293322 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: The Frozen North (aka Illinois, USA) Device: iPad, STB Kindle Oasis	Tim Myers just did it! All of his backlist, (the ones originally under Elizabeth Bright, too) are now on Smashwords!! Lighthouse series Soap Boutique series Candlemaking series Card Making series (Elizabeth Bright)

07-25-2010, 09:59 PM	#6
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	Which series would you recommend for a good starter?

07-25-2010, 10:39 PM	#7
dreams It's about the umbrella Posts: 25,112 Karma: 56250158 Join Date: Jan 2009 Device: Sony 505\| K Fire \| KK 3G+Wi-Fi \| iPhone 3Gs \|Vista 32-bit Hm Prem w/FF	A few I know: F Paul Wilson has started. Patricia Rice through Book View Cafe on smashwords Mark T Sullivan has one of his. Jon F. Merz has added some. Rebecca Forster legal thrillers

07-25-2010, 11:12 PM	#8
Worldwalker Curmudgeon Posts: 3,085 Karma: 722357 Join Date: Feb 2010 Device: PRS-505	Since Phenom didn't get back before my patience ran out (a process which, admittedly, can be measured in minutes, very few minutes, when I'm in a bookstore) I picked up the first books of both the Lighthouse and Candlemaking series; I'll report back.

07-25-2010, 11:15 PM	#10
Greg Anos Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,248 Karma: 35000000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Pocketbook	You know, we ought to start a sticky or some such to provide a author/linkset for ebook backlists... Think of it as a partner to the PD ebooks we host here...

07-25-2010, 11:25 PM	#12
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	Risen was published by Pinnacle Books for six months, out of print for six years! I'm thrilled to have the rights back, to do some rewriting, and make it available again. It has me considering finishing another novel that's 80% done.

07-25-2010, 11:35 PM	#13
fjtorres Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,732 Karma: 128354696 Join Date: May 2009 Location: 26 kly from Sgr A* Device: T100TA,PW2,PRS-T1,KT,FireHD 8.9,K2, PB360,BeBook One,Axim51v,TC1000	C.J. Cherryh, Jane Fancher, and Lynn Abbey are running their own ebook store at The Closed Circle. http://www.closed-circle.net/ They also link to other authors with similar efforts, like Barbara Hambly: http://www.barbarahambly.com/?page_id=78#purchase

07-25-2010, 11:58 PM	#14
AnemicOak Bookaholic Posts: 14,391 Karma: 54969924 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Minnesota Device: iPad Mini 4, AuraHD, iPhone XR +	Michael McCollum has a website where he has his backlist available (along with new works?) at http://scifi-az.com/

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