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Back in July I had fellow SpecFicNZer Ripley Patton on this blog, talking about her Kickstarter project Ghost Hand. I’m happy to report Ripley got her project off the ground, and now she’s back to talk about what she has learned through this self publishing journey.

In my new YA paranormal thriller, Ghost Hand, the main character, Olivia Black, discovers that her rare birth defect, a ghost hand, can do more than light up a room. It can pull things out of people. Things from the darkest depths of the human psyche never meant to exist in this world. Olivia can pickpocket the soul. And, as a first-time self-published author, the metaphor of the challenges and pitfalls of pulling something straight out of one’s soul isn’t lost on me.

Writing a book is one thing. One very big thing. Publishing that book yourself is another big thing entirely.

So why did I do it? And how?

The how is easier to explain, so I’ll address that first. Stated simply, I did it one step at a time. First, I researched to see if it was even possible. It was. Second, I looked into how much money I’d need up front. About $2,500 at the very least. Then I looked around for a way to get that. And I found Kickstarter. So, I ran a Kickstarter project and raised more than my goal. Then, I started buying things like ISBNs and hiring people like editors and formatters and cover designers. Step by step, I came to having a book. Any time I looked at the process as a whole, I felt overwhelmed and terrified. But as long as I focused on the next reasonable step, I could do it.

The thing that surprised me the most is that I really enjoyed it. Helping design my own cover was a blast. Learning all the ins and outs of publishing was fascinating. The generosity and help of my friends and colleagues was encouraging. Yes, there were challenges. The editing phase was a labyrinth I seemed unable to escape. Just when I thought I’d found the exit, I discovered it was just another turn in the maze. The paperback took much longer than the e-book to produce. In fact, the e-book has been on sale since the end of November, but the paperback goes to the printers this coming week (knock on wood). Granted, I like having control and learning new skills. And I don’t give up easily. These are the qualities I think a self-published author needs. Oh, and also a good book and the strong desire to share it with the world. This last one is the metaphorical Ghost Hand, the thing we are born with that makes us other and different and writers.

So, that is the how, but what about the why? Why not go the traditional route and run the gauntlet of agents and editor and publishers? Well, I tried. Not for very long, but I did. And frankly, that process made me miserable. I don’t mean just sad or impatient. I mean deep, depression-ridden, misery. I hated the feeling that the destiny of the book I had pulled out of my soul was in someone else’s hands. And I came to the conclusion, while waiting to hear back about a full read from a major agency, that if THIS was writing, I hated it. Since a world where I hate writing is not an option, I decided to look around for alternatives, and there were all these people blogging and writing and raving about self-publishing. They were saying I could do it. They were saying I could make money at it, maybe not a lot, but quite possibly a living. They were saying I would have more control over my rights and my royalties and my career choices. They were saying the future of publishing is e-books, and they are much easier and quicker for an individual to produce and distribute than paperbacks. And I have found all these things to be true so far, though admittedly, I’m not that far into the process. Honestly, another element for me was time. I needed to start my novel writing career yesterday to help support my family in these hard economic times. I couldn’t wait for the 2-4 year time frame of traditional publishing. I wouldn’t have been able to afford to be a writer by then.

That is the how and the why of my journey, but it isn’t nearly as exciting as Olivia Black’s. Her story, I am told, is a page-turner, the kind of book you start reading at six and look up at midnight, grinning, when you’ve finished it. It is a story about a girl, and the power we hold within us, and what happens when things long hidden finally see the light of day.

To find out more about Ghost Hand and my writing and my journey, you can go to my website at www.ripleypatton.com. Or follow me on Twitter @rippatton where I try to tweet a daily Self-Pub Tip of the Day.

To read the first four and a bit chapters of Ghost Hand, I encourage you to check out Amazon’s Look Inside Feature. If that doesn’t hook you, I don’t know what will.

Currently, Ghost Hand is available in e-book on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble. The paperback should be available through Amazon in mid-December, just in time for the Holidays.