The Great, Okay and the Ugly of E-Publishing

SHALLA CHATS with author Tina Gerow about:people think that puts them at a disadvantage,
"The Great, Okay and the Ugly of E-Publishing"but I've found that many people overseas really
Who's Tina? Tina Gerow has great passion forlike the e-books because they are cheaper for
romance and anything paranormal. She writes "thethem to get than US print books because of
weird stuff" with sarcasm. Her debut novel, Into ashipping etc.
Dangerous Mind, published by Triskelion, comesI've had emails from people in China, Taiwan,
out this May.Russia and Germany asking when my book is
Shalla: Hi Tina.coming out because they saw me on the
Tina: Hi. It's great to be able to talk with you.Triskelion book loops and liked my excerpt. There
Shalla: So you're getting e-published. That'sis definitely a market for e-publishing out there.
interesting. We've heard the great, the okay andShalla: When e-querying, what's the response time
the ugly about e-publishing and we like to ask youlike?
about your experiences with it.Tina: Pretty quick compared to what I've
First of all, what made you decide to go theexperienced with print pubs and even agents. I
e-publishing route?sent an email query letter and two weeks later
Tina: I heard all of the bad stories too, so as agot a request for a full. Then a month later, I
fresh newbie, I only queried print publishers. I gotreceived an email offering me a contract.
lots of 'good' rejections - the ones that say sendShalla: How are negotiations conducted? In
more! - the same with agents, but no one offeredperson? By phone? By email?
a contract.Tina: Everything I've done with them has been
In the meanwhile, I was getting to know authorsthrough email.
in my local chapters who are published with Ellora'sShalla: What's the time line like from sending that
Cave and Triskelion and who are all big advocatesmanuscript to getting an acceptance then a
for e-publishing.contract? Then from signing that contract to
So, since my book wasn't erotica, I submitted itgetting the book out?
to Triskelion just to see what would happen.Tina: I received an email offering a contract a
(That's before Cerridwen Press was well-known.)month after I sent in the full. Then from the time
And within a few weeks, they requested the full.I accepted, it took another three weeks before I
A month later, they sent me an email offering areceived the contract. I took a week to look it
contract. I accepted and have had nothing butover, sign it and get it back to them.
wonderful, positive experiences with them. MyThe edits and when the book comes out after
book comes out in May and they have beenthat depends on when your book is slated. My
extremely supportive and helpful in every aspect.book comes out in May, so my edits will start in
Triskelion is also actively seeking RWA recognitionApril. But I know some other authors in other lines
and I'll be surprised if they don't make it by thewhose books came out two months after their
end of 2005. I still tell people to check out e-pubscontract was signed - it all depends on when it's
thoroughly, because I have some friends who areslated to come out.
with some e-pubs who are NOT giving them veryShalla: Who's responsible for promotions? You or
positive experiences. I keep telling them to comeyour e-publisher? Are you doing promotions? Like
on over to Triskelion.what?
I'm still going to actively pursue print publishing asTina: My contract states that I'm responsible for
well as future e-published books. If you get withpromotions, but Triskelion actually helps.
the right e-publisher, then the differences are justOne of our editors sends out our books to a list
semantics - especially since some e-pubs nowof review sites and they helped coordinate a
offer your books in print when they sell well in egroup ad in RT magazine for authors writing in
format.the same line - we all chipped in to split the cost.
Shalla: I have lots of respect for e-pubbedSo, other than the RT ad, I've printed up
authors. It's still quite a new format. By the way,bookmarks to take to RT and RWA Nationals,
how are books formatted? Is it a Word File? AI've signed up for a radio interview on Jewel's
PDF?Way weekly radio show, and I signed partials of
Tina: It really depends on the individual e-publisher.my book that I had printed up at the Glendale
Triskelion offers PDF, MobiPocket, HTML and LIT.Chocolate Affair.
Ellora's Cave offers Adobe PDF, HTML, MSShalla: So how long is your book staying on
Reader, Palm PDF, MobiPocket and RocketBook,inventory? And where do we find it? Where do
which is the .rb files that Rocket reader's accept.we get it?
So, they really are quite versatile.Tina: I have a two year contract with Triskelion
Shalla: Since, e-publishing's only electronic, if theyand as long as one sells now and then off the
publish your novel, can you still sell that manuscriptsite, it will stay on for the full two years.
to print publishers? And/or audio downloads?I've also agreed to let my book be listed on if
Tina: Most of the e-publishing contracts I've seenthey offer, which would be for five years. Once
cover e rights as well as print rights because ifmy book is released in May, it will be available on
your ebook sells well, some of the houses willand I'll have a link to the Triskelion page from my
print it. Again, it depends on the house.website.
Shalla: Since the cost of e-publishing is significantlyShalla: Thanks! For more on Tina Gerow, visit her
lower than print, do you get higher royalties?website Congrats and cyber champagne Tina, we
Tina: Yes, most of the e-publishers I know ofall love that time our work gets out to the world.
offer 37% on e-downloads and slightly lower onWe at Shalla Chats send our highest wishes for
print, although still better than the single digitsuccess and blessings to you and your writing
percentage offered by most print pubs.career. Thanks so much for taking this time to
There is no advance for e-pubs, but you get paidtalk with us. We look forward to your future
monthly. It's a bit of a trade off, because forbooks.
e-pubs, you do a lot of your own publicity. Some