Independent Authors: Choices That Intrigue

Self-publishing is no longer a dirty word. Well, at least to many readers that are discovering the vast choices that the traditional publishers don't offer. Main streamed books are edited and trimmed of any bite that might offend the majority of readers. So if you want books with a real edge, I'm finding that independent authors have something much different than what's being offered in most bookstores.

Where do you find these hidden gems? Try looking somewhere that is probably the easiest place to shop, the internet. I've found Amazon.com boards listing many interesting books that are not or may never get placed on the bookshelves of stores. Many reading groups like Goodreads.com or Librarything.com list books from independent authors as well. Facebook.com has pages and groups where independent authors list their books.

It also depends on your interest of book. Many independent authors that write Romance Novels are tremendously popular. Searches for romance novel independent, or simply your interest will turn up a lot of options. Or even fantasy or sci-fi searches, there are whole boards on Amazon.com just dedicated to these topics. Reading the reviews and ratings on Amazon can give you an idea about the book. But many have "Look Inside Features" that you can read the excerpts of the book. This really helps you try the book on for size for your reading interests.

Gay and lesbian fiction is definately not easy to find in main stream publishing. Many writers of this type of fiction are independent. I've already listed Edward C. Patterson's "Irish Need Not Apply" as a book to read. It deals with two high school boys finding their interest towards each other to be more than just friends. All comparing their experiences to the Irish restrictions of the late 19th century.

I've found that the New Age genre offers great alternatives that are not easy to find in most book stores. Having been interested in crystals and energy work since the early 90s, I've always left my book searching to glancing over the walls in New Age/Crystal stores. But lately, I'm finding some real gems from independent authors. I found a book on Kundalini Meditation by an independent author. "Kundalini Awakening for Personal Mastery" by Robert Morgen helps explain a new approach to energy work that bears it's roots in Asian Philosophy. It is also very hard to find anything on this subject. An independent author helped fill the niche.

This is only a small percentage of some of the hidden gems that traditional publishers don't offer. I encourage you to search for more choices by considering independent authors that have chosen to self-publish. Sometimes you'll never know what you may find, and often, the results are more than you can imagine.