Author Question

[Nancy2]

I recently read the first legal thriller written by an author (one of several, apparently) named Deborah
Hawkins, "Dark Moon." This was SO good! I literally carried it with me everywhere I went so I could
keep reading, and was so disappointed when I came to the end (just because it was over; the ending
was totally satisfactory).

So, I have ordered used copies of three more by her (that is all I could find, for sure by this Deborah Hawkins),
And noted that all four were self-published.

Does anyone know why? Is anyone familiar with this author? I don't understand why she doesn't have
a big-name publisher, the thriller I read was so good.

N.

[James Nicoll]

Post by Nancy2
So, I have ordered used copies of three more by her (that is all I could
find, for sure by this Deborah Hawkins),
And noted that all four were self-published.
Does anyone know why?

Because dumb luck is a horrifyingly large part of getting a deal.

You know how it took Rowling a bunch of tries to get someone to buy
Harry Potter and the Very Large Tractor Trailer Full of Thousand
DOllar Bills? Well, there are a lot of authors out there who stopped
for what seemed like good reason at a bunch of tries minus one.

I think of books (mostly SF, because that's the field I work in) where
the existence of a particular MMPB needed just the right MS landing
on the right editor's desk at just the right time. Dahlgren, for
example. Sold a million copies but would anyone but Fred Pohl have
bought it? But he wasn't an editor with that particular publsher
for long...

[Nancy2]

Thanks for the response...;-)). I appreciate it. It makes as much sense as anything else.

Happy reading.

N.