Once upon a time, two author friends were talking about the wave of indie writers going straight to their readers with their work. Hmm, they thought. This might be something we’d also enjoy doing. We can let the readers be our gatekeepers, telling us what they like, whoo-hoo! And we can write stories we want to write that might not fit into standard publishing molds, yay! We can play all over the genre sandbox, woot! We can choose cover art! We can write however many words the story and characters demand!
Oh, the fun we could have!
And then one of the friends thought, whoa! Wait a minute. If we could have all this fun by ourselves, think how much more fun we could have with a larger group of like-minded writers. Writers we love and trust and enjoy reading ourselves. Writers we know have also been thinking of dipping a toe in the independent publishing waters. Let’s do it!
And we did!
Several weeks and a lot of plotting and planning emails later, here we are, seven authors with a combined – get this – SEVENTY FIVE YEARS of publishing experience. (And that is a lot, a LOT of books enjoyed by readers across the globe.) Every one of us is published by or contracted with a print house such as St. Martin’s, Berkley, Kensington, Pocket, and Harlequin, and several of us are published by or contracted with digital first publishers such as Samhain, Carina Press, and Ellora’s Cave.
Now, we are also writing for ourselves and directly for our readers. Walk on the Wild Side Books is the hub where we’ll showcase these self-published stories. What we are NOT is a publisher. We don’t accept submissions, so PLEASE don’t send us any, LOL!
Each of us publishes our own work on our own schedule. This means we’ll be bringing you our indie stories as often as we can. And to get you as excited as we are, we’re offering a “Launch Basket” prize of our five May titles (from Charlene, Portia, Saskia, HelenKay, and Alison) along with two titles to follow (from Anne and Sasha). Each title will be sent when it’s available, so it’s really a basket in name only!
To be eligible to win, simply leave a comment below and tell us how you read your digital books. Do you have a dedicated ereading device? Do you use your smartphone? Do you read pdf files on your computer? We’d love to know!
Winner will be drawn using Random.org from all comments made by Friday, April 22, 2011 CDT. We will post the winner’s name on Saturday, April 23, 2011, so be sure and subscribe to our News Blog using the form on the sidebar or in the footer (you will need a WordPress.com username) to find out if you’ve won!
What an awesome venture! Love it! And applaud you all for taking taking this initiative!
I read ebooks in many different ways. When I first discovered the joy of ebooks I read them as pdfs on my desktop computer, then switched to the laptop when I got one.
Nowadays I alternate reading them on my smartphone (iPhone), tablet (iPad) and dedicated ereader (BeBook Mini).
I read on my lovely Kindle. Wouldn’t be without it.
Fab idea, guys – can’t wait to get my hands on more lovely books from you lot
Great idea! Looking forward to reading all of your posts!
Oh and I use a Kindle – her name is Chessiebomb
Sounds exciting! Love the name! Looking forward to read your posts!
Right now I read my ebooks on my mini-laptop, I am still shopping for an ereader but have not decided which one to buy just yet.
I use and love my Nook.
Congrats on your launch! This is very exciting. I look forward to your posts!
I e-read (by way of Kindle, Nook, epub) on my laptop, Android phone, and PDF files. In other words, by whatever means necessary.
I read on my computer – my cell phone is pretty simple so I don’t read on that and I don’t have an ereader (one day, I’ll get one)!
This venture looks great. I read a lot of you already!
Great site. Congrats ladies!
I read pdfs on my laptop until my darling kiddies bought me a Kindle. Love my Kindle and never leave home without it!
I am so excited about this! I usually read my ebooks on my Nook.
Cool idea! I’m one of those multi-device readers as well. I’ll read on my laptop (Macbook), my netbook, my Sony Reader, and as soon as it gets delivered from the local processing facility, my brand spanking new iPad. So, basically whatever fits my needs at the time I’m reading.
I have a Kindle that I LOVE but I read books on my iPhone also. I have Adobe Digital Editions on my laptop for reading too. I love reading digital books. My print book collection is overflowing my bookcases. I have hundreds of eBooks that take up zero space.
Congrats on your new venture! Sounds awesome!
I still read my e-books on my laptop but I’m looking for an e-reader quite some time now and I think I will order one soon!
What an exciting project!
I read on my nook, and my phone.
This is fantastic! Congrats on this new venture! I read on the desktop and on the Kindle
I have a Sony reader, but do not use it often… mostly I read e-books on my computer!
Congrats ladies on your launch!
Congratulations and Good Luck!!! This appears to be a GREAT adventure. Hope it is successful beyond your expectations.
SonyaM
I read ebooks on my laptop – can’t decide which ereader I want to invest in.
*ttssssss* I sense HOT coming in all forms in the near future! Way to go, ladies! I hope your post means future author interviews by other indie authors. If so, I would be interested! Can’t wait to read more from all of you….*bookmarking site*
thanks ladies!
Congratulations on this new venture.I’m looking forward to reading future posts.
I have a Sony e-reader I read all my books on.
I read ebooks mostly on an iPad while I exercise, but my iPhone also gets a workout from ereading. We have a borrowed Kindle, but I like the iOS devices for their flexibility – I can read using a slew of apps … Kindle, Nook, Kobo, eReader, iBooks, Air Sharing, Narrative, OverDrive Media, Stanza, Classics. And I can listen to audiobooks.
Good luck on the indie publishing! How exciting for you all!
Congrats on the launch!
I read ebooks on my Kindle — even in the bathtub! (Never was there a greater invention than the ziplock bag…)
I was gifted with a Kindle this past X-Mas & as far as I am concerned it is the devil, lol. I have always needed to have paper in my hand & fought having an e-reader for some time BUT it is convenient to not have to lug tons of books when traveling. I still take a paperback with me as well, just in case. I have never been able to read off of the computer, ever. I used to print out my e-books to read, ha.
Hello, All.
I have both a Sony Reader and Kindle. I haven’t moved my PDF books from the Sony to the Kindle, yet, so I read those on the Sony and the other ebooks on the Kindle.
How exciting and congrats to all of you on this new adventure!!
I do read pdf on my desktop and laptop, I also have a Color Nook and a Kindle that I love to read on! Oh and I also read books on my iPad touch! I’m never ever without a way of reading!!
*Raising a glass to toast*
All the best to you! What a great venture!
I read e-books using Microsoft Reader (pdf) on my laptop.
Donna
I read ebooks on my computer and my Kindle. Right now I read more on my computer than the Kindle because I have a lot of books on it. In time I will probably go the other way.
sstrode@scrtc.com
I don’t have an ereader, so I read digital books on my computer. I have Kindle for PC and hopefully I’ll be getting an actual Kindle or other ereader soon.
I received a Kindle for my birthday last month, and though I am not a total whiz at it yet, I really love it.
Congratulations on the new venture! I recently got a Kindle. I read digital books on my computer too.
I don’t have an e-reader yet so I read mine as pdf and kindle for pc. Congratulations on your new endeavor.
What an awesome idea for a site! I look forward to what you’ll be bringing us. I’m lucky that I have two eReaders that I swap back and forth for reading on. I won a Kindle and bought a Sony so I have the ability to read all formats easily. I also read on just my computer whenever my eReaders are being recharged. In other words, I’m constantly reading and thrilled to have so many options.
joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com
So far, I have been reading pdf and kindle versions on my computer but I am planning on buying a kindle within the next 2 months. I would buy indie books from authors that I know of, but unknown authors I would definately have to be able to sample the book first.
What an awesome adventure for all of you! YAY, and even better, we get to benefit from it
I read my e-books on my NOOK! I am NEVER without it. Hubby bought for me on anniversary last year and he gets praised everyday for his awesome-ness LOL
I’m excited about your launch! I love reading self-published books from my favorite authors. I read all ebooks these days on my Kindle. Now, I never run out of bookshelf space. I also use my Kindle app on my iPhone and iPad to read when I don’t have my Kindle with me.
Good luck with self publishing!
I have a Sony ereader. I have many Kindle books on my computer which I have never read, I much prefer to sit anywhere other than by my computer when I’m not at work. Before I had the Sony, I would either read ebooks on the computer (but would usually buy paperbacks) or print them out, which was fine for novellas and short stories.
i read my e-book on my home computer using a pdf file. i’m hoping to change that soon as i can afford a KOBO!
I read on my Nook Color which I adore. I also read on my computer and my laptop and now my bf’s smartphone. (He shouldn’t have let me play with it!) *grins*
I’m in love with my Nook Color. I also have read on my DH’s Android Hero and I am getting my own smart phone next month! I LOVE my nook. Did I say that already? LOVE. We rooted my nook (boy that sounds super dirty!) so that I can also run the Kindle App and Google Books to take advantage of multiple formats. Best of luck with such an exciting venture!
Congrats, ladies. It will be wonderful to see what your collaborative talents create. I read on my Kindle.
I’m so looking forward to reading some more of your books and hopefully the ending to my mom was a porn star.
Thank you, Paula. I’m almost finished with it. You’ll be the first to know!
I hope I get to read the end of some shorts I got into, but were not finished. I use a nookcolor.
Congrats on the start of this website!
I started with computer pdf files. I very recently purchased a Kindle. I’m just going to get it registered! I’m looking forward to trying this device out!
I still love my hand held books! I’m hoping to adapt to the newer technology.
I’m totally excited about this
And… reading ebooks? I either use my ipod, or iphone. I like the portability… and :X I must be spoiled because I like my ipod and think it’s lighter than my phone. Even though the phone has that awesome retina display…
Wow – this is a great idea and venture. You ladies are really thinking outside the box – and I’m wishing you all the best!
I adore reading on my Kindle.
I just found out about this today and so elated! Love reading you all and having more of my favorites from you will totally rock! So thanks what all you do for us readers! I use an older version of Kindle to read my ebooks. I love reading them from all over, especially finding some great ones I miss from the Indie authors all the way to small pubs to the big NY ones.
Looking forward to the releases!
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