Hello, all!
Considering this is my first post EVER I thought it would be a good opportunity for me to share a little bit about myself. 2011 has been an amazing year for me with big changes...I married my high school sweetheart of ten years, made the conscious decision to self-publish my first book, and if that wasn't enough I decided to return to school to get my Masters with the hopes of becoming a professor one day!
One of the greatest things to have happened to me this year (with the exception of finally tying the knot) would never have happened without twitter...yes twitter...let me explain. I have spent most of my adult years working my butt off earning my undergrad degree in accounting, then after graduating the rest of my adult life has been consumed with passing the CPA exam (which for those of you have a clue as to what that is knows that passing that test is no small feat.) Once I passed the exam, I realized for first time in my adult life I had free time and that was when I rediscovered my love of reading. I must confess the first series that brought me back into the world of books was Twilight. I didn't think I would find another series or book to surpass the amount of fondness I had for that series but I was wrong...actually incredibly wrong.
It all started after reading the next most amazing series The Hunger Games. Around this time I started stalking my fav celebs on twitter...including but not limited to the Glee stars (you will learn that I am a seriously insane gleek). Somewhere in all of that tweeting a new follower found me and we dished about the Hunger Games and she gave me a free copy of her self pubbed book. This is when I fell in love with the world of Indie Authors. I tore through her book in one day...reading it on my computer because I did not yet have an e-reading device (I now have a kindle.) I was amazed at her talent and I was equally amazed at how great it felt to be able to discuss with an author how their work spoke to me. This was just the tip of the iceberg.
From there on, I was ensnared into the world of indie authors, and I haven't looked back since. Book after book, author after author, follower after follower, I have became a new person. My creative side that had not seen the lights of day since high school was alive and kicking once more and that is when I rediscovered my love of writing. I will save my story of rediscovery for another day but it's funny how much you can learn about yourself through writing or the way it seems to level me out and clear my soul from all of life's negative juju.
I am forever grateful to Sammie Spencer (Amaretto Flame) for sharing the amazing world of indie authors with me. If you give it a chance you too will be amazed at the talent, love, and support that the indie author community of readers and writers provides. Get out there and check them out and you will be equally amazed. So far I have not been disappointed.
P.S. - To start your indie author reading list check out the talented and sweet Tiffany King (Meant to Be & Forgotten Souls), the creative Michelle Muto (Don't Fear the Reaper & The Book of Lost Souls), the mind-blowingly addictive Courtney Cole (The Bloodstone Saga), the horrific Thomas Amos (An Apple for Zoe), the dark but lovely S.M. Reine (Six Moon Summer), the unique perspectives of Devyn Dawson (The Legacy of Kilkenny), the heart wrenching tales of H.M. Ward (Demon Kissed) and last but not least the book that started it all Sammie Spencer's Amaretto Flame.
To you indies--Thank you all so much for your inspiration and sharing your lovely stories (and support!)
~Michelle
