I often lament how difficult it can be to get people to read self-published books. There are so many excuses that can be thrown at self published authors, deserved or not. While I pondering this, I realised that I am guilty of the very thing I was complaining about. The majority of the books I have read have been traditionally published. I guess I get sucked into the same marketing powerhouse as everyone else.
So I have decided to change that. I am going to actively look for new books to read which have been self published.
My criteria is simple. If it appeals to me in the same ways as a traditionally published book, I will read it. In other words, it could be a stunning cover, an appealing blurb, well placed marketing, a review on Goodreads, or, best of all, word of mouth. If I like the book, I will post a link on here to ‘My Indie Carousel’. It won’t really be a review, more of a reading recommendation. So if you’re like me and looking for new reads, watch this space!
The first book that came to my attention was Painting Sky by Rita Branches.
Can you guess why? That’s right. The cover.
Actually, the way I stumbled across it was via a Facebook post that was a cover reveal for Rita’s upcoming novel, Under a Million Stars. I saw the cover and and fell in love. I didn’t know anything about the book, but I knew I wanted to read it.
With my new endeavour to read more self-published books in mind, I desperately hoped this book had been self published. It was! Unfortunately, the book wasn’t released yet, but I did found out she already had a book out with an equally stunning cover.
Painting Sky is a beautifully written romance story in the New Adult genre. It is told from the perspective of the main character, Jane. Jane is moving out of her family home to attend college where is she studying art. She moves into a house with her boyfriend, Cody, her brother, Ryan, and Cody’s older brother, Keith. Romance ensues. The story is compelling, and although it follows a somewhat traditional romantic plot, it manages to come off as unique.
Here is the blurb, taken straight from the author’s website:
Book one in the Painting Sky series – it can be read as a stand alone.
Nobody ever said life was easy…
People pleaser, Jane Skylar wants nothing more than to earn her art degree, start her life, and bask in the bliss of living with her boyfriend.
But things don’t always go as planned…
Struggling with her creative side, Jane finds herself in turmoil, often confiding in her roommate – another, more talented art student, Keith Hale. Keith just so happens to be her boyfriend’s older, brooding brother. After a devastating breakup, Jane turns to Keith for comfort. But when the lines blur between roommate and lover, Jane’s life becomes more complicated than ever before.
When Keith’s past comes back to haunt him, their lives all get turned upside down, forcing the truth to surface. Now Jane must fight for what she wants–even if it hurts everyone she loves.
The thing I found exciting about this blurb was the previously unnoticed, ‘Book one in the Painting Sky series.’ It’s part of a series! Brilliant! That means there is more to come. In the meantime, I will have to wait until August to get my hands on her next book, Under a Million Stars.
If you, like me, are taken with the amazing covers of Rita’s books, you can find more info in the links below.
Until next time,
Abby Wilder | Author 