Book Cover Reveal and My Reasons for Self-publishing

I have decided to self-publish the MG novel I've been working on for the past few years, Adventure on Nemesis Mountain (previously called Meredith Mountain Miracle).

It's been an exciting journey, from the time I wrote the story in a short story format (2000 words) to expanding it into a very short novel with ten chapters (7000 words) to making it what it is now, a full-length middle grade novel (21,000 words), with the help of valuable feedback from my amazing online critique group, which I'll talk about in another post.

My reasons for deciding to self-publish are numerous:

1. Although I've expanded it a lot, my novel is still a bit short compared to the average MG novel. The word count for MG novels is normally 25,000 to 40,000 words (or longer for fantasy novels). I could expand it again, but I feel the story is just right the way it is now.

2. I went through the process of submitting it to agents, and I've only received form rejection letters so far. There is a lot of competition out there, especially for children's novels. I could keep submitting it and possibly find an agent, but then I would still have to revise it some more to make it perfect for publication, based on today's market. (See #3).

3. After several years of working on this novel, I feel that it's time to move on and write something new, using the new skills I've developed over the years. I knew very little about writing when I wrote this novel, and I learned a lot along the way, by revising it numerous times. Still, some parts could use more editing and a stronger voice, but there comes a time when revising it again may make it worse. It's time to let go.

4. I want to have the experience of going through the self-publishing process, so that I can help other authors with self-publishing their novels. This is a skill I can add to my list. Now I know how to format an e-book, what options are available for self-publishing, and how the whole process works. 

5. Self-publishing is such an exciting journey! I'm enjoying every step of the process. And seeing my own book on my Kindle is quite a thrill! A finished product, at last! Must I say more?

6. I want to make my book available for my friends and relatives to read, and for children who may gain something by reading my book. I wrote it for them. Who knows what impact one book can have on a child's life? I love the idea that my book will be read by children everywhere.

7. I will officially be a published author, as of August 20!!! How cool is that!!!

And now for the wonderful cover my friend Dawné Dominique made for me! She is a professional cover art designer, and the cover she made captures the essence of my story perfectly. See for yourself!

Isn't it beautiful? I can't stop smiling when I look at it. It makes the whole thing more real. My book! Getting published! *butterflies*

My novel will be available on Amazon on August 20. That's in less than two weeks from now!