The I Reader Review website has begun compiling a monthly list they call “The Top Indie Authors.” The Top 100 Indie Authors for May is based on sales figures for authors from the April.
To my delight and joy, I made the list. And not only did I make the Top 100, but I made the Top 50!!!
That is unreal to me. One year ago, I was doing a lot of soul searching while I wrestled with the decision to self-publish Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes. If you had told me last year that a year later I’d be on that list, I would have laughed–at how deluded you must be. I was hoping to sell 1000 books of Twenty-Eight by the end of 2011.
I met my goal.
The list ranks me at #47, but the truth is my accurate sales totals put me between #33-#39. It all depends where Amazon borrows fall into the figures. For anyone looking at the totals, that puts me a little over 15,000 books sold in April.
And that seems unreal.
So what doea that list mean? Not much, really. But it is validation. Self-publishing has become more acceptable, but there’s still discrimination toward self-published authors. This list shows that we take what we do seriously and we’re making money at it. It’s a statement to the world that those top 100 authors are doing pretty well on the self-publishing path.
So what’s my secret? Multiple books. Multiple books in a series. My book sales are spread across five books. Those add up quick. This won’t happen every month, but I’m going to enjoy the months that it does.
And by now, I know I’m becoming repetitive, but I have to thank my readers! I literally wouldn’t be on that list without you.
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My books are also available for purchase in the UK, Australia, and Canada.
Check out the translations of my books.
That’s fantastic, congratulations!!! Very well deserved my dear. If you’d like to send me something on this I’d love to post it on the Indie Elite.
Denise, came to thank you for your wonderful program last night and to tell you how much I enjoyed it and meeting you. Am glad I get the chance to congratulate you on your wonderful placement on TOP 10 INDIE BEST SELLER LIST. What a HUGE accomplishment. Maybe I’ll use meeting YOU if we ever do the ‘brush with fame’ thing again at MRW.
Congrats Denise! Wow 15,000 copies sounds like an insane amount. It would taken an act of God to keep me from hitting the refresh button on Amazon’s KDP sales tracker. As for self-published authors being discriminated against, in their minds if we have poor sales its because we write trash. When we make killer sales they say it’s cause readers buy trash. Can’t win with those people. Eventually, the truth will be too much even for them to go on denying. Great job!
Griffin Hayes
Great news, Denise! And well deserved. I’ve read all three books in The Chosen series and love the storyline. As a self-published writer, I do my happy dance each time I hear of a success like yours. Keep up the good writing!
This is really inspiring! Congrats! Thank you for writing about your writing journey and where it has taken you over the course of the years.