1stBooks encourages its authors to arrange local book signings and offers tips on crafting press releases, but it's an uphill battle. Most major publications, already inundated with books from regular publishers, do not review self-published or electronic titles, which also are not considered for literary contests. So far major publishing houses and Internet publishing service companies are coexisting peacefully even as the publishing conglomerates have been announcing plans to sell certain books on handheld electronic readers and to publish some titles on-line. But we are going to publish a handful of authors who will move on to traditional offset printing publishing. A prime example is Aggie Jordan.
Writers can be their own farm team and field test their work.
There are dozens of them. Tom Clancy was originally published by the Naval Institute Press. A small press took a chance and then he turned out to be a best-selling author. The e-books and digital publishing opportunities will be complementary to the physical books. We're not threatened.