Game of Sails, an Olympic love story, is now available as an eBook.

Recently, traditional publishing has been turned on its ear by the digital age. Agents offer publishing services; publishers negotiate directly with authors; authors market directly to readers; readers buy books from authors they’ve never heard of. Next thing we know, dogs will be sleeping with cats.

And out of all this chaos, one shining truth remains: everyone is still looking for a great story. Since authors are the creators, we have more power than we think.

I started writing “A Game of Sails” way back in 1994, long before I dreamed of going to the Olympics. Trying to fulfill my childhood dream of becoming a published author (and following the age-old advice to “write what you know”), I started a novel about competitive sailing. As part of my research, I helped on the race committee for the 1996 Olympic Trials—never dreaming I would win the next Trials event I attended. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

I also made my first attempt to find an agent, long before the manuscript was ready to leave my desk. Fortunately I got some great advice from Emilie Jacobsen at Curtis Brown, who’d been my grandmother’s agent. She encouraged me to keep writing, while gently pointing out the many, many gaping holes in my story.

In 2000 I decided to put together my own Olympic campaign, which meant a four year writing hiatus. And after I came back from the 2004 Games, I was greeted by this almost-done manuscript about two opposites who team up to qualify for the Olympics. Could it be that I’d finally completed the necessary research to finish the damned thing?

I began to write again, filling in the blanks and adding details sparked by my memories. I also started Agent Search #2. Response was better, but still I was told it was a niche book that would never appeal to mainstream readers.

Meanwhile, I wrote a Christmas story for my nephew that did appeal to a publisher, and that’s how Oliver’s Surprise came into the world. While I wound my way through the excitement of book layouts, publishing, and signing events, Game of Sails sat by quietly, almost forgotten.

And then the publisher suggested a sequel, and last year Cape Cod Surprise made its debut. Another round of edits, proofing, signings, press releases. I had already learned that books didn’t sell themselves, but I was also enjoying the process. Especially the readers who talked about Oliver’s world like it really existed.

Finally, in the fall of 2010, I decided to use my new-found writing and marketing knowledge to finish and market Game of Sails. I spent the winter editing, revising, tossing out the stuff that got in the way of the story. And by spring I was ready for Agent Search #3.

I queried, edited, queried again. And while I waited for a response, I became more and more intrigued with the ebook option.

In the past year or two, a revolution has taken place. Authors are publishing their own books directly through sites like Smashwords, Kindle Direct, and Barnes and Noble’s PubIt. And the ones with a great story and some marketing savvy are reporting good sales.

Agents and publishers have noticed. And while some have reacted with panic, others have embraced the ability for authors to control their own publishing destiny. Just hours after I made the decision to publish Game of Sails as an eBook, Nathan Bransford’s “This Week in Books” blog landed in my inbox. I quickly followed the link to Rachel Gardner’s blog post which declared, among other things, that “Self-publishing probably will not hurt your chances of traditional publishing.” She goes on to admit that this is “a 180 degree switch from just a few years ago.”

Gut instincts confirmed by a pro—gotta love it. I dug into the free Smashwords Style Guide and several tweaks later had published Game of Sails. Available to all, around the world, formatted for all the different e-readers including Kindle, Nook, and iPad.

Best of all, only a few hours later I was notified of my first two sales—before I’d even sent word to any relatives or friends!

I’ll keep you updated on the book’s progress out into the world. In the meantime, to reward my devoted blog readers, I will send a coupon for a free download to the first ten people to comment on this blog.

And so today I celebrate another launch day, one year after Cape Cod Surprise’s lovely party. Less fanfare, for sure. But it’s just a modern e-twist on a great story.

Roberta was pitching “Lipstick in Afghanistan,” a novel based on her own experiences as a war-zone nurse. I don’t remember anything from my own presentation, but I do remember the last line of hers: “One of them will not survive.” I also remember telling her that she’d better hurry up and publish while Afghanistan was still in the news—quite optimistic, in hindsight.

I was quickly drawn to this small determined woman, and not just because of her writing. Her cut-to-the-chase Boston accent was tempered by a gracious tolerance for our fellow conference attendees. “I love his ideas,” she’d say, referring to a man whose writing was indecipherable to me. Another guy who constantly interrupted everyone (even the instructor) received the following benediction: “He’s got such energy.” She could always find something positive to say. And I had to agree with all her assessments, even if my own weren’t as saintly.

After the conference we kept in touch, sharing manuscripts and ideas. I have to admit that when Roberta first sent me her work I could barely follow the story. She had packed all her enthusiasm for Afghan history, culture, and people onto the page, bogging down the narrative.

“Try taking out some of the background,” I suggested, trying to be gentle. “As the author you need to know about Elsa’s childhood, but as a reader I just want to know what happens to her next.”

The second draft was much better. I gave her some more feedback, and other than a few chatty emails I heard nothing further—until a year later, when I got an unexpected call: “Carol, I sold my book!” I was almost as excited as she was to see her hard work and perseverance rewarded.

Roberta became a published author because she kept at it, editing and re-editing to chisel out the story—and then editing again once Simon and Schuster took charge. I’m so glad, because she has polished this tale of love and war into a real gem. The finished book has just the right amount of detail to keep the story moving forward, and as an author I understand how much work that apparent simplicity required.

As an editor, I can of course find something to criticize. Toward the end of the book, I found the point of view transitions between Elsa and Parween, her Afghan friend, a bit sudden. But by then I was so caught up in the characters’ lives that I didn’t care. (I even realized at one point that I’d forgotten who the author was.)

The teaser prologue made the climactic scene even more dramatic—and it’s true, “One of them will not survive.” Through nurse Elsa’s eyes, I’ve now tasted the Afghan dust, seen the fear in burqa-clad women’s eyes, heard the scurrying children call out to the woman from “Amrika.” I now know a little of this landlocked country on the other side of the globe, which makes the news stories all the more real.

It shouldn’t surprise me that Roberta—who does aid work around the globe—has written a story that will help us understand how much we have in common with the people of Afghanistan. I’ve watched her novel grow and improve, and now I’ll watch it earn the respect and love of readers everywhere. What a treat to be constantly surprised by my first true writing friend—and to finally hold her finished book in my hands.

I can’t wait to see the movie.

Read an excerpt

Randy is the leader by default of our writer’s promotion group, a collection of authors who are just published, about to be published, or about to be sold to a publisher.  We get together once a month to discuss best practices for book promotion.  Yes that sounds boring, but thanks to our wide-ranging and frequently humorous conversations it’s anything but. (One night we even got around to something really important: What to Wear to Your Book Signing.)  I’ve nicknamed our group the “Literary Guerillas,” based largely on the undercover moves of our “Camouflage Mama;” she singlehandedly got Randy’s book moved from the Back Shelves to the Big Table Up Front in her local store.

I first met Randy when she was counting down to her publishing date.  Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re probably aware that the book industry is one collective eye roll these days.  It’s all too easy for even an optimist like me to get depressed about the whole business.

Randy’s approach provided a refreshing contrast to all the usual gloom and doom, an old-fashioned success story built on hard work, excellent networking, and reaching out to help others.  Best of all, once I got to know her I realized that it’s not all about Randy; a matching amount from each book sold at her launch party went to the Home for Little Wanderers’ Harrington House—an organization working to provide homes for kids.

I admired her enthusiasm, professionalism, and social conscience.  I lapped up her bottomless knowledge about all things publishing.  I drooled over the lovely artwork on her book’s cover, especially the extra ferris wheel hiding at the bottom of the spine.  And I dreaded cracking open this beautiful cover and starting to read.

Why?  Because I figured any book with the word “murderer” in the title would be dark, depressing, violent—all things I try to avoid in fiction and real life.  And if I didn’t like it, how was I going to be an effective Literary Guerilla and promote it as promised?

Fortunately, my dread was totally misplaced.  Yes, a murder takes place in the very first chapter, inside the home of the two sisters who tell the story from their vastly different perspectives.  I had no trouble picturing the bloody scene, but I never had to skip past anything too gruesome.  After twenty years of working with domestic violence victims, Randy chose to show just enough so the real story (how two sisters deal with tragedy) makes sense.

I started The Murderer’s Daughters a few days before leaving on a weeklong vacation.  I didn’t plan to take it with me, since it’s bulkier than a paperback and too beautiful to jam into a suitcase.  But by the time I packed, I’d already read eight chapters and was completely hooked -  so into the carryon it went. I’m so glad I had the chance to savor the surprisingly hopeful ending at a leisurely pace.

And what really makes this book worth recommending are its deceptively simple descriptions.  Here’s Lulu talking about her younger sister:

“Merry was unusually cute, and I was unusually plain. People stopped us every day, bending down to gush over Merry’s black curls or her Tootsie Pop eyes—the chocolate ones—or to stroke her rosy cheek as though her skin were a fabric they couldn’t resist fingering.  I felt as though I toted around the Princess of Brooklyn.”

I’d offer to loan out my copy, but I’m still savoring its presence.  Fortunately, it’s probably available at your local bookstore.  It’s definitely available on Amazon.

So thank you, Randy, for this rare gift; a view into an unknown world that leaves me grateful for my own happy upbringing but even more grateful for the chance to share the lives of Merry and Lulu.  Maybe if you’re very, very nice to me, I’ll tell you which character is my favorite.