Indie author means truly independent . . .

Indie author defined by Joann Penn of The Creative Penn

At its most basic, indie means there is no separate publisher involved. Many indies may have setup their own micro-press, so their books still have a publisher name that is not the author’s name but the publisher is not one of the author services companies. The indie author most likely owns their own ISBNs. The indie pays the bills and is paid by the distributors e.g. Amazon/Smashwords directly. The only middleman is the distributor.

There has been a blurring of the line between indie author and indie publisher that seems to be mostly related to size and scope of the business. I am an indie publisher of my own books so it’s basically the same thing as being an indie author, but there are small & midsize independent publishing houses who don’t like the term indie being used for people like me. However, there are increasing numbers of micro-businesses being set up by authors who also publish other author’s books so these perhaps count as indie publishers.


Thanks Joann for clarifying things a little more.

2015 Reading Challenge: Indie Fever!

Welcome to a 2015 Reading Challenge: 

Indie-Fever!

'Read & Review as many Indie Books as you can!'

Points to Know:

1.  Read and Review as many Indie (Self Published) Books as possible during this year. 

2. You do not have to be a blogger to participate. However, you have to post a review on some site in order to participate. It can be on Goodreads and/or Amazon and/or Barnes & Noble and/or Smashwords.

3. If you are a blogger link up your permalink to the review posts. If you aren't a blogger, then link up the permalink to your reviews from whichever site you have chosen to post the review on.

4. The books can overlap with other reading challenges.  

5. Books read may be any form (audio, print, e-book).

6. Post your links to your reviews each month to share with other participants.

7. The challenge runs from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2015. Its never too late to Join In!

How To Sign-Up and Join In:

1. Choose a challenge level listed below.

2. Create a post on your blog, in a group, or on a forum (where possible) to let others see what you’re aiming for (a predefined list of Authors/Books is optional).

3. Grab the badge and place it in your sign up post. Then link back to b00k r3vi3ws.

4. Grab the direct URL to your sign up post, not your blog, click the Linky List and enter your link.

5. Once you review a book it would be great for you to share them by submitting them on the Review List.

7. When you’re done it’s completion post time and you can share these on the completion/wrap-up List.

Challenge Level:

Amateur: 1 - 24 Indie Books

Lover: 25 - 49 Indie Books

Expert: 50 - 74 Indie Books

Fanatic: 75+ Indie Books

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I got my Indie reads on this year aiming for  Amateur reading level.  I feel that I met that challenge and for the new year will aim higher for Lover level to Expert level.    

If you to decide you want to participate in the Indie Fever go to: 

2015 Reading Challenge: IndieFever!

Let us get our Indie Read on this year. 

New Year, New Start, . . .This year working harder to post faster.

I want to work this year to keep my post more current and up-to-date.  The goal is to post weekly (daily would be preferred but hard to do).

This year the challenge is the same and I plan to plug on and make the most of it. 

Indie Fever Quickies 33- 36

Indie Fever Quickies . . . 

Boss Bangs the Secretary by Belle Hart 3/5 stars

Charlotte of Little Dean by Paul Hilton  4/5 stars
Christmas Eve Surprise by Genevieve 4/5 stars
Southpaw (South Boys #1.5) by Raen Smith 4/5 stars

  Boss Bangs the Secretary by Belle Hart
Carol got what she wanted and went for it all the way.  Chad got what he has been wanting in secret and in the end he got what he deserved.

  Charlotte of Little Dean by Paul Hilton
Charlotte got herself a very bi surprise in the end. She was looking for a way out and found much, much more.

  Christmas Eve Surprise by Genevieve
This is a great Christmas Eve gift for any woman alone during the holidays.

  Southpaw (South Boys #1.5) by Raen Smith
For plain clarity and logic this book should have come before 'Southbound Surrender', but I can see why it did not.

'The Dude' is his nickname/fight name but only in the cage/ring.  Kelly has a driving desire/need to fight and he is very good at what he does.  This need grows in hi and may be the barrier to love.  

Kelly has an understanding of what drives him and works to keep it from affect those close to him and even his new interest.  With this new relationship he learns to accept himself for who he is.

Smith provides a recounting of a young man's journey to understanding and acceptance of himself and love from others.  Her words on the page provides clarity and understanding of the struggle he goes through. Kelly's POV makes the big difference in the story line.


Recommended for:  Romance Lovers*, Erotic Lover*, those in a mood for a Quickie (each book is a quickie)

I am not a professional reviewer.  These are just my personal opinions.

Indie Fever #32 - Latvinia S. Nelson

The Ugly Girlfriend by Latvinia S. Nelson - 5/5 stars


   The Ugly Girlfriend by Latvinia S. Nelson 

1st read by Nelson, she has given me a new series to look for in the future. I love LaToya. She is a black woman with her own, but she does have concerns and a few issues of her own. She does not place the blame for her life or lack of it on others. Her friend or so-called friend needs to take a few lessons. I am very happy to see that Mitch could see beyond the facade she put on.  Mitch is a man that knows what he wants and has a plan on how to go about it.

Recommended for: Interracial Romance Lovers, Romance Lover, Underdog Lovers

 I am not a professional reviewer.  These are just my personal opinions.

Indie Arthor #31 - Russ Durbin

A Private Little Affair by Russ Durbin - 3/5 stars


    A Private Little Affair by Russ Durbin

This is a first read by this author (Russ Durbin) and it has been on my TBR for over a year.  It is a very quickie read and holds a hit of the forbidden. The relations that may possibly exist between a Professor and one of his pupil's. In short, Betsy's 
private little affair is not all that private after all.  Her reverie is returned even if she does not know it.

Durbin is able to hold your attention for the entire span of this short read.  He give you a false sense that something is coming and then the end.

Recommended for: Lovers of Quickie Reads

 I am not a professional reviewer.  These are just my personal opinions.

26 - 30 Indie All the way. . .

Ana Do You Hear Me? by Raven McAllan

At Long Last by Elene Sallinger

Boogie Wugie by Banessa Finaughty

A Birthday Wish by Doris O'Connor

A Day at the Office or the Bastard by Jane Oldaker

Ana Do You Hear Me? by Raven McAllan 5/5 stars . . . Quickie read - 1st read by McAllan. Opening statement Ana, do you hear me? . . . a woman on the brink of losing her mind has one more sensual imagination of her lover and the love of her life. Sweet. Sensual. Breathtaking.

At Long Last by Elene Sallinger 5/5 stars . . . Quickie read- 1st read by Sallinger. She makes second chance at love occur naturally and over similar tragedies in life. A second chance of this nature take time to achieve, but the wait is its own reward. Marianne and Carl had a connection from the very beginning. It went beyond the book club or the illness commonality.

Boogie Wugie by Banessa Finaughty 4/5 stars .  . . Quickie read- 1st read by Finaughty. Child's play at an game old as time. The boogieman is embedded in all out psyche at some point or another.

A Birthday Wish by Doris O'Connor 4/5 stars . . . Quickie read - 1st read by O'Connor. sometimes dreams do come true with some variations to the details. Forgiveness is all in the details.

A Day at the Office or the Bastard by Jane Oldaker 4/5 stars . . . Quickie read - 1st read by Oldaker. No great stretch of the imagination, if you put your mind to thinking. If you take the time to consider the suspense is all in your head.

I am not a professional reviewer.  These are just my personal opinions.