Good News Via My Local Library!

This week I have some good news (and a nice little confidence boost) courtesy of my local library!

A Little Backstory

Late last year, Multnomah County Library (MCL) put out a call for local authors who were holders of a Multnomah County Library card to submit proposals to have their e-books included in the library’s e-book catalog.

Unfortunately, although I grew up in Multnomah County and spent most of my adult life there (and always with a current library card in hand), since moving to Clackamas County about ten years ago, I let my MCL card expire. Luckily, since Clackamas County is right next door to Multnomah County, I’m allowed to be still part of their library system.

Since I needed an up-to-date card to submit my book, I hurried off to the nearest branch and got my fancy new card….and of course ended up checking out a bunch of books to thumb through.

Submitting and then Waiting…and waiting

About three weeks before the cut off date, I submitted my spiel for The Trials of Hercules: Book One of the Osteria Chronicles. After having the book rejected by oodles of publishers and agents, I figured the submission wouldn’t amount to much. When the end of the year came, then the month of January and most of February passed by without a word, I was certain I hadn’t made the cut.

Finally, last week an email popped into my inbox from MCL. And the subject line had this magic word in it: Acceptance! Add that to the first sentence of the email simply being “Congratulations!” and I was left dumbly staring at my iPad in super happy disbelief.

I’m still uncertain of how many books actually made the grade, but the email did state that 150 writers submitted entries and that mine was “a standout.” I could read emails like that all day!

How is This Good?

I’ve had people scratch their heads and ask how this is good. After all, people will be able to read my book for free. Well, yes and no. Unlike the jerk face people who have pirated my books (and drove me into writing despair), I am actually going to get paid when the library purchases a copy of The Trials of Hercules. I’m not exactly certain how the license works, but after a defined number of checkouts, the book has to be re-purchased by the library for them to keep it in their system.

Also, this is a hard-to-get opportunity for a self-published writer. It is extremely hard to get an e-book in the library system unless you are covered under the cloud of a publisher. Paperbacks are simple, you just donate a copy and ask to have it added to the collection as a local author, but e-books aren’t quite as donate-able.

Not to mention having the book in the e-book system is a HUGE bit of free exposure for The Trials of Hercules. It should be under the “New Books” section for a bit and, whenever someone returns the book, it will show up under the “Recently Returned” heading.  Hopefully, it will snag the attention of a few fantasy fiction/mythology fans. Some people may like the book enough to buy it, but mostly I hope the first book will leave readers scrambling for The Voyage (Book Two), as well as the upcoming third book, The Maze.

Thank YOU so much MCL!!

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TAMMIE PAINTER IS THE AUTHOR OF THE TRIALS OF HERCULES: BOOK ONE OF THE OSTERIA CHRONICLES AND AN ARTIST WHO DEDICATES HERSELF TO THE TEDIUM OF CREATING IMAGES WITH COLORED PENCIL.