‘My publishing experience was so positive I decided to bring out another book’
Geraldine Ryan, author of Riding Pillion with George Clooney and The No-Hopers Christmas Club
As a professional fiction writer with a collection of short stories spanning three decades, I sought out a self-publishing company to assist me in bringing out an anthology. I wanted it to be professionally published with an eye-catching cover. My stories have mainly been published in women’s magazines and tend to be illustrated, so I had a strong idea of what I wanted for the cover, and I also knew the importance of having a good relationship with your editor. In addition to this, I needed someone who could walk me through the process, as I am wary of technology and had no idea how to set about getting an ISBN or how to sell on Amazon. Danielle and I connected through the Alliance of Independent Author’s Facebook forum. While several publishing professionals got back to me about my request for help, Danielle was the only person who said the project sounded like a great one to work on. I made the right decision in picking Danielle, and she held my hand throughout and was always available to answer my many questions. Rachel, the illustrator, got my idea for the cover immediately, and I absolutely loved what she created.
When Riding Pillion came out, Danielle helped me with my marketing campaign, and my story was featured in the Cambridge Independent and a magazine called Velvet. Danielle also helped me to organise a blog tour. The experience was so positive that I decided to self-publish another book with Danielle and her team, this time a collection of Christmas short stories, which came out towards the end of 2022. Since publishing my two anthologies, I’ve had some great feedback and reviews. It was worth investing the money and I’m incredibly proud of my two anthologies.
