Good morning! I am thrilled to have Suzanne Anderson as my guest blogger today. She is the author of God Loves You. – Chester Blue, a book that is now at the top of my TBR list.

She has a wonderful post on the evolution of publishing. So come join us, and share your own thoughts.

Take it away, Suzanne!

What are Your Thoughts on Tradition? The Evolution of Publishing 

By Suzanne Anderson

When I think of tradition, I think of the comfort of the tried and true. Traditional is comfortable because the way has already been taken by those who came before, so you know what to expect.

Non-traditional is riskier. And there are likely to be fewer gatekeepers, which means that anyone can enter onto the gates of the country club.

Which is exactly why I think this is the best time in history to be an author. Yes, indie-publishing has created a crowded field where anyone can publish a book and there are no gatekeepers to pronounce who is worthy of presenting themselves to readers. But for authors it means that you now have more options. You can pursue the traditional route of agent and publisher, or you can do it all yourself. Which is a wonderfully entrepreneurial freedom in an industry which was for so many years dominated by a few huge mega-corporations.

For readers, the blasting open of the publishing world means that they not only get introduced new authors, they’ve enjoyed enormous price reductions in the cost of paper books, and in the case of e-books, a daily download opportunity of free books. When you, as a reader, look back at the books you’ve read in the past year, how many of them were by new authors you would never have considered if not for a free book offering? How many indie-authors have you tried in the past year? How have these changes in publishing changed your reading habits or the books you’ll consider reading?

As with any evolution in business that makes quantum leaps in a few years, due to technological advancements (e-readers), there will be bumps and bruises for both sides. But in the end, I believe the revolution that we are now living through will ultimately be viewed as blood transfusion that saved a dying industry.

Thank you, Suzanne – a great post, with some thought-prooking questions for both writers and readers.

And here is a bit more about Suzanne and her book.

What if when you most needed help, a blue bear appeared with a note from God?

One night, Miss Millie of Blossom, Ohio turns her face to the stars and asks God for help. The next day, a package arrives on her doorstep containing a blue teddy bear and a very special note.

Over the course of a year, this remarkable blue bear travels across the country, showing up just when he’s needed most. During his journey, Chester Blue helps a young girl trying to impress her big sisters; saves a sailor caught in a terrible storm; reunites two constantly fighting brothers; helps a cowboy become a rodeo clown; and aids a father and daughter in bonding after divorce.

If you ever needed a message from God, it’s here…

Find out more about Suzanne here.

Buy her book at Amazon.

And connect with her here:

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Thank you for stopping by, Suzanne – it was a pleasure having you here today, and you are more than welcome to come hang out anytime.

Until next time – read on.

cheers,

~Cate