Houston romance author Cheryl Bolen got some sweet validation in late 2012 when one of her novels, My Lord Wicked, was awarded Best Historical in the International Digital Awards for books published in 2011.
"What was so sweet about it is that back in 1998, I offered the book to my then-publisher, Harlequin Historical, and they turned it down."
She said she was so new to publishing at the time she thought maybe the book wasn't very good; so, she just put it away for more than a decade.
"After I started e-publishing some of my out-of-print books in 2011, I reexamined my gothic, My Lord Wicked, with an eye to indie publishing it as an ebook, and I thought it was a pretty good book," Bolen said. "I did do some rewriting before I offered it for sale."
Within its first month of selling as an ebook, it soared to the number two spot in historical romances at Amazon and stayed on the top 100 historical list for a year and half.
All's well that ends well. She said she's made more money on it as an ebook than she would have made if Harlequin Historical published it as a paperback.
Bolen said she was gratified that two of her other ebook original historicals also placed in the International Digital Awards competition, which was for books first published digital only in 2011. These were her first Regent Mystery, With His Lady's Assistance, and her traditional, G-rated Regency romance The Earl's Bargain.
This year Bolen marks her 20th year as a member of Houston-headquartered Romance Writers of America. She belongs to both the West Houston chapter and the Bay Area chapter.
She maintains a blog on Regency England and meets with readers at her Cheryl Bolen Books page on Facebook,
Her website features her more than 20 books as well as 20 year's worth of articles she's written on writing and on Regency England.
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