Mike O'Toole

So, you're all wondering, why did I decide to become an indie-publisher? Well have you ever tried getting a book published down the traditional route? This is how it usually goes. You write a book, well maybe only 80% of it to start with, then you fire off the first three chapters or so to Literary Agents to see if there is any interest. Most new writers give up at this point because they become disheartened at the response, or lack of it. You see Literary Agents are very prescious people. They say they will only read something if it is presented in exactly the format they want it, and if they say they want the first fifty pages they want exactly fifty pages. No more no less.    Well I did all of that, but still got rejection after rejection. Some rejections actually came seconds BEFORE the read reciept, so I knew they hadn't even read the manuscript. That's when I decided to have a go at publishing it myself. I read a blog by someone who had done just that and thou...

Rings of Smoke by Diane O'Toole “Who’s been spanked with the ugly stick? Fitch has!   Fitch has!”   Leonard sat on the top step, looking down at the girls, dancing in a circle.   He was alone.   He was always alone. “Who’s been spanked with the ugly stick? Fitch has all day long!”   The girls laughed hysterically. Leonard just stared at them. They’d made the song up after hearing a group of American soldiers singing minstrel songs at a school concert earlier that year. And as they taunted and laughed at him, he just sat quietly, staring back at them, a hint of a smirk danced in his eyes as he thought, your time will come and how I’m going to make you suffer – just wait and see! It was lunchtime at Lancaster Grammar School; the time Leonard Fitch hated the most. Not because the food was dreadful and inedible. Not because he was a loner, without friends – he preferred it that way. Who wants to play with those morons anyway? But it was the one time the ...

How amazing is that? I have done lots of things in my time, but to become a book publisher is something I'd never have thought of. Anyway, next thing is, is to promote it. So go and buy it everyone! It's called Rings of Smoke and it's by Diane O'Toole. Only available on Amazon for now, but you don't need a Kindle to read it, just download the app to your PC, laptop of phone.