Estelle Asmodelle

Alas, it appears that publishing ANAESTHETIC DREAM in the Australian market may be out for the time being. Australian agents believe that the book would not sell enough copies to attract a publisher. I think this is ludicrous, but none the less it has just shown me that I may have to set my sights abroad.

Currently I am discussing the book with a well-known UK literary agent – so crossed fingers – lets hope they see value in publishing this personal story, about changing sex and changing laws related to sex change.

There seems to be a trend within the publishing world. Firstly, so agent charge reading fees, which in my opinion is outrageous, for it is the agents’ job to negotiate contracts and payment, on behalf of the writer and not to charge the very person they represent. I encountered one such agency and refused even discussing the issue.

The next part of the trend is subscribed publishing, it is another form of self-publishing, or vanity press, whereby a publisher initially says they are interested in publishing the book, provided the author contribute to the cost of print. This means the author ends up paying either a portion or most, if not all, the cost of printing, only to have the publisher distribute and then only give the author a percentage of the books they distribute. This is something I would not consider at all, and see this as hidden self-publishing. If I were to go down that track; then, I’d do the whole thing myself.

But having said all that, I will continue to seek an agent, either in the UK or the United States, and publish in the conventional manner. It is difficult, some says as difficult as it is to write the book, and I would agree. Nonetheless I will continue to market and promote the book to agents and publishers alike.

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