Recently speakers at our Monterey Bay Chapter meetings have spoken positively about self-publishing and cleared away some of my misconceptions. It no longer has the stigma it once did and a former critique partner self-pubbed in the last year (Mary Holland/Bone Road). A birthday (we won't mention the number) and a health setback eradicated my last doubts. I've had a lifetime ambition to have a book out, so I've decided to self-publish The Dark Lady's Stone. I want a free-lance editor who is not familiar with it to check for grammar, spelling, punctuation, missing words, and major glitches (one can never see one's own mistakes) and I'll need a cover artist. No, I can't afford it, and I am not naive enough to expect to earn it back from a best-seller, but this is something I have to do.  I downloaded Smashwords guidelines and posted a request to Broad Universe re. editor and artist. I've had some excellent responses and I hope to make a decision soon.

Wish me luck!