Barbara Feldman: Stella Awards

Stella Awards

Since the bulk of my experience has been with self-publishing online, I rarely venture into the topic of traditional book publishing. But my friend and colleague Randy Cassingham (who has oodles of experience in self-publishing) has now gone mainstream.

His about-to-be-released "The True Stella Awards" was published by Dutton Adult, a division of Penguin. The reviews (excellent ones, at that) are just coming in, and all indicators are that it's going to be a home run.

For writers, the lesson here is that self-publishing can be very profitable in its own right, and it can also lead to traditional book deals. Although it might not have been true in the early online days, nowadays book publishers do appreciate the value of "first-time" authors who have an online following. I quoted "first-time" because even if you've self-published dozens of titles, you are a "first-timer" to them because you've never had a traditionally published book.

Now, a bit about the book itself. Modeled after Randy's Stella Awards email newsletter, the book (as described on the cover) honors "real cases of greedy opportunists, frivolous lawsuits, and the law run amok."

Publisher's Weekly called it "A nifty little gift for anyone who appreciates absurdist trivia, the book's thumbnail case summaries make for easy spot reading."

Personally, I think "Stella Awards" is a two-fer. Buy one for yourself and another for any lawyers on your Christmas gift list. Doesn't everyone's family have at least one?

Here are the book details again:

The True Stella Awards : Honoring real cases of greedy opportunists, frivolous lawsuits, and the law run amok (Hardcover)
by Randy Cassingham