#GuestPost Sentinels of the Night by Anita Dickason @anita_dickason @ebookreviewgal

I am so happy to be bringing you a guest post by Anita Dickason, author of Sentinels of the Night, where she shares her top tips for self-publishing. Before we get to that how about we learn a little about Sentinels of the Night.

FBI Tracker Cat Morgan has an unusual talent, one she has successfully concealed, even from her fellow agents. That is—until she finds a body with a strange symbol carved on the forehead during a stop in Clinton, Mississippi and crosses paths with the town’s rugged police chief, Kevin Hunter.

Despite his instant attraction to the sexy agent, Kevin is suspicious of her presence at the crime scene and isn’t buying her dubious explanations. He wants her out of the investigation and out of his town.

The discovery of another mutilated body with the same symbol sends Cat back to Clinton, and this time she isn’t leaving. To stop the killer, Cat must find a way to overcome Kevin’s distrust and will face an impossible impasse—truth or lies.

But will either one matter, when the killer fixates on her for his next sacrifice?

“My Top Five Self-Publishing Tips”

I not only publish my books but also help other authors publish their works by providing manuscript and cover design services. I also write a column, On the Hunt, and am the Fiction Editor for Indie Authors Monthly magazine. My column can also be read on my website.

I have found that once the book is written, the real work begins. I liken it to a relationship. The dating is the writing side. Publishing is the marriage side. Since completing my novels, Sentinels of the Night and Going Gone!, my activity on the books has increased ten-fold.

For an author who decides to go the route of self-publishing, the following are a few suggestions that can help with the process.

Define your expectations for the book. Where will it be sold and to whom, local book signing events, family, friends or on a broader scale. This will make a difference in how and where you elect to publish the book.

Know your options. While the opportunities have never been greater for a writer to see their work published, there are unlimited landmines for the unwary author. As an example, the use of a template to design a cover can cost an author the copyright to the cover. Loss of the copyright can affect where the book can be published. I wrote an article, Who Owns It, that can be viewed on my website along with other articles on the topic of publishing. https://www.anitadickason.com/who-owns-it

Ask questions. Writing forums, such as Goodreads, are a great place to start. There is an abundance of information that can help an author.

Use social media for promotion to include Twitter, Facebook, Google plus, Instagram, etc. They are free and provide an excellent opportunity for getting the word out about your book.