E-Books have become a new sensation in the literary world, turning the publishing industry on its head. With the introduction of self-publishing options such as Createspace, Lulu, Kindle Direct, Smashwords, and others, it has become increasingly easier to get your work out into the public.

So, is there really a need for a literary agent? It's a question that I have been asking myself ever since I learned of the e-book self-publishing options. I've sent query letters to almost every agent that represents young adult fantasy. I've received a few interested parties, but none have actually jumped onboard.

Right now, I'm receiving decent sales, and good exposure without the need of an agent. But, what a literary agent would provide is a direct link to a major publisher. While self-publishing can be very lucrative, it doesn't provide the exposure that a major publisher can provide. So, while there are many stories of successful self-published authors like Amanda Hocking, Darcie Chan, and J.A. Konrath, they still don't have the distribution and marketing capabilities that a major publisher can provide.

Conclusion? A literary agent can be a very useful advocate that can get you into a major publishing house, but they are not the only avenue. If you don't receive representation from a literary agent, don't stop there. Choose one of the many self-publishing options and continue to write. Eventually, you will see the results of your hard work. My biggest advice is: Never Give Up!!!

"I'd like to start this review by saying I am nowhere near the target market that this book is targeting. With that said, I'd also like to say this was a great read. Like any great series of books, there was the sense of the unknown as you read through the story. But as you turned each page and your initial questions were answered, the author had a unique way of making you formulate more. Tying in cues from his native roots in the Northwest, the author reinforced this sense of originality as well as luring me into an emotional connection with some of the characters. Granted I can't say that I know what each of these characters are going through in the sense of finding out about their inherent powers, un-earthly origins, or quest to find the truth but I can relate to subplot of high school teenagers coming into their own as adults. Drawing my own parallel between these teens and my own high school experiences with friends, sports, and the "much anticipated prom" gave the story even more credit with every page I turned. I definitely recommend Sonora and the Eye of the Titans as your next fictional escape from the everyday grind. Since the series will be in full swing after the success of this initial iteration, I look forward to more of my questions being answered in the sequels to come!"  ~  Illiterately Inclined Reader

"In his debut novel, Hall jumps into the frantic high school world of Allora Sona and her three best friends, Katie, Dax, and Tanner.  After a series of strange events the friends discover their otherworldy origins and of a civil war taking place on their home planet, Sonora.  As they begin their training to join the fight as rebels of Sonora, the teens also discover that their inheritance is to protect their loved ones from creatures sent to Earth to assassinate them.  The friends must find a way to overcome the petty distractions of their earthly lives as they train for the grisly battles ahead, and as they search for the weapon that will lead them toward safety.  This action-packed novel creatively explores and redefines many of our own ancient myths, and serves well as the opener to an exciting new fantasy series."

With the introduction of e-readers & iPads, the book industry has taken a so-called hit and is not seeing the profits of the past. Some may have speculated this from the recent bankruptcy of Borders. But what they don't realize or factor in, is the increase in e-book purchases. Take a look at this USA Today article about the publishing industry and how its changing

http://books.usatoday.com/bookbuzz/post/2011/08/publishing-industry-doing-better-fueled-by-e-book-sales/414415/1

1. Write the first draft of your book
2. Make the necessary edit to finalize (This may take longer than it takes to write the first draft
3. Go through many of the blogs, books, writer's digest, and other avenues to find the specific literary agents that represent your kind of book
4. Write a Query Letter, which is a basic synopsis of the story
5. Send out the Query Letter and Sample Chapters based on the submission criteria that each agent has stated on their website
6. This usually takes 6-8 weeks to receive a reply
7. Don't be surprised to get quite a few rejection letters (common)
8. Keep being persistent, and if you don't receive an agents offer to represent than move forward with Self-Publishing your book
9. Never give up!

This will be my first post in my blog. I'm hoping to describe my journey as I develop and publish my novel. I hope you will stay tuned to more updates to come!