Will or Do you read self-published authors?

[Melanie_Murray]

So I'm now crazy for the Jolie Wilkens series after reading H.P. Mallory's Witchful Thinking (Jolie Wilkins Series #3) . I first heard of her through these boards. I confess that I get so many books every month that I never go looking for self-published authors, and so I completely missed out on her [amazing] first books,

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, A Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy (Jolie Wilkins Series #1) 

Toil and Trouble, A Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy (Jolie Wilkins Series #2)   

I highly recommend reading all three, though the first two are ebooks only. And I also recommend the short prequel novel about Rand, Jolie's hot hunk o'warlock:

Be Witched (Novella)  

But aside from me pushing these books on you all - and they're worth it! - I do want to know how many of you will give authors a try even if their books aren't released by a publishing company. And how do you find them?

[dhaupt]

I will, but I'm also wary or new authors who self edit, which I think is a bad thing, but what I really think is interesting is how many established authors are self pubbing now too, not just re-releases either but new releases

[Melanie_Murray]

I agree, Deb. Authors need editors! (Says the former editor...)

I think most people will happily read a self-published book from an author they know and love and who's got a publishing track record. I'm more curious whether you guys read self-pubbed authors you've never heard of, who don't have previously published books to their name, like the way H.P. Mallory started out.

[dhaupt]

Well I never have, but I guess for me it would depend on the amount of self advertising they do, the cover of the book and how well the blurb is, how accessable and finally and most importantly to this bean counter how much

over at General Fiction last year I dedicated a month to feature Pubit by B&N we read 

The Chimney Still Stands  

It was a wonderful story, but my members were really taken aback by the editorial mistakes in it.

[reader_824]

I have read self-published authors, and I'll probably continue to do so, if the price is right.  I am, however, really turned off when there are flagrant grammatical errors.  One new author I'm reading now has a great plot, good characters, but her use of "Her mother and her stood..." and "Him and me started down..." just curl the toes of this former English teacher.  These new writers really need to get someone to proof their material before they put it out for sale.  I wish they'd pay a few $$ to the local high school English teacher or a retired English teacher to go over their final drafts.  English teachers  read others works all the time and are very alert for errors or words left out, etc. 

Having said that I was also unhappy to see even well-known authors fall into the "between he and I " or "gave it to Tyler and I" error pit.   AACCKKK!!