The past year has been exhilarating for writers, readers, and independent publishers. On a tidal wave of new e-reader technology and the increasing popularity of Kindles and iPads, the publishing industry—once a staid, tradition-bound sector—is now experiencing the kind of upheaval we’re used to hearing about in music, film, and quantum physics.

Here are some of the year’s biggest stories in independent publishing.

“If you have a book you believe in, get to work,” says novelist Mary E. Kingsley. She would know. Mary’s debut novel, Angel, was released last November, with Mary acting as both author and publisher.

Set in an Appalachian town in the early 1970s, Angel is the story of a thirteen year-old girl who’s fed up with all the unanswered questions in her life. Why did her daddy run off when she was just a baby? And why does her Aunt Patsy have to live in a home for crazy people? Over one tumultuous summer and fall, Angel discovers answers buried in family secrets that turn everything upside down. 

To call Andy Gavin a “serial creator who doesn’t sleep much” is a bit of an understatement. He co-founded the video game development company Naughty Dog when he was just fifteen, and went on to oversee the creation of more than a dozen video games, including bestselling and award-winning titles like Crash Bandicoot and Jak & Daxter, not to mention that he made some of them while studying for his PhD at MIT.

So when he turned his attention to writing fiction in 2008, his fans knew to expect an ambitious, breath-taking adventure.

Is proofreading really necesary? After all, it&rquo;s the age of the Internet. Surely an author doesn’t need to spend time -- and money – nailing down every last detail. And there are so many free converting programs for e-books.    Why not just plug in that Microsoft Word document, let the program do it's magic, and upload it to the Kindle store? Is it just me, or is there something a little distracting about this paragraph?

(There are seven typos/formatting errors above.)

 The buzz is growing, and just about every author (and potential author) has heard the question from friends, relatives, or strangers: “Why don’t you self-publish?” There might be different answers and reactions to this query, but one thing is certain: there is no more “normal” in the publishing industry. Authors are turning down major deals so they can self-publish; self-published authors who got rich from e-books are taking major deals for print rights. Like the shattering—and liberating—effects of the digital revolution undergone by the music industry, publishing is next.

Self-publishing in print or e-book form isn't the only answer, and it's by no means always the right answer for every author. But it's an option worthy of consideration as opportunities for traditional publication (especially for first novels) become scarcer in a publishing climate that's increasingly risk-averse. 

Road Signs: A Story of Practical Magic">Straddling the line between fantasy and literary fiction is a genre known as magical realism. It combines the poetic punch of literature with surreal and otherworldly elements to make a genre far richer than either genre alone. Our editors were pleased to work with such a book recently, and we're even more pleased to announce that Jay Archer David's ROAD SIGNS is now available to the public. "There is a road between places, between things, peoples and times. It conceals magic, bestows power-but mostly we travel it with eyes closed. David wants to open his eyes and travel farther." This is the premise behind ROAD SIGNS, and we've invited Jay Archer David to share more about his book, its creation, and his decision to self publish,  here.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

For me, Halloween has always signified the start of the fall holiday season. From here it's a quick hop into Thanksgiving, and then the Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice is upon us. These are all great holidays for families, and if you're looking for the perfect book to share with the children (and kids at heart) in your life, The Goopy Ghost of Halloween by V.R. Duin can't be beat. Goopy is the story of a displaced pile of pumpkin "goo" on the search for a new home after its pumpkin was turned into a jack o' lantern. If you've ever wondered what happens to pumpkin "goo" when the carving is done, V.R. has the answer for you! V.R. Duin worked with Renni Browne on this successful self-published effort, and a Thanksgiving-themed sequel is in the works now.

In the meantime, a second Goopy book is also available now: The Goopy Ghost at Christmas. Why should Goopy's adventures stop on October 31st? V.R. Duin says,"This rhyming, illustrated sequel is about one very goopy ghost that is determined to have a very merry time as it makes its way from a new haunt to the back of Santa’s sleigh. When Santa’s elves get into the “spirit” of the season, there’s even more fun to be had." The books feature gorgeous, vibrant artwork, and are perfect for young readers or reading aloud. We're pleased to have been a part of Goopy's development and encourage everyone to view the book trailer and follow it's author on Facebook for all the latest Goopy news.

"A cabin hidden behind a padlocked gate, no power, no phone, just Revelation and a .38…a true story of abuse, loss, redemption and hope."

AS THE SYCAMORE GROWS, by Jennie Helderman, is a true story of domestic violence, told from the perspective of both the victim and the abuser. It's a unique take and provides an entirely new perspective on a very important, but often overlooked, subject. Unlike many books of this genre, SYCAMORE uses real names and places. The details were not changed, and the book includes photographs and copies of court documents from the participants. It was released by Summers Bridgewater Press, Inc. on October 11, 2010. To celebrate SYCAMORE's release in paperback and Kindle format, we invited author Jennie Helderman to tell us a little more about herself and the book. First, a little about Jennie and her approach to writing:

JH: I like to find out the how and why of things, whether it's reading mysteries, playing word games or working at Pompeii as I did one summer. I like to travel, but not with groups. I don't stay in line very well. I need to walk, let my feet touch the earth, and meet the people along the way. Back in 2000 I walked 125 miles of the Camino across northern Spain and I cherish that experience.

TED: Tell us a little bit about the genesis of the book idea and/or how you came to decide to write it.

Susan Helen Gottfried is a woman with a healthy appreciation for loud music and larger than life characters. She's also a talented writer who has channeled her passion for heavy metal music into Trevor and Mitchell, front men of the band ShapeShifter. Set in the fictional town of Riverview (a kind of Anytown, USA) the rock 'n' roll lives of ShapeShifter and their fans are chronicled in the books THE DEMO TAPES (Years One and Two) and TREVOR'S SONG. After many positive comments, but no book deals, Susan decided to quit waiting on publishing trends and took the ShapeShifter gang to Smashwords (ebook) and Lulu (print) where their stories could finally reach an audience. Self-published authors are often perceived as not good enough for traditional publishing, but Susan defies that notion. Pulling double duty as both author/editor and publicist, Susan has seen the writing life from all sides, and her experience can help any author break out of obscurity.

It's Apple tablet day, and since Apple has a level of security that beats the C.I.A., no one really what these things will actually be like, but that doesn't stop a wave of a wild speculation. 

However, with the general success and market domination of Apple products (seriously, do you spend much time thinking about Zunes?), you'd have to believe that the existing producers of e-book readers are sitting on the edge of their plush, executive seats today.  Publishers are on edge as well...how will this change the market for electronically distributed books?  How will Amazon react?  Will there be a price war on titles?  It's a lot to think about and it will likely take a while for the smoke to clear to actually know what will happen next, but what we can be happy about as authors, editors, publishers, agents, and readers is that people are excited for an innovate device that will likely help them read more.