When we started Texshirebooks it was originally planned for a single author. We had published first through Amazon then we added Smashwords. We became increasingly frustrated because of both websites rather picky and confusing rules which found both rejecting books, often for very confusing reasons. Smashwords only offered manuscript formats in an old version of Word and they were sensitive about cover pages that easily fell fowl of any risqué images. At least their support was great when issues needed clarification. Amazon were less picky, until recently where any rejection is followed by their refusal to engage in any discussion over why the book had been rejected at all. Not much help to an author. There were issues over pricing with both sites which meant we had no means of control should be wish to make special offers or group books at a short term price. So we added a bookstore too which wasn’t subject to their commission either.
Anietta Strong was that author but she knew others which wished to join her and each had their specialised genre too. Authors write books of differing lengths. Anietta prefers a longer read, although she has recently followed what appears to be a modern trend – the shorter book. Anietta concentrates on lesbian romance. We sensed people have less time to read nowadays. Many prefer to listen to a book read to them. We haven’t followed that trend but we can never say never. Another female author who writes under the pen name Sadie Stern writes short books around 15-20k words. Enough to get one’s teeth into but trust me they all pack a serious punch which ventures into BDSM and hot, dirty, lesbian sex. She pulls no punches. Nothing leaves our readers in any doubt after having read her hot steamy sex scenes, stirred well with always a hint of kink. There was one area missing. A male author. We knew there was a market for male on male strict corporal punishment. While much of what this author Sam Evans wrote originated in school, when six of the best instilled discipline, all his books describe adult corporal punishment. Where the need to punish and be punished takes place much later in life. Again punishment scenes leave nothing to the imagination.
Watch out too as each author introduces themselves and explains the motivation to write in their chosen way