Self Publishing Best Sellers

Self publishing has taken some authors to worldwide acclaim!

Many now famous books got their start through self publishing. Listed below are some notable bestsellers that have since found worldwide acclaim:

A Time to Kill, John Grisham
Grisham's first book A Time to Kill started of with a small publishing company. He actively promoted his book selling many copies from the trunk of his car.

The Elements of Style, William Strunk, Jr., and E. B. White
The Elements of Style is a 43-page self-published book and has become an essential text for writers

The Celestine Prophecy, James Redfield
The Celestine Prophecy was originally self-published by Redfield who sold 10,000 copies of the truck of his car before Warner Books agreed to publish it. As May 2005, it had sold 20 million copies worldwide.

When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple, Sandra Haldeman Martz
This compilation of short stories and poems has sold well over a million copies for the author's self-publishing company, Paper Mache Press.

Spartacus, Howard Fast
Howard Fast self-published the novel in the United States during 1951 and wrote the book in reaction to his imprisonment during the McCarthy era. Its success came from those who believe in the book and purchased advance copies so the author could pay for printing.

Eragon, Christopher Paolini
Paolini's parents decided to self-publish Eragon. Paolini spend a year promoting the book throughout the United States. A year later it was picked up by Alfred A. Knoph and republished in August 2003.

Chicken Soup for the Soul, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
Canfield and Hansen were told no one would want to read the stories they had compiled so they decided to self-publish Chicken Soup for the Soul. They began to self-promote their book and were discovered at a book event in 1993 by Health Communications, Inc. Today over 300 million copies are in circulation.

The Christmas Box, Richard Paul Evans
Evans self-published his book in 1193 as a paperback and distributed it to book stores in his community. The book became a local bestseller and prompted Evans to publish the book nationally. It hit #2 on the New York bestseller's list inciting an auction for the publishing rights among the world's top publishing houses. Evans signed a deal with Simon & Schuster who paid him a 2.4 million in advance.

Xulon Press, the Christian self-publisher is owned by and is a part of the Salem Web Network, a subsidiary of Salem Communications Corporation.
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