Click here for the "my first eBook" blog challenge.

(Updated September 4th, 2012.)

One disadvantage of self-publishing's new popularity is that publishers, reviewers, and bookstores have don't often act as filters of self-published books; these days, it’s harder to find out what’s good. In August, we asked Red Roomers to be the curators and blog about about a fantastic book that just happens to have been published by the author.  

A couple of posts stood out:

Member Michelle L. Scott's purchase just a few months ago of her first e-reader opened up a new world of affordable books by indie authors. Her favorite series so far is a "light-in-tone, fast-paced, and rated PG" is a supernatural fiction series set in the American Southwest. Learn all about her choice in "My Favorite Indie Writer."

We encouraged self-published authors to tout their own work if it was their favorite, and quite a few did! Our favorite example was by member Len Boswell, and not just because his book, The Leadership Secrets of Squirrels, has one of our favorite titles ever. Len tells about the book's journey in "After the Ellipses."

These bloggers will receive a book self-published by a Red Room author who has also published traditionally:

Helen Gallagher's Release Your Writing, Book Publishing, Your Way goes beyond “how-to” books with all the information you need, whether you have:

• Written a book and not attracted a publisher.
• Finished a book you need out right now, for a particular market or timely topic.
• Just started writing a book and need to know how to get it to market.
• Grown weary of shopping a book around to agents and publishers.
• Let your manuscript languish because the publishing process seemed so intimidating.

You can see all of the favorite self-published book blog posts here. I hope you'll read all the posts, let the bloggers know what you think of their choices in the comments, and, most of all, buy the books! Many self-published books are extremely affordable ebooks, and their authors would certainly appreciate that you gave their writing a chance.

All of Red Room's past blog challenge topics are here. Thanks as always for blogging!

–Huntington W. Sharp, Senior Editor, Red Room