Self-Publishing Success Story~Darcie Chan

Environmental legislation lawyer Darcie Chan has sold more than 400,000 copies of her indie debut novel, The Mill River Recluse. It is described as, "a story of triumph over tragedy, one that reminds us of the value of friendship and the ability of love to come from the most unexpected of places."


Darcie tried the traditional route and after rejection from a dozen publishers and over 100 literary agents, she turned to eBook publishing. But she didn't just sit back and hope it sold well, she worked hard and paid attention to the market. When she saw that others had success selling at .99 cents she dropped her novel to that price, and her sales immediately started to pick up.

But Darcie didn't stop there. She invested in smart marketing and got the attention a new author so desperately needs by hard work and careful planning. Here is bit about The Mill River Recluse:

Disfigured by the blow of an abusive husband, and suffering her entire life with severe social anxiety disorder, the widow Mary McAllister spends almost sixty years secluded in a white marble mansion overlooking the town of Mill River, Vermont. Her links to the outside world are few: the mail, the media, an elderly priest with a guilty habit of pilfering spoons, and a bedroom window with a view of the town below.

Most longtime residents of Mill River consider the marble house and its occupant peculiar, though insignificant, fixtures. An arsonist, a covetous nurse, and the endearing village idiot are among the few who have ever seen Mary. Newcomers to Mill River--a police officer and his daughter and a new fourth grade teacher--are also curious about the reclusive old woman. But only Father Michael O'Brien knows Mary and the secret she keeps--one that, once revealed, will change all of their lives forever.