THE Kindle was one of the most popular gifts this Christmas, selling more than twice as many this year compared to the same period in 2010.

Now, with Amazon offering anyone the opportunity to write and self-publish their work, and with tens of thousands of authors seizing the chance, the Chronicle met up with some Essex authors to find out why they have followed this route.

Sheila Norton, from Galleywood, released her latest novel, Sophie Being Single, just after Christmas.

The 62-year-old has previously had eight novels published and promoted by a company but this time round Sheila has turned to self-publishing on Amazon.

She said: "I decided to do it mainly because of the state of publishing nowadays. Obviously the economy makes it very difficult to be taken on.

"I don't feel a sense of failure because I hear the same story over and over.

"Unless you're already a big name or a celebrity, you don't stand a chance."

For Sheila, who does not rely on writing to make a living, the main issue is cost. She said: "The idea of self-publishing has always been at the back of my mind.

"The biggest advantage of it is that it costs next to nothing to do. The only cost I have incurred is that I have paid for an image."

Sheila, who used the alias of Olivia Ryan for her previous "chick-lit" novels, returned to her own name this time round.

She said: "I think that more people know me as Sheila and online I think it's best to have my real name."

With the self-published online market, it's all about getting your name known.

Sheila said: "The only thing about not having a publisher is that it's difficult to reach a wider audience.

"I think most people would agree that they can do so much more in terms of marketing."

And does Sheila worry about the wave of unpublished authors also flooding the market?

"Someone said to me, 'the biggest advantage is that anyone can do it and the biggest disadvantage is that anyone can do it.'

"It's nice that Amazon has provided me with the ability to do this myself."

Sophie Being Single

STICKING to the chick-lit genre, Sophie Being Single is about Sophie Jennings, 34, who is still single, despite all of her friends getting married and settling down.

Owning her own business, which specialises in wedding hair and make-up, Sophie becomes an agony aunt for all brides-to-be.

While her married friends think she's weird and her family think she's selfish, hearing about so many horrible husbands, she is convinced she's definitely best off being single.

It costs £2.05 on www.amazon.co.uk

Novelist has finally warmed to the eBook

JOHN Holt, 68, an author from Witham, paid New York publishing firm Raider to publish his first four books, and has now found a publisher for his fifth volume.

John acknowledges that, just because a book has a publisher, it doesn't mean that quality can be guaranteed.

He said: "I have learned that because you pay them, they will publish anything."

His latest novel, A Killing in the City, is being published by Night publishers and will be on Amazon in the next few weeks.

It is a concept that John wasn't very happy with at first. He said: "I was very anti-eBooks but they have since persuaded me that eBooks are the thing to do and they are bringing all of their books out online." Now John has a Kindle, he's warmed to the concept.

He said: "There are so many books out there I just couldn't afford to buy all of the books I'd like to. This makes them more accessible."

With 20,000 books a week coming out online, it is difficult for any author to get their name noticed.

John added: "How can we compete? I'm currently working on four novels. I don't quite know how Charles Dickens did it."

A Killing In The City

TO MAKE a killing in the city is a phrase often used within the financial world to indicate making a large profit on investments, or through dealings on the stock market – the bigger the profit, the bigger the killing.

However, Tom Kendall, a private detective on holiday in London, has a different kind of killing in mind when he hears about the death of one of his fellow passengers who travelled with him on the plane from Miami.

Apparently it was suicide.

Kendall immediately offers his help to Scotland Yard but he is shocked when he is told that his services will not be required.

This is the fourth story to feature Tom Kendall and his ever-loyal secretary, Mollie, who assists him in his fight against crime.

To be released on Amazon for free.

'Self-publishing has opened doors for my writing'

PETER Jones, from Springfield, believes the self-publishing route has vastly benefited his career.

The 43-year-old author of How To Do Everything And Be Happy, was inspired to write the book after his wife, Kate, suddenly died five years ago after a brain haemorrhage.

He said: "I like to think she would be proud of me. Before she died we spent a lot of time trying to earn money doing various different things – at one point we sold cat jewellery online – but she kept saying that the future is eBooks."

The self-publishing label does, however, sometimes have a negative connotation.

Peter recalled a time in the past when a journalist called him up and, when he discovered Peter was self-published, quickly ended the conversation.

"I think what's happening is the tide is turning and that the stigma to self-publishing is beginning to change – but we're not quite there."

In December alone, Peter sold 1,500 copies of his eBook, bringing his total sales figure to more than 5,000, and he also topped the Amazon self-help book charts.

The 43-year-old is now in discussion with a publisher to get the paperback version of the book printed.

He said: "What self-publishing has done for me is open doors which previously may have been closed."

Peter has recently started doing his own workshops on How to Be Happy and is looking forward to the future of eBooks.

"I'm not worried about people being able to put any old rubbish online because Amazon has a very strong ratings system. If a book is rubbish and poorly edited, readers will make sure that this is known.

"With eBooks, you've got a proven track record from online sales. I can see a time when agents and publishers don't want scripts sent to them but will instead trawl the internet for eBook authors.

"Kindle is redefining everything."

How To Do Everything And Be Happy

A WITTY book that is stuffed full of ways to make your life just that bit happier.

"I wasn't 100 per cent happy all the time and I thought, this has got to change'," Peter said.

"I started to come up with some interesting – some might say wacky – ways of making myself happy. My friends said I ought to write them down."

Chapter One begins: "Once upon a time I got sold a dream: I would grow up – big and strong – marry a blonde (my mother was convinced of this), father children, and live happily ever after in a big house, whilst I held down a job as an astronaut. Or a train driver. Or a fireman. And this wasn't a 'maybe' – something to aspire to – this was my God given right. This is what was going to happen. All I had to do was wait. Not that I was very good at waiting."

How To Do Everything And Be Happy costs £1.99 on Amazon.

Nothing beats that 'real' book aroma

ELIZABETH Lord, who at the age of 83 has recently published her 22nd novel and the first in eBook format, is well known across the county for her novels.

After a disagreement with her publisher about her age and, as a result, her fees, Elizabeth decided to take the plunge and publish The Chandelier Ballroom herself.

She said: "My son came up with the idea last year. I said, 'well I want to put my next book as an eBook'."

Having just become a great-grandmother, the technical aspect of online self-publishing is one thing that she struggles with.

Elizabeth said: "I haven't a clue how to do it, I have left it all to my son.

" I leave all of the technical things to him."

But regardless of her lack of computer knowledge, Elizabeth believes that the feeling and aroma of a "real" book cannot be beaten.

"There's the satisfaction you get from handling a book, especially when it's your own. The physical book is still my first love."

With the online edition, Elizabeth, of Billericay, is looking forward to receiving feedback.

She said: "I'm looking for people to hopefully to read it and to give me a review."

The Chandelier Ballroom

WATCHING a programme about the original Chandelier Ballroom, a spectacular cave in New Mexico, Elizabeth took inspiration from the name and started to write from there.

This time writing about an historic property, Elizabeth centred the story around this magnificent chandelier, which is shrouded in mystery after a young woman died when she lost her entire fortune in the Wall Street crash of 1929.

Each of the previous owners has ended up dying in tragic consequences but will Race Butterfield, the latest owner, survive?

£2.58 on Amazon