All fair! But if there’s one thing I’ve learned about the publishing end of self-publishing, it’s that recognition comes with a cost. And yes, I talked to other people about all of this to make sure paying for awards (and reviews, and getting your book featured in a list of featured books) wasn’t a cash grab. This is how the business works, for better or worse.

I’d assume major publishers pay to submit their books for awards as well. I wonder if they also pay Kirkus, etc. to have their books reviewed. I’d love to talk to someone about this because I think it would be a FASCINATING conversation…