Where to I start?

This, of course, is the first question any writer has. The road to publication is not an easy one and there is much blood-letting along the way. And in this market today, with the opportunities available in electronic publishing, the road to publication can be filled with your share of switchbacks.

It's easier than every to start up a publishing house online. The difficult part is maintaining, understanding the business logistics of running any business, responsibility to the authors with which one contracts as well as the reading public, and ultimately, burnout, because running a successful business is not easily accomplished by one person. Even on the Internet.

So, the first thing I would say in locating an e- or small-press publisher is-do your research. The tag of "I'm a published author" carries more weight if it is with an established, recognized publisher. So set your goals high and find out all you can about the publisher(s) you have targeted.

1. Pull together a list of possible publishers for your book. I would suggest that a good place to begin would be: http://www.epicauthors.com/links.html. An extensive list of epublishers can be found at this site.

2. Once you've decided on a short list of publishers that might be right for your book, take the time to research them thoroughly. Things to consider:

• Who are the owners? What is the type of business entity that forms the basis for this publishing house? Does the business have a strong foundation?

• How easy is it to navigate the site? How many typographical errors do you find throughout the site. It could be an indication of what type of editing your book will receive.

• How easy is it to find what you're looking for? Consider the guidelines they have posted for submissions. Again, how well written are those guidelines?

• What types of offerings do they provide? How many books are available? How many genres? How many electronic formats are available for the customer to choose from? What are the purchasing options for the customer? What secondary sales sites do they use?

• Take a moment to Google or use another search engine for the publisher name and see what people are saying about the publisher.

• Download a couple of the books to get a feel for style and thoroughness of editing. It will also give you an idea of how easy it is for customers to purchase from this publisher. Frustration on the part of the customer in purchasing and downloading can be a problem in future sales.

• Take a moment to make note of authors and contact several to ask questions about their experiences with the publisher. Simply asking on message boards or groups loops may not get you the answer you need. Few authors will post publicly about their experiences, particularly if they are bad. It's not good business practice. And remember, you need to talk to more than one author--one bad experience does not sour the whole barrel. Be certain to get a broad range of viewpoints before making a final decision.

• If there's a sample contract on the site, read through it. Look for any pitfalls, concerns, protections for you, the author.

• Be realistic. Publishers open and close their doors every day. Go into your search for a publisher with your eyes open, your knowledge broad, your determination firm. And a strong, well-edited, well-researched story to sell.

Once you've done your homework, now it's time to write that query letter.

Good luck!

Theresa Gallup, is published in romantic suspense and erotic romance. She writes under the pen names Tess Maynard and Adrianna Dane, and has more than sixty stories published with three publishers, Amber Quill Press, Phaze Books, and Loose Id. Find out more at www.adriannadane.com,