On Saturday, November 7, I attended the first Self-Publishing Book Expo at the Sheraton Hotel in New York City. Accompanying me was Martha Jewett, my coauthor on The Marshall Plan® Novel Writing Software. We gave out free copies of my book The Marshall Plan® for Novel Writing and demonstrated the software it’s based on. And we met a very talented group of people.

The show is the brainchild of publishing veterans Diane Mancher and Karen Mender. The exhibitors were an interesting mix of publishers catering to the new wave of self-publishing authors (for example, Lulu.com and Smashwords.com), and self-published authors themselves, displaying their books (see below). There were also a number of excellent panels on virtually all aspects of self-publishing.

This show is part of the incredible growth self-publishing is currently undergoing. As an agent I find this especially fascinating. I sell my clients’ books to the major New York publishers who, due to the state of the economy, must adhere more closely than ever to the sure thing. But self-publishing is where edgy new talent and trends appear, where a blend of genres that seems odd today may be the traditional publishers’ sure thing of tomorrow. Indeed, again and again do we hear about self-published books that the majors “pick up.”

The rapid growth of self-publishing is due in large part to the popularity of e-books that can be read on a large variety of commercial reading devices. Because e-publishing is a whole new area in which interesting new ideas and talent are emerging (not to mention where a lot of money is being made), it makes sense that Harlequin, the world’s largest publishers of romance, this week announced the creation of a “digital-only” division called Carina Press. Hired to help run it is Angela James, who comes from Samhain Publishing, a leading “digital-first” publisher. Learn more about Carina and get submission guidelines at carinapress.com.

But back to the show, as they say. Here are four of the many talented authors who displayed their books at the show:

Lisette Brodey, Squalor, New Mexico (Saberlee Books), a coming of age story shrouded in family mystery. www.lisettebrodey.com

Jean Naggar, Sipping from the Nile: My Exodus from Egypt (Stony Creek Press), a memoir by a leading literary agent. www.sippingfromthenile.com

Ayme Butavia, Henry’s Law, “A Novel of Good Exacting Evil” (iUniverse) by a former New York State Trooper. www.aymebutavia.com

E. L. Jefferson, What Do You Fear? Book 1 (Rosedog Books), graphic horror stories by a law enforcement officer who’s seen it all. www.eljefferson.net