Once upon a time, an author stood on the edge of a cliff with the future of her first novel stretched out before her, and no idea what to do next. Indie publishers began calling her, telling her that her work was a masterpiece and that they would be delighted to publish it for her. She did love her book, and so had the editor to whom she’d entrusted it, but she wondered how publishers could love it when they hadn’t read a word of the manuscript. She wrote magic, but this seemed a little odd. So she began to research the industry, and in her cyber-wanderings found a site called ALLi, the Alliance of Independent Authors. It vetted everyone in the industry, giving some a red flag rating and others a green light. And at the top of their list, lit up in green, was Dartfrog Books. I am that author. I took the plunge and let go the hand of my first work, and the next morning I received a call from the publisher himself, Gordon McClellan, telling me he’d given the manuscript to his editor and told her to read it overnight, and that they found it to be bookstore quality. That was the first step in a partnership that has now spanned seven years and six novels. Through Dartfrog I was able to participate in Book Con and an author evening at The Strand in New York City, as well as book clubs and other events showcasing my books. The staff are professional and eminently capable, and I have always felt secure in their care. Diving off a cliff isn’t so frightening if you have a parachute. Dartfrog is that parachute.