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Author Fiona West, recently profiled in an indie success feature in Publishers Weekly, has made PW history: her novel, The Ex-Princess, has been selected as one of PW’s Best Books of 2019, making it the first-ever self-published novel to be included in the annual roundup. The book, a fantasy romance, features coffee-loving protagonist Princess Abelia Olivia Jayne Venenza Ribaldi Porchenzii, who has renounced matriarchal Brevspor’s throne in favor of an ordinary life working in the field of waste reclamation. When she learns that she is still under contract to marry Prince Edward of Orangiers in order to protect Brevspor from being overthrown, she agrees. Adding to the complicated circumstances, Edward is in love with her.  PW’s review praised the book, calling it “a vibrant, voraciously readable adventure whose technocratic fantasy world is grounded by a generous understanding of everyday limitations and love.”

West is “thrilled to be counted as a romance stand-out with such accomplished artists.” “Thank you for honoring a diverse book like mine!” she adds.The Ex-Princess is the first of The Borderline Chronicles series. The second book, The Un-Queen, catches up with Edward and Abby in the days leading up to their marriage. Earlier this fall, West released the third and fourth books, The Almost-Widow and The Jinxed Journalist, which are tangentially connected to the Edward and Abby universe, but introduce new central characters.

West is currently working on the last book in the series, The Semi-Royal, and preparing to launch a contemporary medical romance series called Timber Falls. With West’s recent accolades, readers might expect her to be aiming for a book contract, but she sees no reason to rush to a traditional publishing path. “I’m very happy as an indie-published author,” she says. “I love the creative control, the freedom to ‘just be a mom’ when I want to, and setting my own goals for my business.”