Former teacher and self-published author Ruth Cardello has landed on the New York Times bestseller list, sold more than 60,000 copies of her self-published romance novels and reportedly turned down a 7-figure book deal from a publishing house.

In an interview with GalleyCat contributor Jeff Rivera, Cardello (pictured, via) talked about why she said “no” to the book deal offer:

“All sorts of offers came in from places I never dreamt would be interested in my writing. Even though one of the offers was seven figures, I haven’t accepted any of them yet. So far self-publishing is the route that makes the most sense for me to continue on.”

What do you think? Follow this link to read the rest of Cardello’s interview.

Back in May, Sing You Home author Jodi Picoult gave an interview where she advised aspiring authors not to self-publish. She praised the marketing team afforded by brick-and-mortar publishers and praised Amanda Hocking for taking a 4-book deal with St. Martin’s Press.