Free books? You must be crazy?!?

I've been self-publishing for exactly a year today.  I got the crazy idea from stumbling across the Amazon website, seeing all these unknown authors with their pretty covers and interesting plot summaries, and most importantly all those $$$ signs next to their book titles!  Wow, I thought, this is the answer!  I've always loved writing, it's come easily and naturally to me, so why do I need to be slaving at a day job if I can become a self-published author and get my share of that pie?

So I dived in.  I wrote my first novel, as an adult, over three months while working full time.  I ran it through a buddy for some quick editing, designed my own cover, studied the submission rules at Amazon, and then KAZAAM! Published and ready to sell!  Well...