Helpful Writer Information

So, I've written this novel, and I think it's a pretty good story about family, domestic violence, and romance. I've been offered a publishing contract with a publishing company, but there is a fee. Everything I have read and heard from other people, companies, etc. have indicated that you should never be charged a fee to publish your work. They should be paying you.

In the Preditors and Editors website, http://pred-ed.com/pebw.htm, I found a helpful list of Book Publishers. In the entire alphabet, yes, A-Z, I only found 3 helpful websites, and only one was a publisher who is accepting unsolicited manuscripts... and only paper submissions. The other two were informational, basically. Good information, though.

I also read that you don't absolutely NEED an agent.

So, my question is this: How in the world do you get your book published? Many publishers are called "Vanity Presses," and many publishers are not recommended. I'm not interested in self-publishing, but is doing it on Amazon an option?

I'm not saying my novel is the best work of fiction in the world, that I think I am such a great writer that no one should reject me, or anything like that. What I am saying is this: domestic violence is a hot button topic in the world we live in, and it should be written about, if even in fictional form. I told myself that I would use the heartache and pain from that segment in my life to help other people, if at all possible. And that's what I want to do.

In all honesty, I'm really dealing with disappointment. I was hoping that it would happen!

I've always wanted to be a published author. And NOW is the time. I'm going to keep learning and growing, and I hope that one day, I can say it actually happened.