Hello, Anya. I don't think believing in your dreams is cheesy; I think it's everything!
Good for you for self-publishing seven books! Wow. That's awesome.
The thing that appealed to me with Scout was the advance. I'm going to be honest. But...I am totally prepared for rejection. I have heard "no" a lot. But even if it is rejected, I'll still have my first cozy mystery completed, and if people like it, maybe it will turn into a series. I sure hope so. I also like Kindle Scout because unlike the small press I signed a contract with, Scout doesn't demand first right of refusal on sequels. So, if my first mystery is accepted and does okay, I can self publish the next one. The e-book royalty of 50% is higher too than the small press I currently have a contract with. Also, I like working with an artist to design the cover art. Who knows the book better than the author?!? Sheesh. So, those things appealed to me.
And once my book is accepted and waiting for nominations, I plan on writing another book in a different genre. I hope I won't watch the Kindle Scout page with fear and trepidation. Okay. I probably will. But meanwhile, I'll be writing my first historical romance.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with Kindle Scout.