Look at me, I'm a publisher!

Well, more of a publisher.

Before, my best-selling book (in the admittedly rather narrow "Greek philosophers: Plotinus" genre) had the Unlimited Publishing name and logo on the cover and title page.

Now it's just me, me, me -- in the guise of Adrasteia Publishing, which is tasty little me with an assumed business name sprinkled on top.

In the photo I'm holding a proof copy of the Adrasteia'ized "Return to the One" that arrived today from Create Space.

As I wrote about a few weeks ago, I decided to cut my ties with Unlimited Publishing, a print on demand publisher that looked attractive to me back in 2003 in part because UP didn't accept every book manuscript with a $500 check attached.

Five years later, things look different.

With Create Space I'll make more on each book sale through Amazon or wherever; I'll have more control over pricing and publishing; and I've already gotten the satisfaction of seeing "Adrasteia Publishing" become the sole name on the cover and copyright page.

Charles King of Cox-King Multimedia, my highly competent book designer, found a typeface with a cool looking "A" -- now I'm a publisher with a logo! (note the loopy connection with Return to the One)

So far I've been happy with how Create Space has treated me. Their web site's process for uploading book cover and interior files is clean and easy to understand.

This cartoon encapsulates the reason so many writers are choosing to go the publish-it-yourself route with Create Space and similar services even if they could hook up with a "real" book publisher.

Comments

[Tima Maria Lacoba]

I love the cartoon! is it yours? If so, can I possibly use it on my blog?

[Brian Hines]

I'm pretty sure the cartoon came from the New Yorker. SInce I'm not in jail for copyright infringement, you should be safe also. But if you do serve some time, I'll write you. Well, email you. Feel free to use the cartoon. If you dare.