"And They're Off!"

Originally posted on Cereal Authors

When beautiful racehorses leave the gate, the commentator usually says, “And they’re off!” That’s how I believe we're feeling at Rising Phoenix Press, so when I was asked to post about our recent LLC, "They're off," came to mind. 

I typically tackle things in my life ninety to nothing. Don’t believe me? Ask my family, friends, and those closest to me. An idea becomes a goal, a goal becomes a plan, and a plan put into motion will either work or it won’t, but it certainly won’t be from lack of effort.

I have written for as long as I can remember; writer, of course, author, what? Yet an author is now part of my job description. I was with a small publisher for a few years, and I learned a lot; the good, bad, and the ugly side of this industry that I’m now involved in. After conversing with other authors regarding,  “Wouldn’t it be great if and wouldn’t it be great to do it our way,” one thing led to another, and guess what, we just did!

It started with a simple conversation about forming a label. That turned into an idea about forming a company. Isn’t that how most plans come about, small talk over coffee? But then we purposely took it a step a further. We took a leap of faith in each other’s abilities. What we each had to offer and bring to the table per say, believing ultimately that our plan would actually work. With any idea, if it is to be successful, one has to have a concise idea of how to obtain the end result that one has in mind. Without question, it’s safe to say I, we, do have that and have put the entire thing in motion.

Different doesn’t begin to describe what we’re doing. It’s quite frankly unheard of. “Start a publishing company, owned and operated by authors and illustrators, for authors and illustrators.” Find artists that compliment our goals, authors and illustrators that cross sell and promote their work as much as we do.  Our service? Simple, publish their work using the system that we do, add them to our list, allow them to keep all of their royalties. I know. “What did you just say?” That’s right.  “Allow the author to keep all of their royalties less the production cost of their book.”  We are after all writers/authors/illustrators; we know how hard we work. We know our voice is our own, why would we take somebody else’s?

We’ve thought about it a lot, and we have much to offer: experience, contacts, understanding and, above all, an appreciation for the work that we produce. The good of what we’re going to accomplish over the long haul, I’m not sure money can buy: artists promoting and appreciating artists. Tell us it took a year to write that piece that nearly killed you and we'll believe you. We understand everything you went through with the rewrites, revisions, and, not to mention, the frustration of making it all work. We also know that actually parting with the final piece is often bitter sweet, and we want the author to keep every royalty that piece could potentially bring.

As of October the 18^th we hope to promote and accomplish what we believe a progressive publisher should. We’re excited; we’re ready and we’re able! Check us out. “And they’re off!”  www.risingphoenixpress.net

By Amanda M. Thrasher
Author of The Mischief Series & The Ghost of Whispering Willow
www.amandamthrasher.com