Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Starting ones own publishing company - while being a Flight Attendant

OK, I'm trying to get this little publishing company out of the sky. I mean it took off all right, almost right out of my hand, like a kite, is what I mean, and I'm just trying to hang on to the string, and make sure the kite doesn't get into some highwires and freak everybody out, especially me. And my family. (The company is www.underdogpublishing.com and the only thing we've got out now, to buy, is this little book called Mary McCowski was not a Pretty Girl. ) You can read a bit at my website, www.marshamarks.com when you click on read excerpts. But, here's the problem. The book started selling hundreds of copies the first few days it was introduced to it's first retail store, and then we got the word out about the big sales (by writing a press release about it's great sales. We used www.publishersandagents.net they have a new service that sends out Press Releases to editors of newspapers and such.) And HEEEEELLLLLOOOOOO we were swamped with results. I've got requests to do interviews from big magazines, and little magazines, and New York Talk shows, and TV shows in Denver and SFO and ...it's just me. When I say just me, I mean, I'm the President; Author; Head of Marketing; Publicity Coordinator; Copy Editor; Art Director; Mail Room Clerk; Secretary; Lunchroom Manager; Office Manager; Billing Clerk; Secretary; Receptionist; Copy girl; and etc. YES, I use the word WE a lot, but by that I mean, I mean, my husband, who works full time on another job. My 9 year old who goes to school. Our Cat. And one manager, who has - a lot of other people to manage. Of course there is my Speakers Bureau, but they are not a Publicity Company...they book speakers...like me. So I'm fielding interviews, and trying to get our second book to the Printing company and approving final text, and mailing amazon.com orders. And everything. All I'm saying is you don't expect to have problems with success. You just don't expect that. But, then you do. That's all I'm saying. You don't have to feel sorry for me, unless you've ever been a small business owner. Then, I will accept your empathy! Gladly.

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