Local Publisher Opens Doors to New Authors

Chris Coad Taylor of Land O' Lakes has been in the writing world since 2002. She founded her company, JoHazel Publishing, in 2008, and first planned to publish only her own books.

Now the company has launched a contest, , to serve as a kick-off for other authors to join the company, Taylor said.

Patch checked in with Taylor to find out more about the contest, which requires a fee to participate, as well as what aspiring authors can expect from JoHazel Publishing. 

Patch: How long have you lived in Land O' Lakes? 14 years

Patch: What is your professional background? Sales mostly. I’ve worked as a floral designer and owned an interior accessory design company for around twenty years. I’m an active member of the Florida Writers Association and Mystery Writers of America. In 2008-09 I served on the board of Tampa Writers Alliance as secretary and as the president in 2010-11. As an artist, I maintain memberships in artistic groups and associations and exhibit my art and photography throughout Florida. My family history includes a long list of creative people. My mother was an artist, my great-grandfather a mason; there were watercolorists, award-winning photographers, and many others in my lineage.  A creative muse has followed me for years.
 

Patch: What made you decide to get into the self-publishing business? My nephew was in a life-threatening jet-skiing accident in 2002, which started my writing career and lead later to my decision to become a publisher. I first envisioned publishing only my own books. I had discovered that it could take years to get a traditional publisher.  Stephen King’s Carrie had been rejected a dozen times, John Grisham’s first novel was rejected twenty-five times, and Agatha Christie reportedly waited four years to get published.   Since I had the experience of owning a business, deciding to learn the publishing industry and become a publisher was a logical choice. After I realized the magnitude of the task to  learn the publishing industry, which was at a pivotal changing point with the advent of eBooks, I asked myself why not share what I had learned about publishing. So the decision to take on other authors.

Patch: Can you explain how your publishing business differs from a traditional publishing house?

My company is an ala carté service fee-paid publishing company. JoHazel Publishing does not pay royalties because the authors’ are independent business owners of their own books. We can assist them in the complete publishing process or we can do only one part of the process, like design a book cover or produce a promotional trailer. We provide choices for authors to make their dreams happen.

Patch: Do you feel that self-publishing is gaining more traction and credibility as technology has advanced and the resources of traditional publishers have dwindled in the current economy?

Traditional publishing is still strong; however, the companies have been condensed down to, more or less, a few top New York publishers. With eBooks and the ease of research available for authors, writing is not as daunting a task as it had been. More people are trying their hand at writing and discovering hidden talents. Self-publishing or the small independent publisher is a viable solution for the high demand of talented new authors. Of course, there will always be the unethical vanity presses that gouge hopeful naïve writers, therefore, today’s authors must learn their craft and do their homework when deciding how to publish. They must pick wisely.  
 

Patch: What would you say to an author who has a manuscript and is weighing the options between self-publishing and the often-lengthy process of submitting to traditional publishers?

There are pros and cons to all three camps, self-publishing/POD, using a small independent publisher, or traditional publisher. The author must look to what his or her needs are and ask what do they want to accomplish? Do they want to publish their story for family and friends? Or do they want to sell to the public? Are they willing to promote their book? Do they see their writing as a business?  Many will insist that there is only one right way to publish, but that is not true. Authors should ask the questions I discussed before choosing which avenue to take. Only they can answer which publisher is right for them. There are many choices.

Patch: Who does the cover design for books published through JoHazel?

 I am primarily the design department. With my lifelong background in art and design, it makes this a logical choice. However, being a talented artist helps but is not enough. I have the added knowledge of the industry. To explain the elements needed for a good book cover, I developed a concept that I call the Three I’s: A good cover must impress, involve, and influence. To design a book cover that will encourage a buyer to stop, look, and buy, it has to be more than just a pretty picture on the cover. A book cover designer must understand the book industry, have a working knowledge of marketing, know the proven elements that makes a good cover, understand the psychology behind color, negative space, and design layout. An author needs a cover that will encourage sales, which comes from a professional designer. I also have many independent associates in my data bank to call on for their expertise for cover designs.

Patch: Do you offer options for fully illustrated books?

Fully illustrated books usually come in to play for children’s’ books or the technical book with graphs and illustrations. At this time, our focus is not in these areas.

Patch: Do you provide assistance in marketing books once they are published through your company?

We do not have a publicist on staff. We seek the author who is independent and business-minded. We do not pay royalties, so the authors who comes to us owns their books just like any product that a businessperson would sell. They are free to hire a PR company, if they choose. We do offer event planning for book launch parties, author talks and signings assistance, and have writing and marketing assessment service that can help the author. How do authors get their books into the marketplace once they are printed? That is the hundred thousand dollar question. You can have your books on Amazon, publisher websites, and author webpages but without good old fashion face-to-face promotion, an author is just one small fish in the sea. We can help with everything; however, the author still is the best person to sell his or her book.


Patch: You have an open call for submissions right now. Can you tell us about that? Yes, the call for submissions is for our first contest called The Extraordinary Woman Next Door. The concept of the publication is an anthology of true stories about ordinary women who have shown courage and strength while dealing with tragedy, loss of loved ones, or just the heavy burdens of everyday life. Women that may not otherwise get the recognition that they so deserve. There will be a second phase of competition and a call to visual artists for original artwork of flowers. The publication will incorporate the winning artwork within the pages of this extraordinary book. Flowers have meanings and the art will represent the spirit of the women’s stories. Beautiful stories and beautiful pictures.

Patch: What does the $25 submission fee cover? The purpose of the $25 is not to make oodles of money. Its purpose is to filter out the wanna-bes from the serious authors and business-minded person.

Patch: How many submissions will be selected, on and what criteria will they be selected? We have a cap on the submissions; however, the selection depends on the quality of the submissions. Ideally, I would like to accept 12 stories into the collection but it could be as little as three or six.

The Extraordinary Woman Next Door contest entries will be accepted through Sept. 30.