Why do you publish authors for free?

“What’s in it for you?” was the question that a client recently posed to me as to why I provide free publishing services to aspiring authors. “I’m a capitalist” is my first answer and the second one is better explained by a story.

When I was writing my second book in the Triumph To Tragedy Series, I became in awe of the knowledge that my historian cousin possessed, I asked him the question as to how he had amassed such historical knowledge of colonial times. “I wrote a book on it,” was his answer.

After inquiring where I could purchase said book, he told me that it had never evolved from the state of a manuscript for over 10 years. I asked him to send me the manuscript, which he did, and within a few weeks a book with his name as the author was delivered to his home.

In speaking with him about his emotions after receipt of his first book, which all authors experience from getting their book published, his answer warmed my heart. It was similar to my experiencing a surge of endorphins after watching my grandchildren open their gifts on Christmas. I thought this is a feeling I wanted to experience over and over again.