Publishing the Angry Way

by Debi Kennedy
(Madison, WI)

Self publishing, subsidy, or print on demand?

We self-published, which meant we needed to publish 5,000 copies so that we wouldn't lose money if we were selling in a bookstore. Now that self-publishing is more popular, I think I would print on demand.

What company did your printing?

A local company in Madison, WI

When my daughter was 20 months old she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. She had her first surgery the next day. Followed by much medical attention and more surgery. Ellie had what my sister described as, “rage”, this overwhelming amazing all-encompassing anger. Because my daughter has always adored books, I was compelled to write and illustrate, The Angry Monster book. This little book gave us a way to talk about her anger in a nonthreatening way.

Fast forward a few years. The book is completed and ready to go but has been waylaid by other more pressing matters. Namely, my daughter is undergoing chemotherapy and I am pregnant with my second child. I was so heartbroken when Ellie was undergoing chemotherapy that my husband decided to surprise me and self-publish it. He also set up a website for the book and handled the business side of things.

Eventually, I teamed up with 2 other local children's book writers and we did some booksignings (at a Fire Station, Children's Museum, and some local bookstores.)

Visit Debi's site, nJoy Books.