- April 18, 2024
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It can happen any time: While sweeping the floor, at home with the kids, at a party. Becky Pourchot often has a moment when she wonders, “What if?”, and once it happens, she can think of little else.
Of course, she can finish sweeping, put the kids to bed and keep making small talk at the party, but that question is still there, claiming at least part of her attention at all times.
Pourchot sat in a coffee shop Friday explaining this phenomenon to her companions — Armand Rosamilia and Tim Baker — but they needed little explanation. They nodded and interjected, because they knew what she meant. They do the same thing, think the same way. They’re writers, too.
All three of them have published books, and all of them are indie authors: They self-publish and self-promote their work rather than work through a publishing house. They work with a team of freelance editors and cover designers to create a final product, print it and then sell it online and in local bookstores.
Their publishing method is perhaps their greatest strength, but it’s also their biggest roadblock.
“The biggest difference between indie and traditional publishing is the personal connection, and (Rosamilia and Baker) have it figured out,” Pourchot said. “Maybe that’s where the power is in it. It’s more real.”
The indie authors promote their books themselves, whether they do it by building relationships with fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter, by visiting the bookstore down the street, where the owner will introduce them as local authors, or by hosting signings at bars or in schools. They interact with their readers. They know them. And their readers in turn become loyal and buy new releases before passing them along to their friends.
But there’s an underside to that.
“One of the drawbacks of the independent publishing world,” Baker said, “is anybody — anybody — can publish a book.”
“Exactly,” Pourchot said. “One of my biggest challenges is figuring out how to convince people I’m more than that.”
That’s where promotion comes in. The longer authors stay at it, the bigger their fan base. Soon, readers come to trust work from authors they know — because they really know the indie authors.
A woman on her way out of the coffee shop stopped on her way out, looking at Baker.
“You look familiar,” she said. “Do I know you?”
“Tim Baker,” he replied, handing her one of the bookmarks he keeps tucked in his front pocket at all times. They have his picture on them, as well as the names of his books. He gives them to people he meets, displays them in local businesses and tucks them between pages of books. It’s another way spread his name.
For all three of the authors, the recognition is nice, and so are the royalty checks — even if they don’t always amount to much. Baker’s first royalty check was written for $2.04. It’s laminated and hanging on his wall.
Rosamilia said that the checks build in value and frequency the longer authors publish. Each new book he releases sells better than the one before it did, and new releases often spur sales of old titles as well. Plus, he’ll receive an $8 check here and there for short stories published years ago in anthologies. He now makes enough to support himself as a full-time writer.
But take that all away, and Rosamilia would still write. So would Baker. And so would Pourchot. Because it’s not just a job, or a hobby, or a leisure activity. It’s what they do.
“You’re either writing or thinking about writing,” Rosamilia said. “That’s just the way it is.”
Meet the authors
TIM BAKER has published six books, which he describes as crime stories or thrillers. They are available in local bookstores, on Amazon and other websites and for e-readers. His next book is due out in several months.
“When you find that thing you love to do so much you can’t imagine not doing it, you pursue that,” Baker said.
When he writes, Baker gets to know his characters and watches as they react to different circumstances.
“I don’t always know where things are going,” Baker said. “I let the characters drive the story.”
BECKY POURCHOT has published two books. The first, a humor memoir about her childhood is called “I Look Better in Binary.” The second, “Food for Hungry Ghosts,” is a young adult paranormal novel that contains humor and romance.
Pourchout has two books coming out in April: a sequel to her young adult novel and “Forgive Me, Martha,” a humorous book of confessions to Martha Stewart.
ARMAND ROSAMILIA has more than 60 titles available on Amazon, from short stories to novels. He’s known for his zombie books, especially the “Dying Days” series — an idea that came when he was driving down State Road A1A at sunset. He thought first of how beautiful the beach was, and then wondered what it would be like to see zombies emerging from the surf.
Rosamilia starts writing at 8 a.m. at Java Joint. He’s such a regular there that if he’s ever running late, the staff saves him a table. “You have to make time for writing, no matter what,” he said.
