Barbara DeMarco-Barrett is an author, writing instructor and coach, wife and mother, avid knitter, and a maker of beautiful jewelry. In her spare time she’s a tour de force on the O.C. writing scene, and hosts a “sold out” monthly salon called Speakers Series, where literary aficionados can rub shoulders with well known authors and agents. And if that weren’t enough, she also co-hosts a weekly radio show called Writers on Writing.
I was thrilled to be one of four authors Barbara interviewed on her first Writers on Writing show of the New Year at KUCI 88.9FM this past January 2nd. She had Mary Castillo, author of Lost In The Light, Charles Leister, author of Zaire’s Golden Babies, Sonia March, author of Freeways to Flip-Flops, and me, author of The Clock Of Life and Like The Flies On The Patio.
Barbara said she had been reluctant in the past to broach the subject of self-publishing. Happily, attitudes are changing and I applaud her for devoting the entire hour to highlight new alternatives to publishing without traveling the traditional road. With industry change and more recognition of self-published books, it’s time to have the conversation.
The hour went by too fast to delve deeply into all the aspects of our collective experiences, but we each touched on our journey to publication, be it paper or e-book. Some of the topics we discussed were:
The reasons behind our decisions to self publish.
The various companies (CreateSpace, Lightning Source, Smashwords, BookBaby, etc.) that are making it possible for independent authors to find their place at the table.
The freedom to take financial and artistic control, if that’s what is wanted.
The pros and cons of DIY or outsourcing cover design and formatting.
The struggles of getting the word out via social media, reviews, blog tours, book clubs, and book trailers.
You can download the podcast of the show here, and enjoy looking through the archives to hear many more interviews, like the awesome interview with Margaret Atwood.
Thanks again, Barbara