Self-Published Author Series – Interview with Beth Conway

As part of our self-published author interview-series, today, we talk to Beth Conway, author of the children’s book, “Rachel and the Magic Beads,” available on jexbo at http://www.jexbo.com/items/94.

Here’s what Beth had to say about self-publishing:

Tell us about your self-published book.

My book is called "Rachel and the Magic Beads." It is a story based on a real girl by the name of Rachel who has a condition called Down Syndrome. I wrote the story with Rachel's brother, Johnny Buchanan. It is a story of Rachel feeling sad when her parents go away on a trip without her. They return with a present of "magic beads."

Every book comes with a set of "magic beads," and a proceed of our book is donated to The Belle Center in Chicago that supports children with disabilities & their families.

Why did you decide to self-publish?

My illustrator, Virginia Bosak, and I found wonderful graphic designers by the name of Karen McDiarmid and Greg Dunn who pointed us in the direction of Friesens, a self published company in Canada. We wanted to be able to sell our books at a reasonable price, and if you publish with a big company, they take a portion of the proceeds.

What was your biggest challenge to overcome in self-publishing your book?

Finding a good company you can trust that is not too expensive.

What has been the best part about self-publishing your book?

Being able to be in charge and set your own price.

What advice do you have for other potential writers and self-published authors?

To make sure that you do your homework prior to publishing. I also feel that it is important to work with a graphic designer who knows how to publish.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

If you would like your book to be placed in libraries, you want to make sure that it is bonded with the name and authors name on the bonded end, so that it is library ready. That is a huge accomplishment to be placed in a library!

Thanks for your insights Beth!

Do you have questions about marketing your self-published book and selling books online? Please contact us here or at www.jexbo.com. I’d love to hear from you!