Writer's Digest National Self-Published Book Award Interview

by Matthew Gollub © 2002

Note: Many parts of this interview were posted on www.independentpublishing.com, fall of 2002.

Q. The Jazz Fly won this award in the children's book category in a field of over 300 entries. You published this book yourself through your company, Tortuga Press. Can you briefly tell us what inspired the story?

A. First, I have travelled to many foreign countries where I had difficulty communicating with people around me. Second, when I look at young immigrants in this country, I remember how hard it was for me to learn Spanish and Japanese. Third, I was dismayed by California’s “English only” ballot proposition which sought to dismantle even successful bilingual programs at schools. So as a response to the “Unz Initiative,” as it was called, I created this character, this fly, who speaks a neutral language (“jazz scat”) but thrives when he becomes “multilingual,” i.e. when he learns to bark, oink, hee-haw, and rribit. For me, speaking more than one language has always been advantageous. So I set out to entertain and, in a subtle way, suggest to kids that learning to speak more than one language is pretty cool. I even dedicated the book to "children who have learned to speak a second language.”

Q. How did you finance publishing the book? Did you hold down a full-time job and stay up all night, secure grants, or just live off noodles?

A. I financed the book by giving author presentations at schools and conferences and by selling my other books. I also received a small loan from my mother. I developed the book and CD in separate stages. First, I recorded my performance of the story and sold it simply as a cassette. Once I sold around 500 copies, I’d covered the costs of the audio component. Audio production costs, though, were low to begin with because I performed the narration myself. I also played the drums, and I had musician friends contribute on bass, piano and sax.

Q. How did you market your book and attract the attention of Writer’s Digest?

A. Marketing the book is a topic for a looooong conversation. Briefly, though, I submitted it to major library reviewers (as a rule major newspapers won't look twice at small publishers). I marketed it to teachers through reading and librarian associations, submitted the book to various award committees. I also performed the story everywhere that I spoke, thereby selling quite a few copies direct to end customers. Finally, since the CD introduces jazz to young people, I sent the book to jazz radio stations and arranged interviews whenever I could.

Q. What does your book have that so many others don't? Please don’t be modest, I BEG you! We really need to know so we can learn from you. Was your book meticulously planned and executed? Or was it a work of art that simply came together?

A. I think what makes my book unique is the integration of all the parts: the storyline, musical narration, artwork and design. Very few children's books come with their own musical narrations. When they do, too often, the music is uninspired. The Jazz Fly just grabs everyone's attention, from toddlers, to adolescents, to teachers, to jazz buffs. The music sounds professional; my narration has character because I took chances with my voice and, in fact, had practiced it during many performances first. Aside from the CD, The Jazz Fly looks distinctive. The artist, Karen Hanke (a first time artist who directed herself), not only latched on to the story’s intent but added lots of her own tasty embellishments filling out the nightclub, the jazz bugs' costumes, the design of the CD, even the endpapers. She also convinced me to take the less travelled path of presenting all the insects and animal characters in black and white and using color sparingly in the sky or inside the jazz club. When School Library Journal declared that we’d given “the whole enterprise the look and feel of jazz,” I thought, “Yes! They got it!” The countless hours Karen and I spent pouring over the lay-outs, the interminable refinements she made drawing with her computer, and the high standards we demanded from the printer were all worth it.

Q. What are your plans now? Will you seek an independent publisher or a large traditional publisher? Will you pursue the vast possibilities of the Internet, or is Hollywood calling you?

A. I already AM an independent publisher. For the time being, I plan to continue with my own projects. I didn't decide to self-publish because I couldn't find a “real publisher.” I self-published to have greater equity and control. Given all the marketing and promotion authors must do anyway, I'm surprised more established writers don't choose this route. Catalog companies, wholesalers and specialty booksellers call me. Hollywood is yet to call, but one can always dream!

Q. Can you give a next year’s hopeful a word of advice?

A. Sure, be business-like in terms of production; make the content a labor of love. Try to say something uniquely you, something by which you'd like to be known, something on which to hang your hat. Treat your collaborators warmly and as wonderful human beings. They call this self-publishing, but no one does it alone. I feel so celebratory when a new book arrives from the printer that I immediately send out signed copies for my art director, print manager, typesetter, proof reader, sound engineer, warehouse manager, and their kids! Finally, and this is the hard part, market with all the energy you can muster. Only then can you cut through the mountains of books which are produced as “next projects.”