…was the question most often heard when I informed family and friends of my intention to launch my own publish on demand company.  It wasn’t the fact that I was launching another entrepreneurial venture.  My circle of influence was used to my need to create, launch and ultimately grow a venture in my own vision.  From a sports and entertainment concern to commercial real estate to a chain of laundromats, I had an incurable virus to create a business when I perceived a need wasn’t being met.  So the mere pronouncement of a “new” venture was in fact no shock to friends and family.  The shock only came later when I explained that our first author was publishing  a novel in the erotic fiction genre.

You can imagine the range of comments I received on that announcement. From the shock and awe to disgust and disapproval, few were without reactions and most were far from positive.

However, one person refused to judge the genre as so many others had before him.  Upon explaining to him my plan, he told me to hold on for a few minutes.  I could hear the keystrokes of his pc and I sat, waiting for another negative “review” of my proposed plan.  He came back on the phone and asked me if I had done any market research into this genre?  I said no, not yet.  Well, he then explained to me how many books are sold online each month in the erotic fiction genre and that my author’s book, if marketed properly, could really sell.  I knew at that moment I had found my partner in this venture.  With Rich’s expertise in marketing online for almost a decade and my knowledge of the publishing business, I knew we could create a company which could fulfill my vision.  That is vision is to be a publisher on demand truly dedicated to the needs and wants of the author.  To afford the author the chance to keep complete control of his or her work, while offering sage advice on cover layouts, typesetting and online marketing.  That vision became the mission statement for Atypical Publishing, LLC.