Announcing ... Trifecta Books!

I'm very excited to make the formal announcement that I have started up my own publishing company, Trifecta Books!

Why Trifecta Books?

The publishing industry has changed drastically over the last ten years, with the largest portion of that change taking place in the last five. More readers than ever are abandoning their desire to read print books and are instead purchasing e-books by the droves. E-books are popular because they are less expensive, can be obtained instantly, and don’t take up space in the reader’s home. For the price of one print book, a reader can buy three or four e-books, and thousands of books can be stored in a device smaller than one novel.

In addition, authors are finding traditional publishing to be a dinosaur. Publishing houses are still offering the royalty rates of years gone by and insisting on contracts that are blatantly unfair to the author. They have forgotten that without the author, they have no business to run. Consequently, more and more authors are choosing to self-publish, and that does work out well for many of them. However, the majority never achieve the success they seek, and they struggle to obtain good editing, eye-catching covers, and proper marketing.

Trifecta Books, LLC has been established upon the premise that publishing should be a partnership between the author and the publisher. Each should have a say in the outcome of the final product. Each should reap the rewards of the hard work that has gone into the production. Each should feel as though the relationship is mutually beneficial, and if a time comes when that relationship ceases to benefit both parties, the contract should be easy to dissolve.

The goal of Trifecta is to merge the benefits of self-publishing and the advantages of traditional publishing into one cohesive unit. Trifecta offers competitive royalty rates, quality cover design, meticulous editing, and targeted marketing techniques to help bring the book to the attention of a nationwide audience. Although the main focus is on e-books and online marketing, which is the way the majority of readers shop, we haven’t lost sight of those readers who still prefer to hold a paper book in their hands, and will provide print runs as well. In this way, the authors can feel as though they are reaping the benefits of both worlds. They would have made more money per unit had they self-published, but with the backing of a publishing house, their chances of selling more copies and thereby making more money are increased. 

A Disturbing Trend

There seems to be a downward spiral in the quality of content and editing in the books being published today, especially those written for the young adult market. It is becoming more and more difficult for teenage readers to find material that entertains and yet edifies at the same time. Sadly, these themes are trickling down to younger readers as well, sometimes introducing them to content they weren’t ready for. 

                             

Vision

The idea for Trifecta Books came about as I contemplated many facets of concern in the publishing industry, some of which were stated above but bear repeating here.

·      Authors are often treated unfairly, either through imbalanced distribution of profit or through unrealistic contractual obligations. Without the author, the publisher has no business, and yet many publishers do not recognize this symbiotic dependency. There are, of course, exceptions, and many fine publishing houses strive to be balanced in their contracts. 

·        Many publishers have turned away from a focus on quality editing and superior content and instead are riding the waves of fashion and fad, often sacrificing story for sensationalism. Again, there are exceptions. 

·    Many authors feel that there is no point in striving for excellence because it won’t be appreciated, and so they have allowed themselves to stop seeking to hone their craft and instead are seeking ways to make a splash to get a publisher’s attention. Some of the authors who do seek to improve themselves can feel as though that effort is wasted. 

·      The moral content of the novels currently available is declining at the same rate we see the moral tenor of the world declining. Our teenagers are reading about darkness and extolling it as light. They are excusing acts of immoral behavior as being normal. Their understanding of terms like “integrity” and “honor” are being skewed by the lack of positive role models in their media. 

The vision for Trifecta is simple—a publishing company that seeks out the best in young adult literature, edits it well, and presents it beautifully. We need more clean young adult literature on the market. As the company grows, we will add other arms addressing the needs of the LDS market, children’s books, middle-grade books, and so forth. But because the need is so great for the youth at this time, that is where Trifecta will begin.

Trifecta Books has already established a relationship with Brigham Distribution, the second-largest distributor in the state of Utah. Brigham has agreed to carry Trifecta Books’ products and represent them to bookstores locally as well as nationwide. This includes, but is not limited to, Costco, Walmart, Barnes and Noble, and independent bookstores everywhere. E-books will be handled by Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com. 

My publishing schedule is full and I'm not accepting submissions at this time, but I will be soon. If you'd like to learn more about Trifecta, please visit the website.