Journalist Turned Author Tries Self Publishing Twist

Mike Rodman, who has written for newspapers since 1975 including the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and the Northwest Arkansas Times, has launched a new Web site promoting his new fictionalized autobiography, “Beyond the Sea: A Life in Short Stories.” The book is a collection of 40 short stories that includes some characters based on people Rodman said he’s encountered in Northwest Arkansas.

The site, www.mikerodman.com takes a nonconventional approach to selling a general interest book by offering it author-direct over the Internet in four different forms: in hard cover ($25), soft cover ($15), e-book ($7) or even as individual story downloads at 99 cents each. Niche books are often marketed via trade shows and clubs, but general interest books typically rely on retailers.

The site offers the first story for free, and snippets from each chapter are available before purchase. Rodman said the goal was to self-publish and then self-sell the book without having to deal through book sellers and distributors that typically eat up 65 percent of sales, leaving a self-publisher barely enough to cover printing costs.

“If we’re successful with this, we may have a template for other first-time authors to market their books more profitably,” Rodman said. “These stories are about going through life and overcoming hardships, most of which in my case were self-imposed. I think Baby Boomers will relate.”

Seven-time New York Times best-selling author Tom Carter endorses the book on the Web site. York Design Group in Springfield, Mo., designed the site.