Once upon a time, a local man longed to be a published author, and today, nearly two decades and several rejection slips later, his first book is only a click away.
That author is Randy O’Brien, longtime news director for local public radio station WMOT-FM, and his first novel, “Judge Fogg,” was released in November by Seattle-based publisher Literary Road (literaryroad.com).
Acclaimed for its historical accuracy and heralded for “heartfelt characters and extraordinary plot twists,” the fictional “Judge Fogg” is the story of Charles Fogg, the first African-American criminal court judge in Nashville history, whose climb up the ladder of jurisprudence was anything but easy. For O’Brien, the ladder to getting someone to publish “Judge Fogg” was equally challenging?never mind that the novel is now cited as “sexy, provocative (and) controversial.”
If not for technological innovations and advances?namely, the World Wide Web?O’Brien concedes that he still might be waiting to become a published novelist. And O’Brien would know, because during the course of the book’s 17-year creation, from pen to publisher, the aspiring novelist and successful screenwriter learned a great deal about the book-publishing business. In O’Brien’s experience, New York City agents and editors fancied “Judge Fogg,” but they weren’t willing?or able?to take the financial risk to put the story in print for the masses.
A part-time member of MTSU’s electronic media communication faculty, O’Brien was able to get the “Judge Fogg” manuscript read by those at the big-time publishing agencies such as Viking Press, William Morris and International Creative Management and others, he said, but getting it read didn’t mean it would be published.
“They all said, ?Hey, this is good, this is great, we thoroughly enjoy it, but it’s not marketable. We can’t find anybody that’s willing to put $50,000 to $100,000 into putting this book out, so we just don’t feel like there’s a slot at the bookstore for it,’” he said.
Although O’Brien said he understands “that’s the way it works,” he still wasn’t ready to give up.
Renee Fitzgerald, founder and editor-in-chief of the online Literary Road publishing house, for one, is delighted O’Brien stayed the course.
“I’m not sure what I saw that other agents/editors didn’t,” Fitzgerald said, referring to O’Brien’s debut novel. “Those types of agencies are usually looking for specific types of stories, so maybe ?Judge Fogg’ didn’t fit their mold.
“There were several reasons I selected ?Judge Fogg,’” she explained, “The characters were very individual . . . and it has a solid plot with a realistic ending. A lot of books do odd twists and turns just to get a happy ending. “Judge Fogg” doesn’t have a happy ending. It has a realistic ending, where the characters find peace with themselves and others. Like real life, but more poignant.”
O’Brien said he’s thrilled “Judge Fogg” found a home with Literary Road, and now, readers at large. Because Literary Road is a small, primarily online publisher, Fitzgerald is able to take chances on new authors such as O’Brien.
“They’ve really done something revolutionary for the publishing business in that they can take a chance on something like my book, which is perceived as not being commercially viable,” O’Brien remarked.
Although his publishing house is based in Seattle, those who order O’Brien’s book online in its “print-on-demand” paperback version ($13.99 each), somewhat ironically, are doing business in the writer’s own backyard. In addition to readers having the option to purchase an online-only version of Judge Fogg to read in an Adobe pdf format, several of Literary Road’s titles, including O’Brien’s book, are available in paperback?and overnight?with a simple click of the computer mouse.
Thus, when a would-be customer opts to purchase a “print-on-demand” title from Literary Road, amazon.com or other sites, that order makes its way to Ingram Books in La Vergne, where it’s quickly published and shipped to the buyer.
“The print-on-demand process basically is a printer that only prints when there is an order,” Fitzgerald said.
As for whether he’ll be a twice-published author, O’Brien conceded he does have his sophomore manuscript under consideration with Literary Road and he’s hoping for the best. For more information, visit literaryroad.com.
