How many of you have traversed the unfriendly seas of self-publishing a book? I know I have. Being a published author is awesome! It gives you authority, credibility, etc. It can also give you some extra income, and in some cases – great income!

But it can also become a nightmare…

Book publishing used to be simple, but not anymore. Authors browsing the internet are unaware that a publisher is unnecessary and that hiring one can significantly reduce their income from book sales. Too many authors become victims of unscrupulous companies that abuse their trust, and some of the worst offenders are "Christian" publishing companies that deliberately target people of faith.

Just remember the warning Jesus gave us, “Beware of wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Amen!

That is the reason for our interview today with a woman who is out to change that narrative and actually HELP authors – Christian authors – to navigate those dangerous seas and arrive safely at the ultimate destination of having your own book, self-published, and maximize your earnings potential at the same time.

Michele DeFilippo is the owner of 1106 Design where she offers "assisted self-publishing." This service provides aspiring authors with the necessary services to create quality books and distribute them directly, without a publisher, to earn more money.

Folks, this is not a new idea. It's what indie publishing was meant to be before the message was buried in misinformation.

1106 Design is a one-stop source that has produced over four thousand books since 2001 and earned an outstanding industry reputation. With over 50 years of personal experience in publishing, Michele can highlight questions authors may not ask as they evaluate providers online.

Help me welcome to the program, Michele DeFilippo! Michele, thank you taking the time to join us today and talk about this important topic!

First question I always start with is this… other than that brief information I just shared, can you tell us in your own words, “Who is Michele DeFilippo?

What does the “1106” stand for?

You’ve been doing this kind of work a long time. How has publishing changed over the years?

When I published my “Marriage Ceremony Handbook” eight or more years ago, I searched on Google, etc. and was just overwhelmed at the number of self-publishing companies available back then… it must be even worse today, correct?

Your company kind of “fills the gap” between independent publishing and full service publishers, correct?

You use an example of Print on Demand and Self-Publishing – that references needing a medical procedure done and going to the library and checking out medical text book… can you share that example with us?

Can you share with us a little bit about the process you take prospective clients through when they work with you?

What is the number one mistake you see new authors make when it comes to getting their book published?

What about editing? To me, it was fairly easy to get the original manuscript finished… then it took me another year to edit it where I finally said, “Enough already” and hit print. Does your company offer help in editing?

Explain the “Full Service Project Management Team.” What is that, how does it work?

Let’s move into marketing… We have the book written… we now have it edited and ready to...