People sometimes ask why I chose the self-publishing route. For me, it came down to fit. For what I'm trying to do, self-publishing was the better path—and it wasn't close.
Creative Outlet
First, I wanted a creative outlet. I was an English major and always thought I’d write novels. I had to wait until retirement, but I finally got there.
The motivation is mostly internal. I’m writing for the joy of it—for the craft, for the challenge, for the chance to get lost in the work and see what I can do. To learn something about myself, and about a new craft.
Given that, I didn’t really want someone else setting the pace or shaping the work. I wanted to follow the thread wherever it led. I used to get that in the woodshop. Harder to do that on the Cape with my shop up in the suburbs. Writing’s taken over.
Authorpreneurship
I am also drawn to the entrepreneurial side of the project. I’ve spent nearly twenty years working with entrepreneurs, co-founded a software company and had a front-row seat to the process of building something from scratch.
I’ve always liked that kind of work. There’s something deeply satisfying about creating your own thing and seeing what it becomes. This felt like a natural extension of that.
Contribution
I also wanted to contribute something—entertaining, but ultimately uplifting.
These are unsettled times. I find myself turning to fiction as a refuge when the world feels a little off balance. I wanted to put stories out there that might do the same for someone else.
Stories about an uncommonly decent, ordinary man who is simply trying to do the right thing. Stories that entertain, but also leave you feeling just a little better about people.
And, given it’s me, with a bit of laughter along the way.
Connection
Finally, I wanted to build a small community. Not anything grand—just a group of people who enjoy the books, the characters, and the world they live in.
People who show up to a reading, or a book club, or an event. Who ask questions, share reactions, and make the experience feel a little more alive on both sides of the page.
Something along the lines of Kevin Kelly’s “1,000 True Fans.” If you’re a creator of any kind, it’s worth a read.
So in the end, it was pretty simple. I wanted to move at my own pace, make my own decisions, and stay close to both the creative and entrepreneurial sides of the work.
This was one of those moments where charting my own course felt exactly right.
A word to anyone considering this path: find yourself a good guide. Mine was Bublish—a team that knows the landscape, helps you navigate the pitfalls, and makes sure the finished product looks as professional as anything on a bookstore shelf. They even introduced me to the term authorpreneurship. I couldn't have done it as well without them—they made all the difference for me as I went my own way.
And yes—I'm thinking of the Robert Frost poem too.
If you are interested in ordering The Washashore you can find it at—or order it from— these local bookstores: Wellesley Books (Wellesley, MA), The Bookshop of Needham (Needham, MA), Provincetown Bookshop (Provincetown, MA) and Elm Street Books (New Canaan, CT)
Or if you want the convenience and speed of online, but still want to support local bookstores, grab The Washashore through Bookshop.org
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