What made you want to start a publishing company?

I have got to meet so many amazing authors over the course of my career. I thought it would be criminal if I knew these people, knew how amazing their books were, knew how to publish and didn't do it. It would be unthinkable! As for why a digital company of audiobooks and ebooks, instead of print, that is very purposeful. I think books are incredibly important across all formats. The words we create and leave behind, are pieces of our souls. So, to witness the death of an author's catalog by it being long out of print - and not digitized - is to witness a kind of true death. I think it’s important for libraries in our world to live on into the digital age and I can think of no greater mission than to make that a reality.

What stands Encyclopocalypse out from the rest of the digital publishers?

First and foremost - TALENT. I have been fortunate enough to meet some really amazing people in my life who have written books that I adore. So, if you look at our lineup, it’s really a reflection of those relationships which mean something to me. The connections I’ve made in a town and industry where real connections are almost impossible to come by.
It was important to me to rally together a like-minded group of creative souls and that dovetails right into part two of what sets Encyclopocalypse apart. Which is the reason I am able to work with all of these incredibly gifted and passionate people, and where I create a truly safe place for their work to live on. I do all the heavy lifting and at the end of the month I write the checks.
My authors get full approval on everything. Their intellectual property is protected. Every title is a passion project for me and I come to the table as a writer who has been mistreated - knowing how I would have liked to have been treated.

Do you have any advice for any narrators out there?

Applying that sort of golden rule mentality has worked very well. Our authors are happy. Our authors make money. And if there’s ever a point where they run out. The chickens are free to go. Because that’s the way it should be. Nobody should be locked in a relationship business or otherwise that makes them unhappy.

What is your proudest moment so far?

Literally every time one of our books get published is my proudest moment. I’m working with my friends. I’m working with people I admire. I’m working with my heroes. Every project I take on comes to fruition. And every day I look forward to sitting down in front of my editing desk and getting to spend time in these amazing worlds. The only thing I love more than finishing a book is starting a new one!

What is the process of getting a book to a releasable product?

It’s a heck of a process. Of course you have to license the title. If you know the author, that’s very helpful. If you don’t, it can be quite an ordeal to track down the rights, negotiate a deal, and get the contract signed. From there it’s about creating the perfect cover art and finding ideal voice for the job. As I’ve said before all our offers have approvals so I send them samples of everything before anything goes up. All the cover art you’ve seen has been approved by rights holders. All the narrators you’ve heard has been approved by our rights holders. And once commencement begins. The files are sent to me as they come in. I personally oversee the QC (Quality Control) process of every single second of every single file that gets published. Once they are up to my standards, I upload the book and we’re off to the races!

Do you have any advice for any narrators out there?

Absolutely! First of all know that you’re not gonna make any money for a long while. It’s a grind! And you have to work your way up the ladder. You can’t just start with the top shelf tales. You’re gonna have to hone your craft and get really good before people start to take notice and you’ll start to get bigger bucks. But make no mistake, if you keep the at it, you will get better. You will start to get those bigger titles. And you will make money. It just takes perseverance - like anything else in this world. I think the big mistake a lot of people make is that you can just talk into your laptop microphone and upload the audio and be on your way. That’s not how it works. As with anything in this world, it takes practice and determination. But, if you maintain that determination, it’s one of the better fields to be working in because you will be able to see your growth happening in real time - and there’s no better feeling than being rewarded for your hard work!