Book Publishing Secrets with Jonathan L. Ferrara, Author of 'The Blackwell Family Secret: The Guardians of Sin'

Jonathan L. Ferrara was born in San Pedro, California to an Italian fisherman and a mother from New York. Growing up with one older brother, Jonathan had several hobbies: finding the best hiding spots to jump out and scare his mother, discovering new fantasy book series, and imagining outrageous, whimsical worlds full of magic. He is now happily married, residing in California in the City of Angels. He has two wonderful children-his dog Koda and cat Merlin. Visit his WEBSITE

Thank you for your time in answering our questions about getting published.  Let’s begin by having you explain to us why you decided to become an author and pen this book?

Jonathan L. Ferrara: I don’t really think I chose to be an author. I feel like it chose me. I didn’t wake up one day and say, “That would be a cool job. I’ll do that.” I had a story in my head that was filled with characters. It was like a movie playing in my head. I dreamed about them, asleep and awake. Those characters were the ones who wanted to breathe and they chose me to do that. I couldn’t ignore it and I never wanted to.

Is this your first book?

Jonathan L. Ferrara: It is!

With this particular book, how did you publish – traditional, small press, Indie, etc. – and why did you choose this method?

Jonathan L. Ferrara: I went with Dragonwell Publishing, an independent publisher. I came across their website entirely by mistake. I was actually looking for a literary agent and instead came across Dragonwell. Their website was filled with fantasy novels that I would have surely picked up in a bookstore without hesitation. I could easily see The Blackwell Family Secret fit right in with their roster.

Can you tell us a little about your publishing journey?  The pros and cons?

Jonathan L. Ferrara: The best way to describe finding the right publisher for you book, especially as a first time author, is learning the industry. You need to learn the ins and outs of publishing and really understand that it’s a business. When I started looking at it this way was when I got interest. My journey was studying the publishing world.  

What lessons do you feel you learned about your particular publishing journey and about the publishing industry as a whole?

Jonathan L. Ferrara: Like I mentioned, it’s a business. Nobody is going to invest in you unless you can sell it to them. I had to think not as a writer who wrote a story, but as a salesmen who was going to market this book.

Would you recommend this method of publishing to other authors?

Jonathan L. Ferrara: Of course. For first time authors I would urge to search for an independent publisher.

What’s the best advice you can give to aspiring authors?

Jonathan L. Ferrara: You wrote a book and that truly is an amazing accomplishment. Now it’s time to learn the industry. Find strategies to market your book, and find a publisher who shares your same vision or cater to theirs. Understand completely how your book can be profitable.   

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The Blackwell Family Secret:
THE GUARDIANS OF SINS
by Jonathan L. Ferrara
URBAN FANTASY, Young Adult
224 pages
Publication date: December 5, 2014
Publisher: Dragonwell Publishing
www.dragonwellpublishing.com / AMAZON

Nicholas Blackwell has no idea he is supposed to fulfill a destiny. All he knows is that he draws trouble like a magnet. Orphaned at eleven when two demonic men killed his parents, he copes with the strict rules of his new home, St. Christopher’s academy, unaware that he has been the real target for the killers and that his guardian angel has saved him in the nick of time. And now, his problems are only beginning when a mysterious serpent lures him into the woods and tricks him into a demonic ritual that will unleash the Seven Deadly Sins to destroy the humankind. Nicholas has no choice but to correct his mistake–or die trying. Aided by Amy, a shy but determined girl who seems to know more about his task than she should, Nicholas’s quest is to travel into the City of Demonio and defeat the Seven Guardians of Sin. To succeed, he must confront demons, monsters, and lost souls, learn the mysteries of the Chapel of Dreams, discover the true meaning of friendship and love, and face the darkest secret of all: the Blackwell Family Secret.

“The Blackwell Family Secret: the Guardians of Sin” is a debut young adult urban fantasy adventure with a Christian theme.