An Inside Look at Dixon's Own Publishing Company, Martin Pearl

Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with the passionate and talented woman behind Martin Pearl Publishing, Angelina McKinsey. In a private office, nestled amongst the farm land of Dixon, with paths leading to a copasetic and peaceful cornerstone lies Martin Pearl Publishing. With the many skills our area has to offer, Martin Pearl is a conduit for exceptional authors to come together for a common bond and unique perspective. Weaving the love of entertaining and educating through books.

I was able to steal away a few moments to discover more about the company, as well as the ingenuity behind the publishing business. Martin Pearl Publishing was born with the writing talents of Angelina’s husband John McKinsey, who wrote The Lincoln Secret. Starting off as an educator and school principal, challenges did not elude Angelina, as she took the challenge of publishing the book head on, proving that “dreams do come true, with strong work ethic and the willingness not to give up.”

Standing firm to the motto: “Entertain and Educate”, Angelina realizes that in this industry there are mountains to climb and valleys to go through, however the challenges she faces are worth the ultimate return. With Martin Pearl, she has the ability to grant dreams and breathe life into an author’s work by means of publication.  Learning along the way that, “Becoming a published author is not just about getting text printed and bound or digitally made into a book, it’s also about presenting the message to readers. Publishers have the task of being the soft place to land but also on the side of tough love.” Angelina continued, “With each challenge, each book gets better.” All of which hopefully, propels her forward to the dream of publishing nationally and then internationally.  

Wondering how the process works I was able to dig deeper into the production behind publishing a book.  While Martin Pearl Publishing receives many requests, there are key principles that they look for in a manuscript: What is the purpose - entertain or educate? Can it beat that last book? Can it be the best that it can be?

While there are many large publishing companies out there, I was also curious about the benefits of working with a small publishing company.  Angelina highlighted the facts that a small publishing company has the unique opportunity to work as a team, as well as the fact that they can be creative together, breaking the ties and constraints of normal procedures.

Once a book is chosen, the process can be tedious and difficult. First off, all books submitted must also go through an editor. This process is often hard for authors, for the editors provide the necessary harsh critique and criticism, taking the good with the bad, to make the magic of publication happen. Statistically 99% of authors burn out, not able to provide the tenacity needed.  Martin Pearl is the stepping stone for greatness. People must have the passion, the talent and the desire to entertain as well as educate.

Ultimately, what I learned about writing a book from this interview is that it isn’t an overnight success. It takes passion, determination, as well as personal fortitude. The author has to be the driving force behind the book’s success. Once the book reaches the publisher’s hands the authors work isn’t done, it seems to be quite to opposite. The fight and tenacity, as well as the passion of what you believe, come to view. The publisher is there to believe in the author’s work, shaping and refining what has already been created, then dressing it for display, helping bring the dream into a reality.

The enthusiasm that emits from Angelina as she talks about her books should prove to anyone that this is exactly what she was meant to do all along. With a passion that is contagious, I instantly felt the warmth and compassion, as well as the pride behind the work and the dedication of her publishing company. Each book that she described, enticed me to dive in and read it instantly. With the marvelously illustrated, Color my Coral, complete with coloring book and comprehension worksheets, perfectly suited for teachers. To, “The Lincoln Secret, is a historical mystery-adventure novel set in modern-day America.” While their newest book, Look Around, is a sensual murder mystery that is set behind the scenes of professional sports, told as a first person detective.

With the hope that when you escape into one of their books you feel a connection, where you find yourself  both entertained, as well as educated. Martin Pearl has a heartbeat all their own and a talent worth discovering.

For more information on the books Martin Pearl has published, or even to schedule an author visit to your school please check out their website at: www.martinpearl.com

Martin Pearl Publishing's "Look Around" *GIVEAWAY*

Martin Pearl Publishing was happy to add a giveaway with their interview!

Their newest release "Look Around" by Darrin May, will go to one lucky reader. Just Leave a comment and you will be entered to win. Contest ends Sunday September 15.

Click here to read a synopsis!

If you would love to get a hold of Martin Pearl's new book "Look Around" by Darrin May- leave a comment with your email address.