AUTHOR
Alyssa holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree from Vancouver Island University, and has worked as a Registered Nurse for over a decade. She and her high school sweetheart are avid travellers, currently living in the beautiful Okanagan Valley.
Less Than is her debut novel.
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER
Founder of Zada Press
The tides are changing, but a lot of myths remain about self-publishing:
Only authors who can't sell their books to a traditional publisher opt to self-publish.
Nope!
In fact, I did not reach out to any publishing houses, nor a single agent.
Self-publishing is a growing trend, and there are a lot of reasons why! At the top of the list is time. Traditional publishing can take years from contract to publication. Evann's story is relevant now, and I wanted to bring awareness to the toxic drug crisis in British Columbia (and around the globe) to as many readers as possible, as soon as possible.
Additionally, I wanted to maintain control over my story. Because I self-published, I own the rights to my work. I was able to collaborate with my immensly talented friend, Michael Bernier, who perfectly captured my vision in his illustration of the cover. I also had the final say in all editorial decisions, which means that the story you read is the story I wanted to tell.
Self-published books are poorly written and full of mistakes.
Actually...
It's true that there are some poorly written, poorly edited self-published books. I'd argue there are also some poorly written, poorly edited traditionally published books. Prior to publication, Less Than was self-edited, critiqued by multiple beta readers, and professionally edited by the incredible Heather Sangster (who works with other talented authors, including Margaret Atwood).
What's the deal with Zada Press?
I created my own small press, Zada Press, to convey a sense of professionalism to readers and book buyers. It's not an effort to hide that I'm an indie author, but rather a way to show that I take the business of writing and publishing seriously, and that anything I release under Zada Press will have undergone the same scrutiny required of a traditionally published authors—minus the gatekeepers of the big publishing houses, who stand in the way of talented authors sharing their work with the world.
How did you manage to get Daniel Maté to narrate your audiobook?
I was listening to Dr. Gabor Maté's book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters With Addiction (for about the 3rd time) and thought "Oh man. Daniel's voice is perfect for my story. It would be so incredible if I could somehow get him to work with me!"
So I emailed him to ask! After reading the manuscript, he said he was in!
It's still a bit bizarre that he happened to have time in his schedule to even consider it, but I'm so thankful he did! He did an incredible job bringing the characters and story to life!
Speaking of the audiobook, will it be on Audible?
Yes! Exactly when is trickier to answer. Each audiobook platform has their own review process, which can take "45 days or longer" in the case of Audible. But don't worry! It's coming!
In the meantime, you can purchase the audiobook on several other platforms, including Kobo and Libro.fm
How can I help?
The best way you can support myself and other emerging authors is to leave a review on Goodreads or Amazon. If you're feeling extra generous, you might even recommend my book to a friend, or share it with the Bookstagram world by tagging #lessthan @adlongthewriter!
