AUTHOR
Alyssa holds a BSN from Vancouver Island University and has worked as a Registered Nurse for over a decade. Drawing on her Critical Care experience, she crafts character-driven stories that explore resilience, vulnerability, and complex family dynamics.
When not writing, she's likely planning her next adventure or lost in a good book.
She lives in the beautiful Okanagan Valley.
Less Than is her debut novel.
INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER
Founder of Zada Press
Did you change your pen name?
I did! You'll still see "A.D. Long" as a contributor/author of Less Than, but moving forward, I will be writing and publishing under my full name.
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.
Incorrect.
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, and I had the final say in all editorial decisions, which means that the story you read is the story I wanted to tell.
Finally, self-publishing allowed me to collaborate with my incredibly talented friend, Michael Bernier, who perfectly captured my vision in his illustration of the original cover for Less Than. It also allowed me to pivot, working with another talented designer, Jazmin Welch (fleckcreative), to update the cover! In the updated edition, you can find Mike's stunning illustration at the end of the novel.
Self-published books are poorly written and full of mistakes.
Incorrect.
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 incredibly talented Heather Sangster (who works with very talented authors, including Margaret Atwood).
Which may lead you to wonder...
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 can I help?
The best way you can support me 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 @adlongthewriter!
