Today we’d like to introduce you to Joseph D. Newcomer of Dead Star Press.
Hi Joseph, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I am an author and the owner of an independent publishing company called Dead Star Press. After years of writing, submissions, and self-publishing, I received an offer on one of my speculative sci-fi, social commentary novels. It was thrilling to get an offer from a publishing company, but after reviewing the contract and the publisher’s capabilities, it seemed I could already do more for myself than what was being offered. At that point, my significant other objectively assessed the situation and thought we could offer what I’d learned about publishing, promotion, and my audience to other undiscovered writers whose stories fall within the realm of the types of stories I write. We formed an LLC, and Dead Star Press was born. The business has grown since then. We began bringing our publications to markets and various events. A little while later, we were invited to participate in a vintage market, so I purchased some used and vintage titles of writers who inspire my writing and the writing of the other authors we’ve published, and it went incredibly well. We kept doing more markets and buying more used and vintage titles. We lugged tons of boxes of books, tents, and collapsible shelves around for well over a year, with the idea in the back of our minds that as soon as we were able, we’d create a bookmobile. It took some planning and purchasing of everything we’d need over a few months, and once we had everything, including an old seventeen-foot U-Haul box truck, we put it all together ourselves. It was a ton of work, and I still haven’t fully recovered, but it was well worth it. We’ve been using the truck for about a year now, and everyone who’s had a chance to see it has loved it. We champion weird, dark, speculative sci-fi, and we tried to capture that in the bookmobile with our skull logo, all-black interior, ornate ceiling tiles, and a dark wood floor. We’re thrilled by how much people seem to appreciate it. We’ve also been fortunate enough to have had the bookmobile nominated for the best bookstore in this year’s Phoenix Magazine Best of the Valley Reader’s Choice poll, and it’s been an absolute honor to have been named Phoenix Magazine Best of the Valley Reader’s Choice Best Author for the past four years in a row. If anyone is interested in checking out our books or where the bookmobile will be over the next few months, they can find everything by scrolling down through the main page on deadstarpress.com.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest hurdle is always just getting the word out about our books. The bookmobile has helped immensely. Aside from that, the physical labor of getting everything set up in the Phoenix heat is always difficult. But there again, the bookmobile has halved our work.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve always had my hand in creative endeavors. I sang and played guitar when I was younger. With a bit of a push from one of the greatest teachers of all time, Bill Hetrick, my senior English teacher, I started writing books at seventeen. In the early 2000s, I fronted a band called Mas Nova, which had strong regional success near my hometown of Erie, PA. Creating Dead Star Press has continued my creative drive in ways I’d never really considered. It’s just as exciting, if not more exciting, to get creatively involved in cover art and editing for other people’s works. Also, one of my absolute favorite parts of all the things I do for the press is curating the selection of new, used, and vintage books we carry alongside our books. It’s intensely satisfying finding abandoned literary gems that I know someone will fall in love with, and it’s even more satisfying when it happens in real time in front of my eyes in the bookmobile.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Not everyone shares the vision and drive we have for our own creative outlets, and that’s okay. Finding your audience takes time when you’re doing something as personal as writing or music or anything creative. The only reason that will keep you going is loving what you’re creating.
Pricing:
- Most of our used books are priced at $8 for paperbacks and $10 for hardcovers.
- When you buy 3 or more books you get at least $1 off per book.
- New Dead Star Press books are priced from $9 to $15
- We do carry a fair amount of new, vintage, signed, and special edition books that range from $10-$500 depending on their rarity and condition.
Contact Info:
- Website: deadstarpress.com and josephdnewcomer.com
- Instagram: @deadstarpressllc and @josephd.newcomer
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/deadstarpress and www.facebook.com/josephd.newcomer
- Other: TikTok @deadstarpress and @josephd.newcomer and on Spotify, you can find the Thought and Other Absurdities Podcast, Mas Nova, and Joseph D. Newcomer
