Michael Dellert
"I don't consider this a "protest." It's an author event that puts the author and their work upfront to the reader, without the distraction of giveaways and other gimmicks. Many writers are professionals, like doctors, lawyers, and financiers. Many writers have the same level of professional education as professionals in other fields (I have an MA in Literature, for example). But no one expects those professionals to work for free the way they expect writers to work for free. This event isn't about "protesting" legitimate promotional practices, it's about raising awareness of the value of literature to a free and open society."
Trey McIntosh
"What is a writer? A miserable little pile of secrets. For someone so smart, I can often be and feel so stupid. As I write, I feel so much doubt. I ask people to read the results and there's so much resistance on their part, that something's taking away their time or they just don't like to read. I write, I come up with ideas, and I ask myself, "Will this be the one that makes me feel accomplished? Will I get the respect I've gone so far without?" You want to know the only time I get heads turning towards my works? When I commission art of my characters. As soon as I run out of money, they go return to being ghosts, the metaphorical clock on their vitality run dry. Right now, I'm not even sure of confident my upcoming book will garner an audience, and I don't have money to keep throwing at it. That's why I joined this movement. I want respect. I want us all to gain respect."
Shakyra Dunn
"When I think of publishing, I fear it. No matter how much you can try to prepare, it's never flawless, and you shell out more money than humanly possible. And sometimes that's okay. Because when you look back on your hard work and grace in its beauty, you feel a little more complete."
Tiger Hebert
"I do judge books by their cover, and so do most readers. Producing a book that stands out from the crowd can get pricey, especially if you want custom illustration. Those type of covers generally start around $750 and go up."