For me, the road to the publishing business started nine years ago. That's when I wrote a historical novel that I was unable to publish the traditional way, and ended up putting it in the hands of a large, well-known self-publishing firm. What followed, was five, frustrating years during which the cost of publishing my book rose enormously and, despite all the promotional bells and whistles I paid for, the modest sales achieved were the result of my efforts, not the publisher's. That's when I decided to be an independent writer. It didn't take me long to figure out that if I became an independent publisher as well, I could help novice writers avoid the frustration and expense I endured. Hence I formed The Pelican Communications Group, whose publication system is based on a simple set of steps designed to place the writers’ manuscripts in the hands of the readers in a timely and cost effective way. You can read about this system and the assumptions it is based on, at www.pelicancomgroup.com. Additional Skills: Twenty years in the publishing and writing industry has afforded me the opportunity to acquire and hone the following skills: online magazine publishing, blog writing, book reviewing, fiction and nonfiction writing, advertising copy and direct mail writing, proposal writing for government and military organizations, and technical writing.