PDN Books: Revolutionizing Author Support in the Paranormal Realm

The essence of this episode revolves around the exciting launch of PDN Books, our new publishing division aimed at supporting authors in the realms of parapsychology, the paranormal, and beyond. We, as passionate authors ourselves, recognize the inherent challenges faced in promoting literary works in an increasingly saturated market. Thus, we have endeavored to create a platform that not only provides robust marketing and public relations support but also fosters a community dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge within these specialized fields. As we unveil our submission process for prospective authors, we invite those who have faced rejection or who seek greater exposure for their self-published works to connect with us. The journey ahead promises to be transformative, as we strive to elevate voices that resonate with the mysteries of our existence and explore the profound intricacies of the human experience.

The premiere episode of the Deadly Departed podcast introduces listeners to a captivating dialogue between Jock and Craig, who seek to illuminate the shadowy corridors of the paranormal realm. Their conversation outlines the challenges they have encountered as authors, particularly in a literary landscape that is increasingly competitive, with thousands of books published daily. The hosts emphasize the importance of establishing a supportive community for authors, one that not only facilitates the publishing process but also actively engages in promoting their works to a wider audience. This foundational episode sets the stage for the future of PDN Books, a publishing venture designed to empower authors within the paranormal genre.

Throughout their discussion, the hosts candidly recount their own journeys through the often arduous path of traditional publishing, sharing personal anecdotes that resonate with many aspiring authors. They bring attention to the disheartening experiences of rejection and the realization that success in the literary world often hinges on an author's ability to market themselves and their work effectively. Jock and Craig's insights reveal a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in navigating the literary scene, particularly for those focused on the niche subject of the paranormal. The episode serves as a clarion call for authors seeking a more supportive and innovative publishing environment, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

As the hosts unveil their vision for PDN Books, listeners are left with a sense of anticipation for what lies ahead. The podcast promises to not only explore the mysteries of the paranormal but also to delve into the intricacies of the publishing process, offering valuable insights and resources for authors and enthusiasts alike. Jock and Craig invite their audience to embark on this journey with them, signaling a new chapter in their commitment to exploring the unknown and supporting fellow writers in their quests to share their stories.

Takeaways:

• The Deadly Departed podcast serves as a conduit between the realms of the living and the deceased, inviting listeners to explore the enigmatic aspects of the supernatural.
• Jock and Craig, esteemed authors, aim to guide audiences through the complexities of parapsychology and unexplained phenomena, backed by credible experts in the field.
• The establishment of PDN Books signifies a pivotal moment in supporting authors by providing comprehensive marketing and public relations resources that are often lacking in traditional publishing.
• A new initiative, the PDN Book Awards, will soon be launched, featuring cash prizes and recognition for outstanding contributions in the field of paranormal literature, further incentivizing authors to share their work.

Links referenced in this episode:

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Welcome to the Deadly Departedpodcast, where the veil between the
living and the dead is just awhisper away.
I'm Jock, and along with mycolleagues in Paranormal Daily News,
we will be your guides throughthe shadowy realms of the paranormal
and the unexplained.
In each episode, we will diveinto the eerie and the enigmatic
with the help of today'sleading experts in parapsychology,

(00:20):
science and the supernatural,prepare to uncover the secrets that
lurk in the dark and explorethe mysteries that defy explanation.
Let's embark on this journey now.
Good morning, good afternoon,good evening, ladies and gentlemen,
wherever you are in the world.
This is Craig and Jock herefrom Deadly Departed pdn.

(00:43):
We've got some brilliantannouncements that we want to make
of things that are happeningin PDN and something that we've been
working behind the scenes forquite a while, actually.
Good couple of years.
And that's something that wewant to share with everybody out
there.
And this is going to benefitus as authors as well.

(01:06):
So you can guess where we'regoing in that.
Right.
Craig, how you doing, by the way?
It's been a while since we'vedone a little chat together on this.
Oh, I'm good, Jock.
It's morning here inCalifornia, so for me it's about
9:00am and for you, you'regetting into your afternoon.
So that's.
I am, yes.
And the temperature here hasplummeted recently, so my wife was

(01:29):
complaining that the sun isonly here in very sparse points.
For me, this is my favoritetime of year.
Obviously it's gone into theautumn season, so it's great.
I get to get my camera out andgo for little walks and take some
shots and things like that.
You know, Craig, you and I are authors.

(01:49):
My wife is an author.
We know many authors.
But we also know how hard itis as an author to not only promote
our books to get readers.
I was going to say listenersto get read, but listeners as well,
because that's another thingthat's also audio.

(02:10):
It's also audio.
Yeah, actually.
And that's another thing thatactually we are doing.
But yeah, we know what it'slike to put a book out there.
Certainly not one that'swritten by AI I've mentioned this
many times.
But to have a passion forsomething to passionately put down
on paper our thoughts and ourwisdom and our knowledge and to share

(02:33):
it with the world, the hardestthing is to promote it and get it
out there.
And publishing has changedover the years and it's something
we've been Looking at forquite a while, isn't is?
Yeah, well, you know, forexample, I think there's like 4,000
books a day go onto Amazon.

(02:54):
So 4,000 a day.
Trying to be heard above thatkind of noise is a real challenge.
So even if you have thegreatest book in the world, there's
no guarantee that somebodywill read it.
Even getting a publisherdoesn't necessarily guarantee you
that your book will get theproper publicity so that you'll at
least have a chance for it tobe read.

(03:16):
You know, it's funny youmentioned that, because I don't know
how it was for you, but Iremember I wrote my first book.
The amount of rejections I hadfrom agents and publishers.
I mean, yes, I have agents nowand I've had publishers and I've
only ever traditionallypublished now with the advent of
AI, anybody I saw, I saw an adthe other day says obviously it's

(03:40):
one of these promises in theworld and doesn't deliver.
But, you know, earning sixfigures a month because they're developing
books on AI and putting themout there.
And it's kind of dishearteningfor anybody out there who's an author,
because anybody can become anauthor in AI, but you're not.
Yes, you can put words onpaper and words on the screen, but
you're not putting your heartand soul and your passion into it.

(04:02):
And I think that's where Ithink we agree as well that this
is the scary thing about thisAI industry.
Especially now you've goteverybody, everybody saying, pump
the books out there and earnsix figures a month.
Which is not true, actually.
No, it's not.
And I remember being turneddown so many times.
It was so disheartening.
Did you, did you apply foragents and publishers and get turned

(04:24):
down?
I was working with one publisher.
I had it almost in the bag andthe person I was working with, everything
just suddenly fell through.
The book was topical and yeah,yeah, that's a story I don't want
to get into because it wouldinvolve trash talking somebody that
I really, I really don't wantto do that.

(04:46):
Yeah, I've been there.
I actually get.
I am not going to mentionmine, but I actually got an upfront
payment from a publisher for abook idea that I actually started
writing and got think aquarter way or halfway into it.
And then they changed theirmind and so we had a bit of a.
Bit of an argument and I endedup getting to keep.
I kind of won legally and gotto keep the upfront payment, but

(05:10):
again, that was way Back inthe day, we don't have upfront payments
now because there's so much of it.
Even to get a publishing dealis something in itself.
I ended up self publishing.
So the book in 2013 that Isimply, it was kind of topical.
I wasn't going to wait, youknow, six or eight months for somebody

(05:31):
to come up with, you know, formaybe something to happen.
And it was, it was a bookabout parapsychology.
So it was very specialized andI didn't think I had a whole lot
of chance.
So I self published an ebookand a regular book, figured out how
to do an ebook, you know, justlearned how so.

(05:54):
And that, that ended upworking for me because the audience
was so specialized in thatparticular case that it started getting
reviewed by, by scientists andrecommended by them.
I was getting good reviews.
In fact, recently I gotreviewed by the Journal of Parapsychology.

(06:15):
Excellent.
Yeah, A couple years ago, I think.
Now it keeps staying outthere, but that's because it's very
specialized.
It's talking to a particularaudience and that particular audience
doesn't have another book thataddresses that particular thing.
So it's a little differentthan most other stuff.
Most self published things gointo the bin of history, never to

(06:38):
be seen again.
That's right.
And then of course, even ifyou are with a publisher, I mean
I've published with really bigpublishers, large, multinational,
I won't mention names, butlarge multinational publishers.
And what I found was I waskind of left to my own devices.
I probably had delusions of grandeur.

(07:01):
So I thought, you know, myfirst book, I thought I'll go write
the book, I got to retire to alittle cottage by the sea, I'm going
to sell lords, I go buy a house.
It just, it doesn't happenthat way.
And you realize when you getinto publishing, it's a fricking
hard game to actually come ontop with.
And I found very quickly thatif I didn't market it and if I didn't

(07:25):
stand behind it, it wasn'tgoing to go anywhere.
Essentially a publisher put itout there and then it has a little
bit of, they maybe do a pressrelease, they maybe do a little thing.
But essentially it's down to you.
It's down to you to get yourreviews, it's down to you to get
your network.
And unless you're a householdname, you're signed up with likes

(07:47):
of Penguin, Random House orone of the other ones where they
have a full PR team behind youbecause you're famous and you've
Millions of followers, you'renot going to get anywhere.
And if you're in a specializedfield that we are, which is so small,
it really is down to you.
And that's where we are tryingto change the game.

(08:08):
So here we are, ladies and gentlemen.
One of the things that we'vebeen working on is our own traditional
publishing division.
PDN Books has grown.
PDN Books?
Shut up, Jock.
You've just let it off the bag.
Paranormal Daily News, themagazine has been growing over the
years.
It has got a great reputation,it has got a great readership, we

(08:31):
have dedicated, I would say fans.
Plus we have highly regardedprofessionals in the field of parapsychology,
science and other avenues,transpersonal psychology, that love
it.
We now have a peer reviewedjournal which is also being launched
and we have our community andthere's many, many other assets that

(08:52):
we have out there, includingthis podcast and various other things
that we have ongoing as well.
So it was a naturalprogression for us to look at developing
our own publishing brand, ourown publishing label.
And so.
God, how long has it been,Craig, that we've been working on
this?
In a long time?

(09:13):
Four, five, six?
Well, we, I mean, how longhave we.
So, so we've been workingtogether, I mean, years.
So it wasn't long after thatwe started talking about it and talking
about it with Linda in Australia.
And behind the scenes we'vebeen trying to develop PDN Books

(09:34):
and trying to develop in a waythat we can give a lot more to our
authors.
And so we have done that now.
Our site is nearly finished.
We've got, you know, we're inthe process developing it and building
it now.
There may be some tweaks andchanges and things that we're going

(09:54):
to do.
You can check that out onpdnbooks.com but we are now open
for submissions, although Idon't know if the submission form
is up and running yet, but youcan message us through Paranormal
Daily News.
But the idea is that we willbe able to appeal to a wider audience

(10:16):
and also to give something toour authors that they don't get.
And that is a full supportsystem for marketing and pr.
Yeah, way more than what anyother publisher would give you because
we have got PDN magazine, wehave got our other assets, we've

(10:36):
got lots of different ways ofdoing it.
We've also started since, youknow, we, we, we started developing
promotions, we have apromotional system for authors where
they can and they don't andthey, and that's actually correct.
They don't actually have to beone of our authors yet, because we're
only just launching that now.
But we've, we've had authorsthat have now taken up our author

(11:00):
promotion packages.
And I think that's a terrificdeal because the, the thing that
PDM provides is ongoing support.
In other words, it's not just.
We threw up a page on awebsite for you.
Here you go.
Good luck.
We're doing more than that.
We're keeping it in the social media.

(11:23):
We'll be talking about it andgenerally keeping your book up into
the public awareness so thatit has a chance to catch hold and
reach the audience that it deserves.
And we just.
And I just finished actuallydoing a little author interview because
we've got a new section onDeadly Departed that we're doing,

(11:44):
which is the Author Spotlight.
So if you are an author in ourfield of specialization and you want
to promote with us, thenobviously we do have a fee for it.
But we'll get you on as welland we'll talk with you about your
book and we'll promote youthere on the podcast and on various
avenues.
And we've just did the first one.
We've got another couple thatwe're setting up of authors that

(12:06):
have advertised with us, andso we'll be promoting them.
But this is just the steppingstone until, for, until we reach
to get our authors.
We've got some new titlescoming out and we're also going to
be really excited.
We're going to be republishingold titles and giving them a new
lease of life, which I'mexcited about, Craig, actually, because

(12:28):
that means it's people outthere in our field that have maybe
published before but didn'tget much from it in terms of sales
or getting exposure.
And so we are in a greatopportunity where we can republish
those titles and if they'veself published, then we can get them
into our brand.
Yeah, yeah.
And that works marvelously forpeople because the object is to sell

(12:51):
books.
I know that there's the.
Yeah.
So, you know, I know thatthere's not a huge amount of money
to be made from writing yourbook, but it's an important thing
about sharing the informationthat needs to be shared that you
know, that nobody else quiteknows the way you do.
And I think there's something in.

(13:12):
There's something in it as well.
When you really polish a bookand you take it from your heart and
your soul and passion, thatyou have to have somebody else read
it and get something.
I mean, obviously we got goodreviews Bad reviews.
It happens anyway.
But to have someone that Ishould write to you and say, your
book changed my life or yourbook made me think differently, or

(13:34):
you know what, I was quiteskeptical beforehand, but no, I'm
even more skeptical now.
Or, you know, I'm changing.
The whole paradigm has changedfor me.
So I think that's important as well.
And I think that's where PDNbooks is going to be different and
help also to bring academicwriting to the lay community so that

(13:56):
they can enjoy learning aboutstuff that's probably so dry.
And we're also going to bebringing in obviously an imprint
for paranormal spiritualityside of things as well.
And we're open for submissions now.
So if you've got, if you'vebeen turned down before or you've

(14:18):
got a book that you've selfpublished but you want to get a little
more behind it, then pleasecontact us.
Let us know what your idea is.
Again, you can check our site.
We have got a submission process.
We won't just take anything on.
And it's not just me and Craigwith other people.
We've got, obviously Linda'sour editor and chief editor and who

(14:41):
will be in charge of her ownimprint and spirituality.
She doesn't know that yet.
So she's going.
Surprise.
I was going to say surprise.
Linda, if you're listening tothis, yeah, we do need to arrange
a meeting so we can, we canall conflab.
But there's other peopleinvolved with us as well, and designers.
And so our aim is to support authors.

(15:03):
And the reason is because weknow what it takes and we understand
the support that we would have liked.
And maybe we can do thatbecause I've had a lot of experience
in media and PR and public.
And not so much public.
Well, yes, publishing world,but in marketing and content marketing.

(15:25):
And so bringing that skill setinto PDN and developing this is going
to help us to take this to anew level.
So we're really excited, guys.
We're really, really excited.
We've got some new titlescoming out in 2026.
Again, as I mentioned, we'vegot some old titles that we're going

(15:45):
to be revamping, revitalizing,and who knows where this is going
to take us.
And also we have Craig herethat will be offering audio versions
of the books.
So we'll also have the audioside as well.
Because I love to sit and holda book with a coffee or something

(16:06):
and read.
Yeah.
My wife, for example, listensto all of her books.
She rarely has a print copy inher hands.
It's almost always.
She drives a lot and shelistens to books on tape when she's
doing that.
She's currently listening toDan Brown's Awesome.
I see.

(16:26):
That's the thing.
See, Dan Brown doesn't need amarketing team because he's.
No, Dan Brown does not need amarketing team.
I published something.
I love Audible as well.
I've got probably on myAudible library, I've got like 400
odd titles that I listen to.
And even with some of theacademic research that I do, I'd

(16:47):
rather listen to the Audible version.
I know bore the face off my wife.
Right.
You know, with some of thestuff that I listen to.
Right enough when we're in the car.
So I tend to have to go for a hike.
But of course there's all ofthat and who knows, there may be
some other avenues that we'llbring into PDN Books.

(17:07):
So there you have it, ladiesand gentlemen.
PDN Books has finally got a life.
And yeah, and the way we'redoing it as well is for you authors
out there, I'm not going togive up too much.
But there's an opportunity.
Yes.
You may come in with us andstart off very easy, very light,
with a contract that isprobably more fitting for a beginner

(17:34):
or more fitting for even likea print on demand side of things.
But we are moving into a fullglobal distribution and that's hard
copy, traditional print bookswith full distribution, with foreign
rights, everything else.
And that's why it's taken so,so, so long to even get to this point.

(17:58):
So there is an opportunity forour authors to really expand and
grow with us.
Because as we said, we're authors.
We know what's missing.
We've been there.
We've watched every freakingreview, good and bad.
And we've put ourselves outthere trying to promote.

(18:20):
We know how hard it can be.
So we want to bring our familyin and to support not only the academic
world, but also thoseinterested in other avenues of parapsychology,
transpersonal psychology, theparanormal and in spiritual fields.

(18:40):
So look out, guys.
Please sign up to ournewsletter on Paranormal Daily News.
Oh, and also we have anotherannouncement coming very soon which
we're not going to let youknow about.
Just know something Craig andI have been working on for quite
a while and that will becoming through pdn, which might be

(19:01):
music Terriers.
We'll just say that we'll just.
For now, it's secret.
It's secret.
You can't know about it.
So.
It is Halloween season.
That was his scary thing.

(19:22):
And also, guys, as well aslaunching PDN Books, we also have
our own clothing line, aclothing brand that we're going to
be launching very soon.
We're working on that as well.
So there is absolutely so muchcoming up, so much exciting things,
and we couldn't do it withouta great team behind us.
And we, this is a passionproject for us.

(19:43):
It's passionate and we hopethat we can show the same passion
to your books.
If you're an author and don'thold yourself back, if you've got
an idea for a book andeverybody else is turning you down,
who knows, we may not turn you down.
We're not going to guaranteewe're going to take it.
But, you know, we are lookingfor new voices, so contact us.

(20:06):
Craig, anything else you wantto say before we finish off?
Yeah.
So when you're signing withus, you have to remember this is
our thing.
Jacques and I are bothassociate members of the Parapsychological
Association.
We are very much committed tothe paranormal.
We respect people within the community.

(20:27):
And so if you are writing, ifyou sign up with us in this, you
are giving money to the peoplewho appreciate you the most.
Oh, and I forgot, we are alsolaunching the PDN Book Awards, which
we're not going to go intothat just now, but we do have PDN

(20:47):
Book Awards coming out thatwill be announced very soon.
And if you're an author, youwill be able to apply for the PDN
Book Awards.
Now, it's not just any award,there is a cash prize and it will
be probably the biggest bookawards in our field ever and probably

(21:08):
the biggest prize ever.
So stay tuned for that.
That's another announcementwe've got very soon as well, all
to do with pdn.
For those of you who are withus, who are writers or readers or
members of our community, wethank you.
We couldn't do without you.

(21:28):
And please share this with everybody.
This is an exciting time for us.
God bless.
Thanks for tuning in to Deadly Departed.
I hope you enjoyed ourexploration into the strange and
mysterious.
If you like what you heard,don't forget to subscribe rate and
leave a review.
Join us next time as wecontinue to unravel the unexplained

(21:51):
and bring you the latest fromthe world of the paranormal and parapsychology.
Until then, keep questioning,stay curious and never stop seeking
the truth.