What kind of publisher is August Isley Books?

August Isley Books is a mission-driven hybrid publisher. We combine the creative partnership of traditional publishing with the flexibility and author ownership of self-publishing. You retain your rights, your royalties, and your voice, while we provide professional support to bring your book to life.

Do I keep the rights to my book?

Yes. You retain full ownership of your manuscript, your intellectual property, and your royalties. We are your publishing partner, not your rights holder.

How do I know which services I need?

You are never expected to figure that out alone. We can review your manuscript, goals, and timeline together and recommend a plan that fits your needs and budget.

Why do some services have flat rates while others have tiered pricing?

Flat rates work best for services that take a predictable amount of time, such as query letters, branding, website setup, or marketing materials. Editing and manuscript-dependent services vary widely based on word count, so tiered pricing ensures fairness and transparency.

Do you offer audiobook production?

Yes. We provide narration, editing, mastering, and production using the industry-standard per finished hour model. You receive a clear estimate before we begin.

Do I need a website to publish a book?

Technically no, but it is highly recommended. A website gives you a professional home base, a place to sell books, and a platform for future growth.

Merchandise | AugustIsleyBooks

Let us develop merchandise based on your book cover or brand logo. We will need a high quality jpeg or png of the image (300 dpi minimum). Once we have it designed, we will send you a link to the product(s) and the discount coupon code.

We can also create any of the products listed with the design of your choice from our Sheltering Tree Media Merchandise Store. Just tell us which design you want us to use for your products. For example, "I want Small Town Rowdy for the backpack, Don't Throw Stones for the ceramic mug, and Starborn Descendants for the playing cards." (Be sure to click each of those products below.)

Please note: this is for the design only. Products will need to be purchased separately from Sheltering Tree Media Merchandise.