A small group of author entrepreneurs announced formation of the Pearl River Publishing Group, a boutique publisher stepping into the void left behind by the recent mergers of giant corporate publishing houses. This exciting new concept took flight in the summer of 2015 by releasing its first major novel, Levant Mirage by Oliver F. Chase, author of award winning of Marsh Island and Blind Marsh.

Pearl River founder-member and Hancock County resident Frank Costanza is quoted,

“Not since the first mass produced Gutenberg bible has the printing world been so challenged. A true David and Goliath struggle, the merger and acquisition of printing houses spelled the end of small independents. Corporate bottom-line stockholder profits left fledging authors unable to get the ear of an agent or a House employee. Wonderful manuscripts ended up in the trash, some rejected, most never read. And today, the audio versions of all Chase’s novels will soon compliment the shelves of all the popular mass distributors.

 A radical departure from for-profit and vanity presses, Pearl River Publishing concentrates on one or two authors over a fixed period of time. Once a person is firmly on the road to success, self-funded Pearl River uses lessons learned and the best practices to launch the next writer. One talent at a time with no scramble for profits or refilling company coffers. Monopoly publishers answering to thousands of stockholders and employee paychecks simply can’t compete with the personal attention of a small group of dedicated individuals.

Caught in the crossfire of printing house mergers are other casualties, like the smaller, local brick and mortar bookstores. Too often shops resort to recycling used books to make ends meet. Pearl River Publishing commits to supporting these and other local businesses especially along the Gulf Coast though beneficial pricing, personal author appearances, buy-local campaigns, and community advertising.

 Costanza continues,

“Books will never become mass marketed television, and will forever be private encounters for individuals. Small, boutique and independent, Pearl River Publishing answers the riddle where readers will find the next James Baldwin, Ken Kesey, Toni Morrison, and Elmore Leonard. After all, where would the world be without a new generation of Stephen Kings to delight and scare the pants off us?”