Three kids, one ghost, and the spooky surrounds of the Smoky Mountains—we can’t think of a better way to have some family fun with this season than the book Ghost Witch Annie, by First Flight Books author Lamar Berry.

This is one of the most dangerous moments in an author's journey. You've got momentum. You can see the book. Maybe you can already picture the title, the cover, the Amazon page, the launch party; even yourself sitting across from someone talking about why you wrote it. So you open a blank document. Chapter One. The cursor blinks. And off you go. Six months later, you have 60,000 words, seventeen chapters, three different themes and absolutely no idea what to do with any o

‘Tis the season for tricks and treats. And our author and MasterChef Junior Finalist, Remy Powell, has several pages of sweet and savory recipes in her recent cookbook, Remy’s Kitchen Celebration.

Every book begins with an idea. Not every great idea, however, is a book. If that distinction sounds harsh, good. It should. Because before you spend six months or six years writing 80,000 meaningful words, you owe it to yourself to answer a much tougher question than Can I write a book? You need to ask: Do I actually have a strong enough idea?

Last week, First Flight Books had the privilege of getting out on tour with our latest author, Jeff Rimer. Rimer (or Rims as he’s affectionately known by throngs of hockey and sports fans across multiple generations) kicked off his book tour for his debut book, It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This: Unforgettable Calls in the Booth and Unexpected Turns in Life, in Columbus, Ohio.

One of the memories of that day that stays with me most is the “MISSING” photo flyers. They appeared quickly, these hastily crafted sheets of paper with photos of smiling men and women, some with their children or dogs. Homemade paper flares sent up by terrified families searching for some news of their loved ones amid a day where confusion and horror rained down on everything.

Aspiring authors sometimes put enormous pressure on themselves because they're trying to write The Book. Every sentence has to be brilliant. Every chapter has to work. Every idea has to survive. But creativity cannot be a slave to perfection. Or maybe another way to look at it is that creativity demands honesty and heart and sometimes (often) those things aren’t perfect. They’re messy. They’re raw. That’s why they work.

Dolly Parton gave us all so much over the eight decades she was alive. A catalogue of masterpieces. Songs we cry to. Songs we dance to. Songs that woo you in with an upbeat tempo and soon have you singing along to a song that became a feminist anthem without Dolly ever even needing to use the “f” word.

Many authors believe marketing begins after their manuscript is complete. In reality, that's often too late. The strongest book launches begin months, even a year before publication because marketing isn't something that's added to a finished book.

Imagine walking into a bookstore. Thousands of books surround you. What makes you stop? Usually it's not the author's credentials. It's the feeling that somehow this book understands you. It solves your problem. It tells your story. It scratches an itch you didn't even know you had. That connection happens long before anyone reads Chapter One. It's built through positioning.

One of the biggest misconceptions about publishing is that the best writers don't need editors. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, some of the strongest authors we've ever worked with have also been the most collaborative during the editing process.

A good editor isn't simply looking for misplaced commas. They're looking at the book through a different set of eyes—the eyes of someone encountering the story for the first time. Your editor is a stand-in for your readers. And a good editor is your advocate, pushing for the very best version of your book to be the version that makes it into the world.

Over 300,000 writers brought a federal lawsuit against tech giant and AI juggernaut Anthropic in 2024 stemming from their claims of copyright infringement due to the fact that their works were used to train AI models without their consent and without compensation. That lawsuit has just reached a conclusion that will have implications in the publishing world and beyond for years to come.

After a slower start to the year, the publishing industry is showing renewed strength. According to the Association of American Publishers' (AAP) StatShot report, publishing sales climbed 6.8% in May across the more than 1,400 publishers reporting results, a welcome sign that readers continue to invest in great stories and meaningful content.

First Flight Books President & CEO John Minnec talks about the enduring value of independent publishing, what has changed over the past 46 years, and why he believes there's never been a more exciting time to tell stories.

How the unreal may help us to better understand the real. By Guest Blogger and First Flight Books Summer Intern, Olivia Morelli Comparative Literature Major, American University of Paris A pervasive idea about reading has emerged alongside the decline of reading for pleasure: nonfiction is more valuable than fiction. As fewer American adults turn to reading as a pastime, people become more selective about the few books they will spend their time on. It would seem that ficti

The daily onslaught of artificial intelligence slop can feel pretty discouraging. Especially in the business of writing and publishing. At once, AI has made “writing” easier and some “writers” more prolific. But the result sort of feels like a bunch of crap in your newsfeed—prose that is flat and generic and relatively devoid of spark. “A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Or something like that. While it can feel a little bleak, we th

One of the most common fears we hear from authors at First Flight Books is also one of the most human: “What if nobody wants to read this?” It’s a terrifying thought. You spend months, sometimes years, carrying around an idea, a story, a message, or a deeply personal perspective only to wonder if it will disappear into the noise the moment it reaches the world. The fear is understandable. But in our experience, the exact opposite is usually true. The world is not runnin

At First Flight Books, we’ve always believed that the right story doesn’t just entertain, it transforms. It lingers. It challenges. It reminds you of who you were…and who you still have time to become. What’s coming next is exactly that. Three very different voices. Three deeply human journeys. One shared truth: the most powerful stories are lived before they’re ever written. Jeff Rimer — “It Doesn’t Get Any Better Than This” For over 50 years, Jeff Rimer has been the voice b

Every great book begins with a moment of courage. Not the moment a reader opens the first page, but the moment a writer decides their voice matters. And they’re ready to use it. At First Flight Books, we believe that moment deserves support, mentorship, and a publishing partner that values bold ideas and distinctive voices. That’s why we’re excited to announce that we are actively seeking new authors and fresh manuscripts. We’re a publishing house with history, and now a new