Las Vegas, NV, October 3, 2022: PTP Press (https://ptppress.com) CEO and founder, Joylynn M. Ross, is no stranger to navigating the challenges of multiracial conversations about race. She serves on the Independent Book Publishers Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Those aren’t just buzz words at PTP Press or its sister company, Path To Publishing, a literary services provider. They are baked into the DNA of both companies.
“Creating opportunities for all voices to be heard is the reason I started these businesses in the first place,” Ross explained. That truth is reflected in the authors she serves as well as the team members who serve her companies. Regardless of race, sex, age, or background, the PTP Press publishing team works side-by-side and are given equal consideration when it comes time for decisions about acquisitions.
When debut author Nikki T. Anthony’s novel, The Price We Pay, landed in P2P Press’s submissions inbox, Joylynn saw the potential for a classic in its pages. It was the team’s discussion about the book, though, that sold her on its potential for being more than a great read.
“The discussions the book sparked led to open, honest, and mature conversations about race relations we’d all wanted to have for a long time but didn’t think were possible. It gave us hope the growing divisions between the races weren’t incurable. We just need a novel approach,” Ross shared.
Excited by what they experienced, the team approved the acquisition. But quickly realized what they had on their hands was more than a book. It was a movement. Ross signed the author to a three-book, five-figure deal and the team got to work creating a bold social media campaign geared toward drawing others into the conversation.
They also cobbled together a crowdfunding campaign to generate more awareness and public participation. The money raised will fund the book being published in multiple formats, as well as the implementation of the training needed to lead these difficult conversations, guidance in navigating the sensitive nature of the topics explored, and support for the community of participants willing to face the inevitable challenges ahead.
“We can’t just toss them a book and expect them to talk to strangers about these issues. Fortunately, we’d already developed a Magnetic Thought Leadership Training program to incorporate into the campaign and we’ll be supporting the community that forms as people sign up for the pre-launch.”
Launching in Fall 2023 and dubbed the To Kill a Mockingbird of the 21st Century as told from a Black perspective, the book centers on the experiences of Zenetta Henchman as she navigates the treacherous waters of a racially divided small Southern town and discovers there’s a price to pay for her choices, but that things aren’t always as black and white as they appear.
Loosely based on the author’s own experiences of being a Black girl raised by her biological white grandmother, she hopes her novel will open people’s eyes to the damage caused by racism and the consequences of our choices in how to handle it. Ross hopes the book will become a source of unity and healing for all those who have been hurt by the divisions.
Those seeking to sign up for the pre-launch of the campaign can learn more by visiting https://bit.ly/3B3iY0g or by visiting https://ptppress.com. For more information, or to schedule an interview with Joylynn M. Ross, contact Path To Publishing at: info@pathtopublishing.com or 725-605-4054.