We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kathleen Troy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kathleen below.

Kathleen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I started my first business my first year in college. My parents didn’t believe in education (a story for another time) and actually offered to pay me the equivalent of my tuition if I would not go to college. While I have some talent and think I’m pretty smart, I also knew that I needed the letters after my name if I were to have the life I wanted.

I applied to universities with financial aid, was accepted by one and off I went. Unfortunately I was pathetically poor and my daily living allowance was $1.00–whether or not I needed food or shampoo.

Then I was invited to a party and was told to bring a dish. It was a big hit. (I hate to cook. That is a story for another day too.) But I learned there were more male students at the university than female students and they all lived off campus. It’s a well known fact men like to eat. Pretty soon I was preparing meals for a few students and then a few more, etc. I hired other students to help me. My catering business was so successful I was able to pay for my college tuition and buy a new car that I was too young to drive–but I did it anyway.

Since then I have reinvented myself so many times I’ve lost count. It always starts the same way. I get an idea and I think, how hard could that be? It usually isn’t that hard. Whenever I get stuck I think there have been so many people who have done XX and they made it work, so can I.

I’ve had real jobs. The kind that when people hear about them they say ,”Wow!” I’m not saying I hated every one of them (usually I did) but they never really made me tick.

Being in business isn’t for everyone. I love it and I love marketing. Currently, I’m a full time author, full time professor at Cypress College (this is fun and I don’t consider it a job) and full time business woman. I own a winery, a design business, a children’s book publishing company, and a children’s audio book company. Whenever I’m asked if I work, I always say, “Not really.”

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Of all my businesses I am most proud of Dylan and Friends Publishing Company. This is how it started.

I write two series. One is the Dylan’s Dog Squad series. It is based on the true story of my dog Dylan, an American Cocker Spaniel. In the series, Dylan and two boys live in Brea, California, do search and rescue and solve mysteries all over the world. The underlying theme of the series is pet ownership and responsibility as well as the unbreakable bonds of friendship.

Never Believe is the second series. It is about Sage, a down and out junior con artist from Las Vegas, who is sent to live with family he never knew he had in Evansville, Connecticut. He thinks this is the end of the earth and plans on staying long enough to steal their car and their valuables and go to Florida–he’s actually a very funny kid. Sage hears about a nineteen-year-old murder with a million dollar reward. He figures for a million bucks he can stick around. Sadly, the murderer wants Sage very, very dead. (Life is not looking good for our hero.) The underlying theme is that it is never too late to be the person you want to be.

I was very excited when I finished my first book, Never Believe a Lie Twice. Then I found out a publishing company would take forty percent. And that was just the beginning of what it would cost to bring my book to my readers. Once again I thought, “How hard could this be?” So I started Dylan and Friends Publishing Company. Now, whenever I sell one of my books, I pay myself forty percent.

I know what it’s like to have a dream. I also know so many people who dream about someday but think it will never happen to them. Dylan and Friends Publishing Company is a team of talented, dedicated people and our only goal is to give our clients their someday–now.

We have a brand that we are very proud to maintain. Therefore we do not accept submissions with graphic violence, obscene language or edgy plots. Instead we look for stories that appeal to the heart. Stories that are so compelling from the beginning that the reader can’t wait to turn the page and then are so sad when they come to the end.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I grew up in England where children were seen and not heard–except in my family. I was expected to contribute some moment of my day at dinner time. All day long I would search for something to later share. It helped that I like people and I’m naturally snoopy. Sometimes I would share something I’d written at school.

Ed, my father, was Irish, a natural storyteller and liked my stories best. When Ed was in his late forties, he was diagnosed with cancer. There was no hope and he was hospitalized. I decided to write a story to take his mind off things. Every time I would visit I would read a chapter to him. Sadly he passed away before I could finish the book.

Years later I was at a very bad play. I mentioned to my friend that my book was better than the play. He laughed and said all writers say that. That prompted me to finish the book.

I submitted my book to the first agent I found and she accepted it–yay! She got an offer on the first try–yay again. I was so excited. I was going to be published. Then I found out the offer was to buy my book outright which meant it would no longer be mine. I was really torn. In the end I declined. I’d written the book for my father and I didn’t want to sell a memory.

No problem I thought. I would write another story. Well. What followed was a long road of rejections, raised hopes and unfulfilled promises.

Although there were more bumps in the road than not, the time wasn’t wasted. I learned as much as I could about the craft of writing, the difference between publishing and distribution and when to ask for help.

I learned that a talented person can do everything herself–and it will show. It is better to do what you do best and let others do what they do best.

The rocket was launched when I met my creative consultant. Her background is in marketing and advertising. I’m convinced if there is something she doesn’t know, it isn’t worth knowing. Every day I am grateful for her, her guidance and expertise. She became the first member of the Dylan and Friends Publishing team and we have grown our team since.

If I were to be asked for words of wisdom I would say it is important in this business to be kind, to be grateful and to always give more than you get.

We’d love to hear about how you met your business partner.

Continued from above.

I lost count of how many rejections I received from agents. Then one day I got tired of waiting for my luck to change. I decided it was time to make my own luck.

I belonged to a writers group and I knew one member slightly. He became self published a few years earlier and was doing very well. I decided to ask him for advice. He was helpful but he also admitted that Jynafer, his wife, was the one with the marketing/advertising talents. Then he said, “I’ll ask her if she has some time.”

That was four years ago. What began as simply helping to build my website snowballed into so much more. She is still my creative consultant (rather than my business partner — her choice). I trust her completely. Not only does that bring me peace of mind but it allows me to do what I do best.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.KathleenTroy.com www.DylanandFriendsPublishing.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleentroyauthor
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathleentroyauthor
• Linkedin: @Kathleen Troy

Image Credits

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