We recently connected with Reagan Rothe and have shared our conversation below.

Reagan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Absolutely. And as for a “regular job”—not a chance.
The thought of sitting in traffic or answering to a micromanager is all the motivation I need not to take Black Rose Writing for granted. Owning the business forces me to keep learning, stay flexible, and adapt to an industry that never stands still. There has only been one period of real uncertainty since we launched, during the early days of the eBook revolution. For a time, we questioned whether we would remain a print publisher at all. But eBooks—and later audiobooks—found their own space in the market, and print rebounded. That experience reinforced the importance of adaptability and long-term perspective in publishing.

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

Reagan Rothe is the founder and publisher of Black Rose Writing, a Texas-based independent press focused on discovering and championing distinctive voices across a broad range of genres. He entered publishing to build the kind of press he believed authors deserved—one that combines professional standards with transparency, responsiveness, and genuine collaboration. Black Rose Writing provides hands-on, flexible publishing support from acquisition and editorial development through design, production, distribution, and marketing, ensuring each book launches professionally and reaches its intended audience. What sets the press apart is its author-first culture: a close-knit, supportive community paired with clear communication and realistic expectations. Reagan is most proud of the trust Black Rose Writing has earned and its reputation for consistently producing high-quality, reader-ready titles while treating authors as partners rather than inventory.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

We made all the early mistakes on social media—posting too much promotional content and expecting engagement in return. What finally worked was shifting to authentic posts that either entertained, informed, or added real value. Whether you’re a business owner or an author, asking people to buy something or take action before you’ve earned their trust is ineffective and often counterproductive. It alienates followers and trains them to ignore you. The better approach is to engage consistently, share relevant and meaningful content, and build credibility first. Once that trust is established, occasional promotional posts are not only acceptable—they’re expected.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In college, I had no intention of becoming an author, editor, or publisher. My focus was athletics—I played Division I collegiate golf and had a verbal scholarship. After a serious injury, I lost that scholarship and had to earn it back while still injured. I didn’t make the team, which at the time felt like a defining failure, since golf had always been central to my identity. That setback unexpectedly created some “freedom.” With more time, I began working for the university’s newspaper and entertainment magazine, writing and editing sports coverage and publishing a weekly mystery short story. What began as a negative became a discovery and a positive in my life (I didn’t even know how big it was at the time). Without that injury and forced change in direction, I may never have found my passion for writing and the literary world. I didn’t fully step into publishing until later in life, but that experience was a critical pivot—one that reshaped my career and ultimately led to Black Rose Writing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.blackrosewriting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackrosewriting/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackrosewriting
• Twitter: https://x.com/brwpublisher
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTfqw5JmSKCHlEgVdkYalMw/featured