With an explosion in self-publishing, the steamrolling power of Amazon.com, and the demise of the trade show, publishing in America doesn’t look like it did even ten years ago. There has been a tremendous democratization of the publishing process almost across the board, which is exciting news for most authors. But in Mormonism, the consolidation of Deseret Book’s reach into both publishing and retail has actually put the squeeze on independent authors and publishers. What does the new “85/15” mix (the idea that 85% of the product in Deseret stores needs to be from Deseret Book) mean for independent publishers and authors? If it’s harder than ever to get distribution in Deseret’s retail stores, what other avenues are available for authors and publishers? What’s the next frontier in Mormon publishing?

This audio features a presenter who is in violation of our code of conduct. For more info on Tom Kimball and his history, click here for the January 14, 2023 statement.

Jana K. Riess, Greg Kofford, Christopher Bigelow, Tom Kimball