From Leadship Books to Erotic Fiction: A Real Conversation (feat. Anthony Scott)

 Introduction: The Artist's Dilemma

As an artist, whatever your instrument is, whatever your tool, you have to make a decision Somewhere along the line. Is the work for your own consumption, for your own catharsis, for your own, release, or is it for mass consumption? If your intent is to release it for yourself, then just keep going. If your intent is to release it for an audience, just keep going, but do your due diligence so that that way you put out a quality product. And be humble

Welcome to Travel Time Stories

Welcome to Travel Time Stories with Shannon, the podcast where real journeys meet real stories and real healing happens one conversation at a time. I'm your host Shannon, coming to you from the Lone Star state of Texas. Some weeks I open up and share pieces of my own life story from travel adventures to the winding road of healing and personal growth.

Other weeks. I'm joined by my best friend and co-host Ann from the show Me State of Missouri as we sit down with special guests to share their experiences, insights, and expertise to help all of us along our own journeys. Today am joined by co-host Ann. 

Meet Tony: A Multifaceted Journey

We're excited to welcome author Anthony Scott to the show, Tony, as he prefers to be called. 

Keep it simple..

Yeah exactly. Keep it simple. Tony has worn many hats over the years, Marine Corps veteran attorney, public speaker, writer, and publisher, and is someone who brings a lot of honesty and depth into the stories he tells. He reminds us that reading feeds the soul and that sometimes the stories we write are born from the journeys that we've lived.

Tony, we're so glad you're here. This already feels like one of those conversations that could go long, but in the best way. 

Hey, 

thank you for having me. Yeah, I go out of my way not to take myself seriously because I have to be serious so much, and I don't read my own publicity, so I'm a complete and utter goofball.

I promise to give you that as well as hopefully give you some insights and some uplift just like I plan on receiving it. So thank you. 

Yeah this is very much a pull up a chair kind of episode, guys, 

I got a 

chair. 

I'm in it. 

Before we get into writing in books, let's start with you, Tony, for listeners meeting you for the first time, how do you usually describe who you are and the work that you do?

Okay. 

I see what you did. You kind of hit with deep questions right out of the gate. 

You are so interesting. 

I appreciate it. See, I'm blushing already. I am someone who is annoyingly self-deprecating, so despite actually writing, publishing and public speaking,  it's still a challenge to talk about myself if I go down the resume, right?

You think my life has been pristine. But if I go into my background, Shannon, you read the book so you know, some of my background, then I sound like I'm giving an afterschool special, or Boys in the Hood sequel, something to that effect. So the short version. 

Tony's Early Life and Career

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. Moved very early to East Cleveland, Ohio, which historically was known as millionaires row.

A lot of Rockefellers were here now, fast forward, unfortunately it's a city that's trying to rebound itself, but it's had a lot of neglect and decay over the decades, so that kind of colored the pattern of my youth. A lot of violence around us, A lot of people. Losing their lives, operating under their potential people, spending time incarcerated.

That was my circle, that was my family. By God's grace, they kept me out of it, for the most part. I mean, you deal with some violence here or there, but made it  out  with my life and with, A good head on my shoulder. I like to believe started college, failed out really quick. There should be records for how quickly I failed out of my first semester college.

It's amazing. Went to the Marine Corps, was in the Marines for eight years during what I affectionately called daddy's war. So Desert Storm Desert Shield, endured hope, endure freedom. During that time, got my head together, my firstborn child came here, that helped get me together, came back home to Cleveland, finished my undergrad, my master's, and my law degree, practiced law for a brief period of time, both at a firm, at a public interest organization, and then in my own firm for a few years before I took a position at the city of Cleveland, where I still practiced for a few years, but then I shifted.

Into management and leadership over a couple of different roles, and now I am the Director of Housing and Community Development for Cuyahoga Counties. We're the umbrella over 59 municipalities in Cuyahoga County. That's the role. Somewhere in the midst of all of that, dad, granddad, dog, dad. Public speaker, author across two genres.

Very active in mentoring and in the community of my local organizations, including a member of the greatest fraternity in the world. Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated. So the Q Dogs, it keeps me busy, but I'm blessed to serve and I remind that and try and live with a attitude of gratitude. Because I could not have the opportunities that I have.

I could not be sitting here talking to you wonderful ladies. And that would make me sad attitude of gratitude, even with my Cleveland Browns cup, because we suck. 

Very sad too, if you weren't sitting here with us this evening talking to us. So I just wanna say thank you so much for your service coming from a military family.

I know how important service is and I know the sacrifice that each and every, not just the service member themselves, but the families of the service members have to endure. I really appreciate that. 

Thank you. I appreciate it. And thank you for being in your capacity in a military family. 'cause to your point, you do all sacrifice.

And thank you for having me. Most importantly 

absolutely. So what part of your story feels most important for people to understand before they read your work? 

 my story is my story, right? Everyone's story is unique. Mine is not the worst, most complex, most challenged, but as Maya Angelou said, life for me ain't been no crystal stair either.

So I think what's important to me is appreciate from humble beginnings to a spot where I have a very enviable resume. A lot of people might perceive that I've made it, but I still stay very grounded, very humble. I wrote imposter syndrome from a place that, that was my reality. It can still be my reality some days, but for the most part, as the, actual title is.

I've overcome imposter syndrome, but it's an intentional, concerted effort to always reframe your perspective, take that moment, breathe, relax, and then go into it having been prepared and confident, but that's not who I was most of my life. It's honestly, despite what the resume might have looked like, it's really only been the last eight to five years that I've really gotten.

To this healthier place. And so just continue to stay the course, continue to navigate, try to find fulfillment, try to find your authentic space. Who are you really? And don't put yourself in positions where you can't be your authentic self. Sure. We have to be cognizant of our social surroundings, our political, our professional.

You have to navigate in a little bit of code switching, but if you lose sight of who you are. Nah, move on. it's not for you. 

Mm-hmm. 

That relationship, that job is not for you. what's the scripture? Say What profit, demand to gain the whole world, but to lose its soul. And if you are not yourself, you've lost the soul.

You may have a couple of extra pennies in the bank, but if you don't like what you see in the mirror, don't even go through that. I lived that existence for a long time that I literally loathed myself. I was not a fan of myself. Oftentimes I put a lot of effort into trying to make the world better, to make me forget that I didn't even like my internal shell.

But now there's a better balance, right? A better homeostasis. And so I'm blessed. I have a good family. I have a good village, beautiful wife, I'm now her plus one. 

I love that. 

Mental Health and Personal Growth

So Tony, you've been really open about, you know, growing up around family mental health challenges. We talk about that a lot here on our show because there are so many out there that carry that quietly.

Yes. 

yeah, it, shapes you in ways that you don't realize until much later in life. 

Mm-hmm. 

I didn't have the benefit of coming to those epiphanies as an adult. Came from a family where mental health was pervasive. Both my mom and my grandmother had mental health challenges, and so I was very cognizant of it and her mental health ebbed and flowed over the decades first year of law school.

Moved her into a apartment, myself and a classmate. She had a breakdown at night, never lived on her own again, and that was probably. The last six years of her life before she passed away in 2012, she passed away from what's known as Failure to Thrive, which you know, was not the DSM five definition, but it's essentially you lose the will to live couple of suicide attempts.

So for me, it was something that. I can't say I've never thought about it, but it's all because of a, a greater appreciation for the higher power and the legacy. And I read Dante's in front of that. Doesn't sound very exciting, you know?

 No, 

you kill yourself, if you're at the bottom, you know, 

right. 

That kind of sucks.

You're in the worst place ever and you're at the bottom. So for those reasons, you know, continue to try to navigate beyond that, but also a part of it. Is as time went on, got the help I needed, right? Stopped avoiding getting a true diagnosis. And then I did, and it was PTSD, anger management, anxiety disorder.

You know, there was a period, season if you would, of taking meds. Thankfully, that's not my reality. Now, identifying your triggers, you know, writing is part of it. This not a trigger obviously, but the catharsis. This is the result of it. And so being able to navigate beyond that. One thing I learned about after I wrote imposter syndrome, I was at a conference in August and it was a women's conference, and I was being applauded for writing this.

And I never looked at it as something that men don't discuss. It just never dawned on me. It was just a human condition. There may be certain pieces about the plight of a woman who's navigating it. That's looks different than a man. In my mind that was no different than going to the restroom. We both go, we just go different.

It didn't occur to me that it was a taboo or unspoken topic for men, but I realized it quickly. It's because of the vulnerability. Right? The societal pressures. The gender pressure, you don't realize that there is a space to be vulnerable, that it's okay to cry and not say, you know, the air ducts are dirty and and your eyes are watering.

So all of that, I would say these last five years have kind of been the penultimate experience, the transition out of someone who's suffering. Versus someone that's navigating and then not just surviving, but actually thriving and being comfortable enough to talk about the journey. Because if people look at me and they think that I have it figured out, I don't to be clear, like I said, I'm a goofball, screw up.

I acknowledge that there's been challenges, and those challenges can be infectious into the rest of your life. They can either help you succumb and to go through ordeals obstacles, barriers, impediments that prevent you from succeeding, or that can be part of your foundation, part of your armor that allows you to stand upright and lean into the fight and have more tools on how to navigate it.

It's been a unintended blessing to have to navigate that challenge. 

Yeah. But when you reflect back now, you've learned so much. Right. 

Yeah. I mean, it's, it's imperative to give that back, right, 

exactly. 

My publishing company name, and it was named before that for my consulting company and it's ISI publishing, ISI derived from Proverbs 27 17.

As iron sharpens iron, social shall, a, man sharpen the continents of his friend, obviously man or woman, but. If you know it, you have an obligation to pass it off. And then just like swords, they're forged against each other. They stand ready to be able to be a barrier, to be a guard, but then they also sharpen each other, so they're both more effective on their own.

The lessons are no longer just mine. They belong there. Anybody else that reads these materials or here's one of these conversations like I'm fortunate to have with you. 

Yeah, exactly. And as someone who has also dealt with mental health illness in their family, I've gone through that myself with family members.

And also my oldest son suffers from a mental health disorder. He has bipolar schizophrenia. I think for me. As a child dealing with mental health, it created this sense of responsibility early on. 

Yeah. 

Like you grow up faster than you're supposed to. Because you kind of have to take on this, caregiver role also.

For me, it made me equate the caregiver role with love. if you're not in that caregiver role, then you're not. Showing and giving love. 

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. 

Yeah. 

I completely get it. And it is, it's not intentional, so I don't wanna use the word unfair, but it is a bit unfair when you have to take on that maternal or that matriarch or that patriarch role when you're still a child, and that, that was my experience very early on as well.

At the time, did you really realize how much that upbringing was shaping you, or did that clarity come later? 

It 

came much later in my own journey as an adult. Yeah. 

So your path hasn't been linear, I mean Marine Corps attorney, leadership, writing, publishing. At what point did you realize, oh, I don't have to fit in just one box?

Very recently, I actually, I'm 53 and I finally have gotten to what I believe is a space where I'm confident enough. That I'm not trying to really conform. Once I stopped being apologetic from my story, realizing that, as I said earlier, becomes part of your armor, that's when I started standing a bit more, more proud, more tall, a bit more authentic.

At one point I had to say what I've accomplished. I had to, because I felt I had to say what my credentials were. I had to remind people of who I was. And that in large part was a bit of imposter syndrome because not only are you telling them, and they may see it, they may completely respect who you are, what you are beyond the titles.

But I still didn't see it, so I had to convey it to them. But within the last few years, my buddies, my friends, a lot of 'em have been able to say that they see the true transformation in me. I actually spy now where I used to just constantly just look like all the time they credit my wife. I can't quantify how invaluable she's been in this maturation, this transition into someone that's.

Genuinely happier  and more confident and authentic. But I never give her all the credit. 'cause I'm the one that had to identify what was the trauma. I say there's four steps as it pertains to overcoming imposter syndrome. You gotta realize something's wrong, right? then in that space, that's when you start doing the introspection and realizing this might be what it is.

And that's how I came to appreciate. What imposter syndrome was, and that second step, I had to find a name for it. And then once you got a name for it, you start doing the work to unearth it. You either remove that soil, you add soil to it to make it fertile. It's not completely dead, if you would till it.

You allow it to grow and then it develops into something beautiful. But then you gotta maintain it, right? You gotta go weed it, you gotta treat it. You gotta put your liners in, you gotta do whatever it is to come back and make sure that it's still growing in the way that it was supposed to be. So that's only been largely in the last five to eight years where I finally started believing in my own hype.

One thought to that if I may. I was around 21, 22. I started referring to myself. In a more positive manner, even if I didn't feel that way, and I don't mean I was talking about myself in third person or anything like that. No. But I just started acknowledging that I was going to do more than what I actually felt I was gonna do.

I've been saying recently, you know what, actually this persona I created, I've been existing in that space longer than the time. I wasn't that person. So I finally started realizing it. I actually wasn't faking it, which is imposter syndrome, right? Lemme clarify, you're not faking it, but you feel like you're faking it and that everyone else will realize you're faking it.

So in that space, I realized I wasn't faking that I was becoming, it just took some time to see. In the mirror. What other saw? 

Yeah, 

you'll appreciate the project that I'm working on.  I'm working on two in that adult space, so it will have trigger warnings, but it's erotic horror. It's a paranormal sex club.

Definitely would love to read that. 

Okay 

I'm having a lot of fun writing that one. So as you talk about authenticity, that was. An even greater gateway to authenticity. Obviously, I can't market it on all platforms. I exist for obvious reasons, 

right? 

But I am putting it out there and trying to be as, conservative with it as I can.

But yeah, that one I'm having fun with. 

I would have fun writing. Something like that. That's really good. 

Writing and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

So let's talk about your writing. 

Yes. 

What first pulled you toward writing? Was it to process, to teach or share a story or maybe a combination of all? 

So the first book I was working on was called Raising Jeremiah.

I still have it. This was in 2014. It's a fiction book, has a lot of autobiographical components woven into it, and I did not have the mental aptitude to navigate how deep I was going into some of this. But at that point, for whatever reason, the bug it hit and I wanted to keep writing.

So the first book, if I can do a shameless plug. This was the first book. It's called Unlocking Potential Insights, tips and Strategies for Young Black Professionals, and there's a companion workbook to it over there as well in the African-American community. We still stay very active in our fraternities, even into our post-collegiate life.

My organization, the Omegas, have been in existence since 1911, and we're still very much involved. I offer that context to show that we spend a lot of time with each other and in mentoring our younger brothers. I spend a lot of time talking to my younger brothers and oftentimes repeating myself.

I got to the point where two is my magic number. I'll say it twice and I'm done. In that spirit of repetition, I said, you know what? Let me start chronicling some of these things that I can pass it on and people can ingest it when they want to or they can revisit it as they're in a space to navigate it.

Trying to tell this academic nonfiction journey in some level of chronology didn't work so. That had me stuck for years. I just kept dabbling in it. I didn't have the commitment or the discipline 'cause I didn't know what I would ever do with it. It's just me writing. And then creator gave me the insight to stop trying to make it chronological.

That's an unnecessary barrier, and just do it alphabetically. It talks about things such as appearance, authenticity, career leadership, emotional intelligence. That's where imposter syndrome came from. 'cause it is a chapter within that first book. But then I realized was so much more prevalent, so much more pervasive that I said I need to carve out a piece of that.

And that's the next book. Finally, in 22, 23, I sat down with it and it was New Year's Eve evening, December 31st, 2024. My wife and I were with friends in Vegas to bring in the new year. I told her I am not going outside until I hit enter on this pre-release on that night before nine o'clock Vegas time, which was before midnight Here I hit it.

It was available on pre-order at that time, so unlocking potential. I had it available December 1st, few days earlier 'cause I did the indie publishing and I didn't know what the hell I was doing, so I ended up releasing it. A few days earlier, I duplicated the same mistake with overcoming imposter syndrome, but that was the writing journey.

I'm one of those people. I asked the why. Why do we do it this way? Because we've always done it. I, that doesn't work for me. I wanna know all the inner workings. So least it put it out there. The marketing part sucks. I hate marketing. God, it's so painful. Nonetheless, have had various levels of success with that.

So much of imposter syndrome had already been written because I clawed it out the first book that it was there, but it would've been an exceptionally shorter book and much less relevant to people, different spaces in places in their life. If I didn't go out and interview other people. I can't talk about the experience of a Nigerian black woman who's 24 and was a child prodigy.

Remember, I'm the guy that failed out. I failed outta college quickly, so I can't talk about that story. But her story was relevant. Conversely, the young lady who was  a Latina, had a similar experience and she got her bar results. I was able to point that out in the book. But anyway, those gave more.

Substance to it. And I was so glad that I was able to,  receive that insight to do so. And I think that's what's really touched people. They'll always be a first right. Unlocking potential. Love it. 

Mm-hmm. 

But overcoming imposter syndrome I think has really resonated with people a lot more. It's continuing to build momentum, even though I released it, I want to say August.

There's still speaking engagements coming from out of it. People are still asking questions about it. So I think if nothing else, if I stopped writing tomorrow, I think that one has been impactful in some people's lives. When I look at where it started with raising Jeremiah, that's been a very serendipitous journey.

Full 180, but I'm gonna keep going. There's a, another nonfiction one that I'm working on along with the fiction that is about. 75% done. So that'll be probably a third quarter release, if not fourth quarter. And right now I'm just having fun with the fiction and I am going to finish writing raising Jeremiah that's on my agenda to release on 2027, if not 2028.

You heard him guys. You heard him say that, right? So you gotta do it now. 

I'll commit to it. They'll be raising Jeremiah and the nonfiction that'll drop this year is called a fitting 25 into 24 Time Energy and Boundary management for high achievers. 

nice. Well, since we were talking about overcoming imposter syndrome, this is the book.

I'm gonna do a plug for you right here. I have read the book and I'm actually passing it along to my youngest son for him to read because after reading it, I told him. I think this is a book you really need to read. I think it'll really help you. So he's, committed to reading it next. 

Thank you. 

Like you were just saying, this book really spoke to me.

I have suffered with imposter syndrome for many, many years. I think a lot of people I know. Suffer from imposter syndrome. You talk in here about the code switching. My other best friend and sister Kristen, I did not know anything about code switching until she and I were colleagues together working just to throw it out there.

And be honest, I don't have a lot of experience with the black community, black friends, Kristen. It's pretty much one of my only black friends. I have learned so much from her. She has taught me so much about the black community, and I really have a deep love and respect for it. Now, she taught me about code switching.

I didn't even know what that was. When she first started talking to me about it. I started looking back in experiences that I had had with other people and realizing, oh, wow. I could see where they were code switching and it really was eyeopening. One of the other things you talk about is how if you're in a company or a place and it's no longer good for you or productive for you, you can't be your authentic self.

Then you just need to move on. And the company that she and I were working for, that's what was happening with her. 

Yeah, 

she was going through that and I was trying to stand up with her and advocate for her and try to make change happen. And no matter what we did, it wasn't working. She was able to have the strength to say, okay, I need to move on.

And now she's in a much better place, a much better position, and she's able to be her authentic self and that is amazing. I love that for her. 

Yeah, love too. Love it. Tour as well. I love it. Tour as well. Code switching is real biases. Implicit, explicit, overt, covert. Your own perceptions versus reality. It's all real.

You have to navigate it. You know you can't get around it. It's real. It's just that simple. you have to figure out the game and you gotta know how to navigate. It's that simple, and sitting at home being in a space where you just acknowledge something is wrong versus trying to navigate it, if you could change it, you could change it.

I am blessed to be a black male from the hood who oversees a county department that actually has the autonomy. To generate policies, to allocate funds towards communities that have been disinvested. I don't take that responsibility lightly. I don't take it lightly at all, and I appreciate that. I'm in a position to try to be impactful to people that look like me that might not have had an opportunity.

I'd be remiss if I wasn't explicitly clear. That's not to the detriment of other whatever identifiers, 

right? 

If I'm a black male, that doesn't mean that I'm setting aside things to the exclusive benefit of black males. That's not what I'm suggesting, but what I can do. Is make sure that anytime that there's funds to put on the street to try to move towards housing development, down payment assistance, home repair, rehab programs, emergency room, I can cast that net wide and ensure that those that may not have been the traditional just 'cause you're the major player in the room.

No, we're gonna look at that small business as well. Small business enterprises, veteran business enterprise, minority business enterprises, women, business enterprises, we're gonna look at all of them with the same level of equity. You find what balances, the stakes, right? I'm empowered to do that, but again, it's not lost on me where I came from and that I've had to know how to code switch that I've had to make compromises.

Now I'm at a place where I can be my authentic self. I still understand code switch. 

Embracing Authenticity and Overcoming Marginalization

I still have situational awareness, but I can stand in front of someone and say, nah, that's bull. Here's what it is, and here's why. Being in that space to be your authentic self, love that for myself the same way I love for your friend Shannon to be.

Able to be her authentic self because if you're being your authentic self, you see the impact you can generate. And you're nine to five or you're five to nine. And so when you're a marginalized person, it'd be clear mar the marginalization is not just based off of color, sex, sexual orientation, it's also socioeconomic.

It's neurodivergent. It is body types because we know we have a shallow society. In the book, I said, who is this book written for? The marginalized. Which of those I just mentioned, the onlys in the room, right? The only woman in the room, the only older woman, the only younger woman, the only woman of color, the only trans person, someone that's within the LGBTQIA plus community.

That's all of our marginalized communities. But again, the marginalized, the onlys, the first generation, it's for them. And ironically, the high achievers people who may not appreciate that, those who feel the pressure of being a high achiever, you have to operate to maintain it, You have to do all of that.

And a lot of that comes with any of those groups having the code switch. To assimilate to whatever is the majority, the masses, until such time as they come to the knowledge of themselves, right? Knowledge of self. To say, no, I don't have to stand for that. I don't have to accept your passive aggressiveness.

I don't need to, receive your blatant disrespect. All of that is a reality that impacts how you show up. And unfortunately. If you are any of those marginalized groups, you internalize it and so you now self-hate as much as others hate on you. But that is me living in my authenticity. 

Transitioning from Nonfiction to Erotic Fiction

Now we need to talk about the pivot because nonfiction to erotic fiction,

 yeah.

That 

definitely wasn't on the bingo card. Yeah. What inspired that switch? 

You said we weren't preparing right? So. You were like, I thought I was gonna shock him. What the hell? 

Well, to add to her question. 

Mm-hmm. 

Was the switch inspired by your past, should I say, one of your past jobs as a dancer? Maybe. 

I mean, it's all part of who I am, you see, I, threw it in there, but I threw it in there in four lines, in a paragraph I believe.

That piece was something that I did for many years in order to help pay for college. So there was a point in time when I treated that as my third job, while I had two others. That was all part of it. And that's why it was important to say that within the book, because it's part of my story and it's part of why I looked in myself as lesser than How did you do this?

And you have the audacity to think that you can go off and lead. X, Y, Z spaces. So that is part of my experience, and that's just me organically as part of being a person, right? That's not who I am now. But I also realized in my writing journey that a lot of people actually don't like nonfiction. They look at it as a form of escapism.

And I started realizing that there's. These genres of dark romance, erotica, spicy, if you would, or just smut. And that's another avenue of expression. It is monetizable to be clear, but then it's also putting things out. So the first book, the one that's out now as a ebook? Yes, Mrs. Smith It's a bit of a test, right?

It's a novella. It's less than a hundred pages, and it creates the origin of a story where you can understand. When I give you Aaron Simon in books two and three of the series, it's called More Money Than Time Series. When you see who he is in book two and three, you understand who he was. You'll either appreciate the transition that came.

After this quintessential moment, I'm not gonna spoil it, but there's a moment in time that occurs in the first book that as you keep reading it, two and three, you'll see who he was and you'll either understand why he goes the direction he does or why he didn't go the direction, right. So that's the challenge.

And it's a way to go into the psychological. Piece of it. what experiences make or break or make or alter who you are in the same space. I can have fun with it. It's monetizable, as I said, and it's a space, it's a need. People enjoy reading fiction and as part of who I am and as part of this whole conversation of authenticity.

So in that authenticity is me having the audacity to say, I'm this person. I'm also this person, I believe very much in duality. I'm reworking my website if you go on it. Now, the first page literally speaks about authenticity. It's literally a photo of me in two very explicitly different, spaces, you know, hoodie and a cigar suit and tie.

so I lean into that, you know, so that's what it is, right? Is just leaning into that, that duality, that authenticity. Being my true organic self and being able to show that, not just me, but we can all be multifaceted. We're not monolithic by any stretch of the imagination. 

We don't have to pick a lane and stay in it like 

no.

People try to tell you. 

Right. 

First, first time you saw your book, published your own book. 

Mm-hmm. 

Your name on it, the title that you chose. Is it weird? 

This is my author copy of the first book. It's marked up. It's where if I'm utilizing this book and author talk, this is normally with me. I didn't do that with the second one.

I still had the same affection and affinity, but I think the first day that I went, I didn't have the author book when I did the release, and so it didn't carry that same. I don't wanna say significance. That doesn't sound quite right. It didn't become the token, right. This became the token. 

Right.

You know, that book is taking on a different, meaning, it's taking on a different growth. But this is where it started from this sample copy. So, yeah, it was surreal. the irony is like, who did I think I was, but my book signings, both of the releases went very well, very well attended. And it became a great experience.

And so yeah, it's still surreal, right, that I'm talking to you ladies in Texas and Missouri about my work. You know, it's still surreal, but it is not imposter system. 

Yeah. 

I did the work. I'm here, I have something to offer and we can vibe off each other to learn and share based off it. So yeah, but it was surreal.

It was definitely surreal. 

I love that 

for you. 

Yeah. 

Thank you. 

Me too. That's exciting. So you also self-publish? 

Yes. 

What made you decide to self-publish, and how has that been for you? 

I'm a Virgo and a control freak.

I mean, that's a part of it. I had some of the conversations and navigated the journey. Of trying to decide self-published hybrid or utilizing a publisher, and I didn't spend a lot of time trying to navigate that. What I told myself is I would at least release one self-publishing, so I had it a comparative basis, but then I found that I enjoyed the process.

It's a lot of work and I have had challenges navigating the right marketing strategy. It still has its challenges, right? 

Yeah. 

But as I'm sitting here, at least today, there's nine reviews. You know, that's a lot to navigate. No matter what you do, you're still at the mercy of someone else. I've done services where you read their books anonymously.

They read yours anonymously. But I wanna read what I actually wanna read. I don't wanna read what I have to read. When I was on that service, I didn't find a lot of. Books by people that look like me and for me, and that's not all I read, but I'd like to have an option too, 

right? 

it's had its challenges.

The scammers are the most annoying thing in the world. God so annoying. But you start learning to recognize it right out of somewhere. Someone's like, oh, I read your book, it's the greatest thing in the world. And you're like, no, you didn't. I'm monitoring my sales and unfortunately they're small enough.

During this week that I would notice, you want to believe that someone authentically cares about your work. So thank you ladies. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You want to believe someone authentically cares, but you see it coming. And so now, at least with over a year in this space, I know when it's coming, but you still gotta try to build your following and build it organically and try to excite people about your work.

You know, and that takes time. And if you're not a patient person, then that's challenging. I've learned patience in this process, just like I learned patience to get to this point. Those was just some negatives, but to know that I had this idea and I took it to completion to where it's a published product and I didn't just stop here, I navigated the technological pieces as well as the marketing.

I'm booking events, I'm having opportunities to speak to people, and there's a general interest in a community that evolves from out of that that is such an affirming and uplifting feeling to do that and to hope that you can pour into others. At this point, I'm only working with the two artists, right?

Anthony, Scott and t Scott. But there may be a day where I can take on others projects and help them. But I've already been in spaces to work with people, talk with people, do some beta reads, offer some insights. It's a great experience. I look forward to what will continue to be. I know it's now a part of my life if I'm done writing, I'm still have these books in the universe and maybe in a position to speak about them to people that find them later on, as well as to be able, as I said, to help others bring their creations.

I love it. I don't foresee a world where I wanna go in a traditional publishing when it's someone that doesn't take the time to know me, right? I'm an I-S-B-N and that's it. I'm an A-S-I-N and that's it. Versus this is Anthony Scott, or this is T Scott, or whatever the third personality is. That'll show up one day.

The Role of Beta and ARC Readers

Let's talk beta 

readers. 

People hear the term. 

Mm-hmm. 

That may not necessarily 

know what it means. 

Mm-hmm. 

Sure. So a beta reader and ARC readers are people, they can be compensated. That's not the model I use, but it's people who provide a service to the author they do. So ideally for the love of reading and supporting authors, I know there's a certain level of pride.

In being part of a team that reads something in advance and is able to give line edits, developmental edits. Not so much punctuation, but I've had people that did that as well. So that's a beta reader. You, do your due diligence as a author. You edit it as thoroughly as you can. You format it as effectively as you can, at least do what you should be doing to the best of your ability.

I had a very positive experience with my beta readers overall. There were some that were nonresponsive. Unfortunately, that's just part of the craft. 'cause you're asking somebody to take time out of their life to support your vision and however well intended, it just doesn't always work or doesn't fit within your timeframe.

 but I had quite a few beta readers that. Didn't realize that most of, yes, Mrs. Smith is a recollection and I'm not giving any spoilers here. You see this very quickly. It's in the book. It tells you who Aaron Simon is. He's a Wall Street executive as well as a sought after professor, but he is also a internationally recognized male escort.

This is his origin story. What happened at this one chance encounter in college? That turned him into that person. But even that, you start from knowing he's that person, but you don't really know who he is as a human being until you get into books two and three. So you know who he was came from, Midwest.

Good guy. Overall mannerable, little naive. Sure. He's that guy. What happens to him after You have to stay tuned to read. 

I can't wait. 

You'll have to read. The intent is I'm working feverishly to release books two and three of that and also of another book, which will be a two-parter and it's called The Vault.

And Shannon and I were talking about this. Unfortunately, when you had your tech issues and that is a erotic horror. So it's based in a, adult lifestyle club that is actually paranormal. So some things will occur on the natural level. Some things will go to the supernatural level. I'm gonna give you a spoiler.

Aaron's chance encounter happens in the vault. 

Oh, okay. So it's 

actually, this is foreshadowing to two worlds in the same universe. People did not realize that it was just short story. Reflective novella, and I've still dealt with that a little bit in the release because people are going to the sex scenes and they're not paying attention.

I mean, the prologue in the first chapter make it clear, this is reflective. People still miss this. After about a day or two, it only released last week on the eighth, I had to reformat it so that when people first go to it, they see the trigger warnings. They see the author's note that says it's a moment in time versus a prolonged deep dive it's plot like for that purpose.

An ARC Reader stands for Advanced Reader copy, where you give a person a copy of the book in advance of your release, so that way they read it. The ask of them is that they leave a honest review on good reads. And or Amazon. So Amazon is the most viewable. I'm not trying to be a spokesperson for them. 'cause there are challenges with Amazon, but it gives you the most accessible platform into not only the US but internationally, 

everywhere.

Mm-hmm. 

Yeah, most of us publish at least on Amazon, if not exclusively on Amazon, and so it's imperative to put those views on there once it's released or in very short proximity afterwards because you're trying to take advantage of the buzz, right? 

Mm-hmm. 

They're putting things on social media. I'm very appreciative that some of my ARC readers not only left reviews on those two platforms.

As well as they may have put publicity up on their social medias, their TikTok, their Facebook, so forth and so on. 

Oh, nice. 

I actually have a post scheduled for tomorrow that's talking about that and shows snippets throughout the clip. So if you get a chance, take a look at that. That'll be on either Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok.

But that in essence is what the ARC reader is. They help you capitalize on the momentum. of a release. I think I saw something where it's about 7% of people that read your book will leave a review. but those are things that help get you to recognition. They help navigate the respective algorithms. So it's all this cycle, right?

It's all a ecosystem that you have to try to do all pieces. As well as your podcast, your public appearances, book signings, things of that nature. That's the marketing piece that I'm navigating. It has its challenges, especially when you have a nine to five job. But you know we make time. 

Yeah, 

we do. 

So how do you actually find the beta readers?

It's all part of the community, right? The book talk community is great. The Bookstagram community, the groups on Facebook, things that I do. Market on LinkedIn, those titles, that's another resource. Your network, right. I've had at least a quarter of my beta readers and or ARC readers of people that I know in my personal life.

So it's just trying to identify all the avenues where people may be interested in what you're working on. There is, as we know, a community of people that are very supportive. of Indie authors try to identify that community and keep track of them. 

Advice for Aspiring Writers

So if someone listening has a story in them, but keeps saying, I'm not a writer, what would you say to them?

You are a writer. You just may not be a published writer As an artist, whatever your instrument is, whatever your tool, you have to make a decision. Somewhere along the line is the work for your own consumption, for your own catharsis, for your own, release, or is it for mass consumption? If your intent is to release it for yourself, then just keep going.

If your intent is to release it for an audience, just keep going, but do your due diligence so that that way you put out a quality product. And be humble. You know, I'll say it here. Shannon said it before we recorded, but she identified two mistakes that she found in the book. I said, let me know because that gives me an opportunity to reformat and put it out there.

At this point, now I am honing my craft to do my own formatting so that it's meticulous. I wanna do like my covers. I did the covers for overcoming Imposter syndrome. I did the covers for unlocking potentials with my wife's assistance. Yes, Mrs. Smith. I did that cover the sequel. If you read the book, you'll see what the next two books are and you'll see the covers.

I did those. I asked for input, but I designed those myself. So you wanna hone your craft, right? You wanna do your diligence, you wanna make sure what the fans might think. If you're talking public consumption, do your due diligence, but just keep going, right? Be organized. I put time on the calendar, I'm gonna dedicate an hour to my craft this day.

If you just don't have the creativity, just start keys to keyboard. Abba Cadabba Abba Cadabba. Just be disciplined. Set the focus. And once you achieve that level of discipline, then you may realize that, okay, this is a day that I cannot give to that part of the craft, but this is a day for the business. It's 8 35 here.

There's no way, shape, or form that I am now going to. Sit here and write My exercise bike is here. I'm not gonna do that either. I'm gonna go back upstairs, I'm gonna eat and I'm gonna squeeze in time with the wife and the, okay. That's part of the craft. That's part of being, as we talked about, being an independently published author, you have to do all of that.

So if someone wants to do it, just do it. As you're doing it, you identify who your audience is. If it is commercial, you try to market to them, but still try to stay true to yourself. Don't put out something that you think is trash just because you think that they'll like it. Be true to yourself and just get it out there.

What's one mistake that you see new writers make and maybe what's something that they're doing right that they don't even realize that, that they're doing? Right. 

I'm still a new writer, so I guess I, I can offer from firsthand observation, particularly as a. Dual personality. What I see in myself is impatience is still impatience, right?

Being hard on yourself, so it's giving yourself a little bit of grace as a challenge. being patient.. Work the process. Don't spend a thousand years on what could be done in a hundred right? Analysis paralysis. Get it out there, but don't cut corners. To the point that you are not doing your due diligence. Find that balance where you do your due diligence, but you don't suffer from analysis paralysis.

Very good advice. Thank you, 

Tony. We've been talking for quite a long time now because this has been a great conversation. It's not been like an interview. It's just been really friend to friend conversation. I feel like. 

I appreciate it. I love it. I appreciate that. But hopefully I've given you enough to be able to put some things in the universe that will allow people to be, 

fulfilled and edified.

So again, thank you for the blessing of this opportunity. 

Yeah, thank you. 

Absolutely. From your mouth to God's ears about that. 

Exactly. 

Amen. 

where can people find your books and follow what you're working on next? I need to know. I'm ready to start reading. 

I'm ready for you too. There's obviously the opportunity to find me on my website, which is www.isipublishingllc.com.

So again, www.isipublishing.com and on my webpage, that will take you to all the other different platforms such as the link tree the LinkedIn and things of that nature. I try to put events on there to the extent they require registration. The four different platforms that have  yes, Mrs. Smith as a ebook.

Opportunities to sign up to be a ARC or beta reader All of those things are on the Link Tree. Great place to start is my website. and that could take you to my Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and 

TikTok. 

Awesome. we will definitely make sure that everything is linked in the show notes. 



And you said Yes, Mrs. Smith. It's out now, right? 

Yes. Mrs. Smith is out now. It released, ebook on Amazon, Kobo, apple, and Ingram Sparks. So it'll sooner or later make its way into, Barnes Noble. So right now it's just, digital. And another spoiler. There will be bonus content when I pack all the books together in the respective series.

And the vault is two books, and they'll be released to such actual books, not just eBooks, but actual books at this point. You getting it all? There'll be books and then there'll be a combined book, which will have some bonus content as well. And I'm really excited to reveal the bonus content for the vault.

Really excited. 

Amazing. 

I 

can't wait. Yes, 

I was gonna say, anybody that picks it up, one of the best ways you can support a indie author is leaving a review publicly. Reviews support us on our social medias. Make us part of your network. Share us every now and then. We appreciate it. 

Good to know that I did not realize that leaving a review is that important.

Since I have read Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, I am definitely gonna go leave you a review for that. 

Please do, please do it's currency when it comes out, but it's ongoing currency because as people find it then, uh, it helps 'em appreciate that. And that one I'm, I'm proud to say, is done pretty well. I think it's about a four eight, a four, nine.

Out of five. 

Wow. 

4.8. 4.9. 

Wow. That's great. 

That is awesome. 

Yeah. That's great. 

Wow. 

I appreciate it ladies. Thank you for having me. 

Yeah. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to, to talk with us. And you know also to our listeners, thank you so much for being part of this journey with us. 

Yep, exactly.

And if this conversation spoke to you, take a moment to share it, leave a review. It truly helps these stories reach the people who need them the most. and thank you for traveling with us today. Until next time, keep showing up, keep growing, and keep making memories for life.