In 2011, at the behest of others who had read my original manuscript for my first book I sent out inquiries to numerous publishers. Most of the publishers never even acknowledged receiving them, and enlisting a literary agent to assist in finding a publisher was even more difficult.

Finally, a small Midwest publishing firm made an offer to publish the title and six months later I had launched my first book. As I began to tour the country promoting the book, I learned many things the hard way. First, I seldom met another author who had anything nice to say about their publisher or publishing experience. It wasn’t long before I could say the same about my publisher…

Of the many industries I’ve been exposed to in my entrepreneurial career, the publishing industry was a staid and prehistoric as any I’ve witnessed – and primed for disruption.

Recognizing the need for a truly author-centered publishing house, I began a quest to learn the publishing industry inside and out. We launched Defiance Press & Publishing in 2012, focused on fiction and non-fiction genres. We have cultivated special relationships with our authors and are dedicated to helping them achieve the goals for their books. Defiance Press has seen incredible growth, with multiple Bestsellers.

Acutely aware that books in leadership, business, entrepreneurship, small business and self-help books need a special imprint, needed a dedicated imprint for those authors and readers in that community, we launched Keynote Books.

We are committed to bringing outstanding authors and their works to the market for the readers who consume them in order to better their lives.

We dare you to dream BIG!

David Thomas Roberts