This N.L. author is going 'all in' on publishing her own books

Elizabeth Whitten · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 12, 2025 7:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: July 12

Ida Linehan Young is going "all in" with her ain publishing company to people her ain stories erstwhile she wants to.

Linehan Young, an award-winning author, already has a lengthy catalog of 9 books published done different publishing companies, but her 10th offering — Blinders — hit store shelves nether the Seaweed Publishing banner.

"It gives maine flexibility to people erstwhile I want, similar successful my clip frame. Because not galore authors adjacent bash a publication a year, fto alone, say, person 2 books a twelvemonth oregon three. So I conscionable wanted to bash thing different," Linehan Young told CBC News.

Linehan Young released the children's publication Tilly the Too-Tall Clover earlier successful 2025 through Flanker Press. Blinders and a yet to beryllium released Christmas publication are her archetypal through Seaweed.

But adjacent without a accepted publisher, Linehan Young said she wants her books to beryllium professionally done and hired an exertion to enactment connected Blinder.

"I went each successful for this 1 due to the fact that I privation it to beryllium a success," she said. "If idiosyncratic is consenting to bargain your book, past you person to beryllium consenting to marque it the champion that it tin be."

Flexibility

Writers' Union of Canada CEO John Degen said he's seeing much authors choose a mixed exemplary of publishing — self-publishing immoderate titles portion releasing others done a accepted publisher.

"What this tells maine is that this author … has gathered a truly beardown readership astir her and tin instrumentality her concern retired connected her ain astatine this point," Degen told CBC News.

He said becoming a steadfast connected apical of being an writer means much works, but it tin pb to bigger fiscal gains and higher royalties.

"It's easier to spell the self-published way these days than it ever has been. But it's not easy.… It's an atrocious batch of work," Degen said.

On shelves

Linehan Young said her erstwhile books volition inactive beryllium disposable connected bookstore shelves similar Chapters and Coles.

"I don't person immoderate rights for immoderate of my work, yet," she said, adding the titles are inactive fashionable with readers and she has to adhere to the declaration she signed with the publisher.

She said once she gets the rights back, she's considering re-publishing them done Seaweed.

Linehan Young said she is excited to motorboat her business, but she knows it volition instrumentality up time.

"I don't privation to go a concern instrumentality and not person the accidental to beryllium the writer that I privation to be, either," she said.

Her Seaweed published books volition besides beryllium disposable done Chapters and Coles, she said, and distributed crossed the state done Downhome Distribution. She's besides gotten orders from crossed the country.

"It's a truly fantastic feeling," Linehan Young said.

A combined Blinders and Seaweed Publishing motorboat enactment is planned for Aug. 3 successful St. Bride's. Linehan Young volition besides person hats, T-shirts and mugs ready.

In the future, she said she's besides unfastened to publishing the works of different authors.

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