Landria Onkka

The Rooftop Christmas Tree: Miracles Happen

Landria Onkka turned her heartwarming holiday story into a publishing success that reached audiences far beyond the printed page.

The story of a mysterious man who places a lit Christmas tree on his rooftop each year captured the attention of filmmakers and was adapted into the television movie The Rooftop Christmas Tree. The movie premiered on UPtv in 2016 and later aired on the Hallmark Channel, bringing Onkka's story to a national television audience.

Susan R. Dolan & Audrey R. Vizzard

The End-of-Life Advisor

Healthcare professionals Susan R. Dolan, RN, JD, and Audrey R. Vizzard, RN, EdD first brought their compassionate guide to readers through self-publishing.

The book's message and growing readership attracted the attention of a traditional publisher. It was subsequently released as a hardback edition by Kaplan Publishing, expanding its reach to a broader audience.

Pamela Beason

Wild

Pamela Beason launched her writing career with the suspense novel Wild, originally self-published before attracting attention from readers and publishers.

Its success led to a traditional publishing deal with Berkley Prime Crime and helped establish the Sam Westin Mystery series, which grew to seven books. Beason went on to publish numerous mystery and suspense novels and build a professional writing career from the momentum created by her independently published work.

Sally Shields

The Daughter-in-Law Rules and The Collaborator Rules

Sally Shields turned her self-published relationship guide into a breakout success that helped launch her into the national spotlight as an author, speaker, and media personality.

• Guest on more than 100 radio shows
• Featured in Star Magazine
• Appeared on FOX & Friends
• Featured by CNBC
• Mentioned in Ladies' Home Journal
• Featured on numerous television and radio programs

Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Planting Design Illustrated and LEED GA Exam Guide

Architect and sustainability expert Gang Chen used publishing to share his expertise with professionals in architecture, landscape design, and green building.

His books helped establish him as an internationally recognized author and educator, and he went on to publish numerous professional guides and exam-preparation books. His specialized professional titles also demonstrated the earning potential of successfully reaching a clearly defined niche audience.

At one point, Chen earned more than $135,000 in royalties in less than 180 days from his Outskirts Press books.

Ronnie Lee

Poet and philosopher Ronnie Lee turned to self-publishing to share his exploration of philosophy, science, religion, and the human condition.

Through Outskirts Press, he produced a substantial body of philosophical work spanning more than 5,500 pages across 15 published books, including The Science of Life, The Meaning of Life, and Philosophy: Back to Basics.

Andrew J. Rafkin

Andrew J. Rafkin set out to publish exciting adventure novels and built an award-winning body of work that includes Creating Madness, Mediterranean Madness, Mexican Madness, and Red Sky Morning.

His books earned multiple honors from independent literary competitions, including Readers' Favorite and the CIPA EVVY Awards, demonstrating sustained recognition across multiple titles.

Explore more award-winning Outskirts Press authors

B. A. Vonsik

The Primeval Origins Series

Fantasy author B. A. Vonsik built a growing body of work around his imaginative fantasy series, earning numerous literary awards along the way.

As his platform grew, Vonsik expanded his publishing vision by launching his own imprint, Celestial Fury Publishing, using Outskirts Press Private Label Publishing.

Learn about Private Label Publishing

Kevin Muldowney, PT & Kathleen Muldowney, PT

Living Life to the Fullest with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome

Physical therapists Kevin and Kathleen Muldowney used publishing to share a specialized physical therapy protocol designed for people living with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

The book became a trusted resource within the EDS community, helping patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals better understand treatment and rehabilitation strategies.

Charlotte Endorf

Charlotte Endorf transformed family history and personal memories into a professionally published book, creating a lasting legacy for future generations.

Her publishing journey illustrates one of the most meaningful definitions of success: preserving experiences and stories in a form that can be shared with family, friends, and future readers.