Some Changes Are Afoot! Charting a New Course

Some changes are afoot!

We are charting a new course. Welcome to my new blog. My old site, markjamesauthor.com, now directs here — to North Arrow Press, which will host updates, reviews, and the occasional reflection as I continue the journey as an author. I'll be sure to back-fill this new blog with salient posts like previous book reviews.

Welcome also to North Arrow Press — my own publishing imprint.

This is a big step, and the decision to create North Arrow didn't come lightly. It grew out of a series of realizations about the publishing world and about myself as a writer.

First, the publishing industry is in flux, if not outright turmoil. Large houses are increasingly risk-averse, and smaller presses come and go — the risks are high. Trends seem to drive decisions more than good stories or writing. Publishers often chase the genre du jour. Geopolitical fiction is a specific niche — rarely at the center of publishing trends. I aim to fill that gap with North Arrow Press. It gives me the flexibility and independence to publish in a space where others rarely invest.

Second, I've learned that writers today are expected to shoulder much of the marketing themselves, regardless of who publishes them. If I am already doing the work of promoting my books, connecting with readers, and shaping a brand — why not just run my own imprint?

Third, creative flexibility matters. A recent case in point: after weeks of back-and-forth over a new cover design before the relaunch of Friendship Games, I thought I had settled on the final version. The files were in production. But when I stepped back, I realized I wanted something very different to differentiate it from its original iteration. Under a traditional system, that kind of change would be impossible. Under North Arrow, I have the freedom to pivot when I need to — and I did. That flexibility keeps the focus on what matters: producing the very best version of the book, even if it takes some trial and error to get it right.

And perhaps most importantly, this move comes with confidence. When Friendship Games earned a Kirkus Star, it wasn't just a nice review. The Kirkus Star is widely regarded in publishing as a mark of excellence, awarded to only a small fraction of books reviewed. For me, it was affirmation that I might just be onto something — that maybe I am okay with this writing thing, and that maybe there is a market for geopolitical fiction after all.

In the coming days and weeks, I'll share more about the re-launch of Friendship Games, the release of my new novel The Compass Room, and what's next in the Wartmann Series.

Stay tuned. The journey is just beginning!