In 2009, Meaghan Fisher and her husband, Tim Rowe, started their own publishing company for Meaghan’s children’s books. In 2011, they opened Gypsy Publications up to others and now have 30 writers, five editors, and 10 illustrators on board.

Fisher was pregnant when she wrote her first children’s book, Sadie the Skunk. Her daughter was almost a year old when her second, Lars the Monkey, was published.

Then, Gypsy Publications grew in quick spurts.

“I was at a fly-in at WACO selling my books, and a veteran told me he had written a book called Mugs and the Secret Society,” said Fisher. “I fell in love with it because it was a Troy-based book and funny, but it needed editing.”

She edited and published the book, and the veteran wrote a second, Robert’s Journey, a military book.

“Word just spread; people started calling, a friend came to my doorstep with a manuscript, I met authors at book signings and they took my card and emailed manuscripts,” said the author, publisher, and substitute teacher.

Tim is the book designer, doing the graphics, website, and layout of books. In addition to writing her own, Meaghan was the editor for other authors. “Now, my mother, Rosemary Naulty of Springfield, is a full-time editor and I just do content editing and structure.

Most of the writers and artists are local, from Columbus, Miami and Mercer counties to Indiana, and the printer is in Tennessee. Writers range in age from their 30s to 70s. Submissions are read by Fisher, who lets each author know if they’ll publish the book.

Fisher does the marketing and managing for authors, arranging book signings, readings and release parties. Her work also includes distribution.

“We have a national distributor, our books are on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, Baker & Taylor, local bookstores, and from our website – www.GypsyPublications.com,” she said.