For Luce Publications

This is designed to be lightweight, reversible, and respectable—not hustle-y.

1. Account & Imprint Setup (One-Time)

Amazon KDP Account

• Use: Luce Publications as the publisher name
• Amazon account email: ideally a neutral one
  (e.g. publications@lucefoundation.org)

Publisher Identity

• Imprint name: Luce Publications
• Logo: Optional at launch (can add later)
• Tone: Quiet, values-based, literary—not commercial

We are not positioning this as a mass-market children’s brand.
We’re positioning it as a mission-aligned cultural imprint.

2. Formats to Use (Keep It Simple)

For each book:

✅ Paperback (Primary)

• Trim size: 8.5 x 8.5 or 8 x 10 (children’s picture book standard)
• Interior: Full color
• Cover: Matte finish

⛔ Hardcover (For Now)

• Skip initially
• Add later if demand or gifting becomes real

⛔ eBook

• Optional
• Not necessary for picture books at first
• Can add later with zero penalty

Rule: Fewer formats = less stress.

3. ISBN Strategy

• Luce Publications has ISBNs from Bowker from 1985
• Useful if you later want bookstores or libraries

4. Book Metadata (This Is Where You Win)

Categories (Choose 2–3 max)

For stories in the And It’s Okay Series:

• Children’s Books → Disabilities & Special Needs
• Children’s Books → Friendship & Social Skills
• Children’s Books → Values → Empathy

For The Special World of Mathew James:

• Children’s Books → Disabilities & Special Needs
• Children’s Books → Friendship & Social Skills
• Children’s Books → Values → Empathy

For Make Way for Shih Tzu:

• Children’s Books → Animals → Dogs
• Children’s Books → City Life
• Children’s Books → Values → Kindness & Community

Keywords (7 slots)

Think: how parents and educators search.
Example:

• “children’s book about kindness”
• “dogs in New York City”
• “inclusive children’s books”
• “Down syndrome children’s story”
• “picture books about community”

5. Pricing (Low Pressure, Respectable)

Paperback Pricing

• $12.99–$14.99
  (Signals seriousness without overreaching)

We are not optimizing for profit.
We are optimizing for credibility and accessibility.

6. Launch Style: The Quiet Launch

This is key.

• No countdown
• No ads
• No pressure

Instead:

• Publish
• Link from Stewardship Report
• Mention occasionally in context
• Let it exist

You can always relaunch later with:

• New illustrations
• Hardcover edition
• School or nonprofit outreach

Publishing is not a one-time moment—it’s a state of being.

7. What Luce Publications Becomes (Without Forcing It)

Over time, Luce Publications quietly becomes:

• A home for values-based children’s stories
• A credible cultural extension of the Luce Foundation ecosystem
• A place where advocacy, empathy, and storytelling meet

No rush. No brand inflation. Just presence.

Part II: “About the Author” (One Paragraph)

Here are versions that work everywhere—Amazon, press, foundations, and websites.

About the Author

Dr. William M. (Bill) Bauer is a licensed clinical counselor in the rural Mid-Ohio Valley area who was a former classroom teacher, principal, and college professor. He has worked with children and adults with disabilities all his life and hopes that this book brings an understanding to children with disabilities, their teachers, and their classmates. Dr. Bauer was born with a severe hearing impairment.

About the Author

Jim Luce writes children’s stories inspired by city life, community kindness, and the small moments that help children understand the world around them. A longtime advocate for education and inclusion, he believes stories can open doors to empathy and connection at any age. He lives in New York City, where many of his stories begin.

Final Reassurance

You both are not doing this to “be an author.”
We’re both doing this because the stories deserve to exist.

Everything else—Amazon listings, ISBNs, search results—is simply infrastructure.

When We’re ready, I can:

• Create Amazon book descriptions (perfectly tuned, not salesy)
• Help sequence which book publishes first
• Draft a Luce Publications imprint statement
• Or map how the Down Syndrome story transitions from Stewardship → book

We’re building something quietly solid. That’s the best kind.

Luce Publications Strategy (Including Bill Bauer’s Book)

Purpose:
To establish Luce Publications as a credible, values-driven children’s and advocacy book imprint, beginning with a slate of meaningful narrative works that align with The Stewardship Report’s mission: empathy, community, inclusion, and shared human experience.

1. Immediate Goal — Publish Stories That Matter

We should start by preparing three foundational titles for publication under the Luce Publications imprint:

A. The Special World of Mathew James

A children’s story that centers on Down syndrome, empathy, and the beauty of difference — aligning directly with The Stewardship Report’s advocacy work.

B. Make Way for Shih Tzu!

A community-minded children’s picture book set on Roosevelt Island featuring twelve fluffy Shih Tzu puppies and everyday kindness — already drafted, illustrated, and ready with a defined visual style.

C. Nana and Pap and a Thing Called Cancer (Bill Bauer) + additional titles from 4-part series

Bill’s deeply personal and powerful narrative about cancer and caregiving is both a Stewardship Report audience favorite and a book with potential reach among families, health-care professionals, and community groups. This piece is perfectly suited to anchor Luce Publications’ advocacy narrative line.

Together, these titles establish Luce Publications in three intersecting domains:

• Inclusive childhood experience (Mathew James)
• Community and kindness (Shih Tzu)
• Family, illness, and caregiving (Bill Bauer)

This diversity strengthens the imprint and broadens potential readership.

2. Publishing Path — Amazon KDP (Simple, Credible, Searchable)

Platform: Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing
Publisher Name: Luce Publications

For each title, we recommend:

Formats

• Paperback (color for picture books)
• Optional later ebook
• Hardcover only if demand grows

ISBN

• Start Luce Publications ISBNs from 1985
• Assign to each title
• Maintain Luce Publications as the publisher

This approach keeps costs low and allows the books to be officially published, searchable, discoverable, and archived on Amazon and in bibliographic databases.

3. Metadata Strategy — Make the Books Findable

Each book should be published with strong category and keyword metadata that reflects both content and values.

Sample Categories

• Children’s / Inclusive stories
• Family and caregiving
• Chronic illness & resilience
• Community & kindness

Sample Keywords

• children’s book Down syndrome
• cancer story for kids/families
• inclusive picture books
• empathy and kindness in communities

Good metadata ensures discoverability on Amazon, Google, and library systems.

4. Launch Style — Quiet and Credible

Rather than a typical commercial launch with aggressive marketing and paid ads, we recommend:

Soft Launch

• Publish the books quietly
• Link the launches from The Stewardship Report
• Mention in context (relevant articles, editorial calendars)

This:

• avoids retail pressure
• prioritizes mission and message
• establishes long-term presence

Over time, we can invite:

• educators
• special-needs advocates
• pediatric support groups
• community organizations

to share the books.

5. Portfolio Building — From Published Books to Backlist

Once Mathew James, Shih Tzu, and Nana and Pap and a Thing Called Cancer are live:

Calendar

1. Q1–Q2:
   1. Launch Bill Bauer’s cancer narrative
   1. Launch Shih Tzu
2. Q3:
   1. Launch Mathew James
   1. Launch Bill Bauer’s Down Syndrome narrative
3. Q4:
   1. Evaluate feedback, testimonials, and any requests
   1. Launch other titles from Bill Bauer’s series

By year’s end, Luce Publications has a tri-book catalog that:

• reflects its values
• demonstrates editorial quality
• is searchable, indexed, and permanent

6. Long-Term Positioning — Beyond Amazon

Once the books are live and cataloged, we can:

• Explore library inclusion and Goodreads presence
• Consider audiobook adaptations
• Submit to relevant awards (inclusive literature, family wellness, community advocacy)
• Develop classroom resources for educators
• Prepare school or nonprofit outreach packs

This broadens the impact footprint without requiring retail bestseller status.

7. Why This Matters (Mission + Identity)

Publishing these books — even if sales are modest — achieves core goals:

• Legitimacy: You and Bill become published authors with cataloged, searchable titles.
• Permanence: These stories exist in the public record.
• Mission Alignment: The books extend The Stewardship Report’s work into real-world narrative assets.
• Foundation Building: Luce Publications becomes an imprint with identity and trajectory.

This prioritizes impact over pressure, values over velocity.

Conclusion — A Balanced Roadmap

Instead of one headline title, we anchor Luce Publications in a cohesive slate that:

• Represents multiple facets of human experience
• Honors both emotional depth (Bill’s story) and children’s education/empathy (Mathew James and Shih Tzu)
• Allows purposeful discovery and searchability

Once live, these books become evergreen reference points for the values the Luce Foundation and Stewardship Report stand for.

1. The Big Picture (Plain English)

Luce Publications now naturally divides into two complementary lanes:

🐾 Lane A: Gentle Narrative Picture Books (You)

• Make Way for Shih Tzu!
• The Special World of Mathew James
• Future ideas to follow

These are:

• Place-based
• Story-forward
• Warm, observational
• About kindness, difference, and community

They bring heart, setting, and literary tone.

💛 Lane B: “And It’s Okay” Series (Bill Bauer)

This is the engine of the imprint.

Bill’s work forms a landmark inclusive children’s series—one that:

• Names realities kids live with
• Normalizes difference
• Reduces fear and stigma
• Gives language to hard things

Importantly:
👉 This is not a random list.
It’s a taxonomy of childhood experience.

That’s powerful.

2. How This Strengthens Luce Publications

Your books and Bill’s series do not compete. They do different jobs:

Together, they say:

Children’s lives are complex—and every story deserves dignity.

That’s a publishing philosophy, not just a catalog.

3. How to Frame Bill’s Series (This Is Key) : The “And It’s Okay” Series

A children’s book series that helps kids understand health conditions, disabilities, family circumstances, and identities—with reassurance, clarity, and compassion.

Each book:

• Is short, accessible, and age-appropriate
• Centers the child’s voice
• Ends with reassurance: We’re not alone, and it’s okay

This framing works for:

• Parents
• Educators
• Therapists
• Pediatric clinics
• Advocacy organizations

4. Strategic Publishing Order (So It’s Sustainable)

You do not publish all of these at once.

Phase 1 (Foundation)

• Juvenile Diabetes (DONE)
• Spina Bifida (DONE)
• Depression (DONE)
• Family Cancer Journey (ties directly to Bill’s Stewardship piece)

These establish:

• Tone
• Format
• Trust

Phase 2 (Medical / Developmental)

Select 3–4 high-need, high-recognition topics, e.g.:

• Autism
• ADHD
• Down Syndrome
• Epilepsy

Phase 3 (Identity & Family Context)

Later, carefully:

• Adoption
• Foster care
• Immigration status
• Incarcerated parents

These require extra editorial care—but they’re incredibly important.

5. How This Should Appear in the Imprint Statement (Subtle but Clear)

Here’s an updated imprint statement that quietly makes room for both your work and Bill’s series:

Luce Publications – Imprint Statement

Luce Publications is an independent publishing imprint dedicated to stories that foster empathy, inclusion, and understanding. We publish children’s and narrative works that reflect real lives, real challenges, and the diverse experiences of families and communities. Our catalog includes both story-driven picture books and thoughtfully developed series that help children navigate health conditions, disabilities, identity, and change with reassurance and compassion. Through accessible, humane storytelling, Luce Publications seeks to affirm that every child’s experience matters—and that it’s okay to talk about the things that make us different.

6. Why This Is Quietly a Big Deal

Taken together, We are building:

• A values-aligned children’s imprint
• A recognized inclusive series (Bill’s work)
• A literary narrative arm (your books)
• A natural extension of The Stewardship Report

This is the kind of catalog that:

• Educators trust
• Foundations support
• Parents recommend to one another

And it grows organically—one honest book at a time.

7. One Last, Honest Note

Bill’s series is substantial.
Jim’s role here is not to “keep up” with it—but to curate, support, and publish it responsibly.

We are doing exactly that.

If you’d like next, I can:

• Help you draft a series overview page for “And It’s Okay”
• Create a standardized back-matter page used across all titles
• Help prioritize which 5 books publish first
• Draft a letter to educators or clinicians introducing the series

We’re not just publishing books anymore.
We’re building something that will help families.