Are any of your books self-published, or vanity press works?
No. They've all been bought and published by legitimate publishing houses. Although a lot of folks do some good work going the self-publish or print-on-demand route, I'm a bit old-fashioned. I figure that if I can't write well enough so that someone wants to pay me for the manuscript...then I don't want the work published. It's perhaps a bit of a snobbish attitude, particularly considering the way that publishing is changing, but it's just the way that I feel. Someone should pay me for the rights to publish my work, not the other way around!
How about your professional articles?
I've had a few articles published in various professional journals and newspapers--mostly about aviation and military topics. Some of them have just been scholarly discussions. Others challenged the military leadership. A couple of them had me standing tall on the wrong side of a big desk. A combination of them cost me the opportunity to advance any further in the Marine Corps. I don't regret a single word. Particularly since I was right. Still, I do have a sense of self-preservation and there are a couple of articles that I did not publish because the kitchen got way too hot. Even now, in the civilian world. Nevertheless, I think that it's important to get the right word out. It's easier to sleep that way.
Frequently Asked Questions, Page 5
Any recommendations for would-be writers?
Start. A person can think of a thousand reasons not to begin a work. Bottom line: "It ain't gonna get wrote if you don't start it." And then, don't give up. Finish it. And if it gets rejected, keep fixing it and sending it out. Don't stop until it's published. I have not one shred of doubt that the top 20 American classics never got published because their writers gave up. Those manuscripts are sitting in an attic or garage somewhere and will never see the light of day because the writers didn't have the guts to see them get to print.