Every week, somebody lands in my inbox after typing some version of this into a search bar: "Black-owned publishing company." "Black publishing services." "Black children's book publisher."
And I get it. Deeply.
When you are trusting someone with your book, your story, your voice, working with someone who shares your experience is not a nice-to-have. You want a publisher who does not need the mission explained. Who is not going to treat a Black children's book like a niche experiment. Who knows what it means when a child finally sees themselves on a cover, because she was once that child who never did.
So let me make this easy: yes, this is a Black woman-owned publishing company, and yes, this is exactly what we do.
What working with us looks like
Publish With Crystal is my studio. I am Crystal Swain-Bates, a Black female author who has sold more than 750,000 books, most of them children's books that put Black kids at the center of the story. I was told those books were not marketable. The market disagreed, loudly.
Through the studio, my team and I have helped bring more than 300 books to life: authority books for coaches and experts, companion workbooks, guided journals, and children's books where we handle everything, including the illustration. And unlike some companies I could name but will not, you keep your rights, your royalties, and your files. All of it. Every time.
What to check before you sign with anyone, including us
Black-owned is where your search starts. It is not where your vetting ends, right? Any publisher worth your money should be able to show you three things without flinching:
Real books. Not mockups, not stock photos. Actual published books by actual named clients. Ours are on the portfolio page.
Real results. Clients whose books opened real doors. Ours include Inc. 5000 founders, a New York Times bestselling author, and a first-time author duo whose children's book was featured at Macy's. The stories are on our case studies page.
Real ownership. A plain answer to "who owns my book when this is done?" Our answer: you do. Completely.
If a company cannot show you all three, keep searching. The gatekeepers do not deserve your book, and neither do the pretenders.
You searched for a Black-owned publishing company because you wanted someone who gets it. Welcome. We get it.
Ready to work with a publisher who understands the mission? See our publishing services, or book a call.