When the writing first began, the conversation usually started with, “Oh, so now you’re a starving artist. Where’s the money coming from, bub?”

This was usually followed by, “Why a skull?”

That’s slightly more complicated to explain. Start with some wannabe pirates, add a dash of Colombian emeralds, and you get a story told best over bourbon and cigars.

Think of Moneybub as a garage band in the independent publisher scene, making available the work of an author who gives pretty good pen...