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Hello! I'm Onika!
I am the head hen at HenDragon Press. Here, you will learn more about me, why I started the press, and how you can connect with me.
A Few of my Favorite Things...
About Onika
I am a die-hard millennial who grew up in the suburbs of NYC. I have always loved creating, since I was a kid. I wrote comics, performed screenplays, and shot movies in my backyard with my dad's video camera ever since I can remember. I did the college thing and got my MA in TV/Radio Production, hoping to pursue a career in television. While I worked in the industry for a few years, other life things happened and I ended up down a different road in the middle of the country in NH.
I never thought to take writing seriously until 2018, when I picked up an old story I wrote about dragons and decided to buckle down and make the idea of being published a reality. I spent the next 4 years learning, networking, and writing my imaginative tail off. Fast forward to 2022, and I published my very first novel. I was so incredibly proud of myself but, like any over-achiever, it left me scratching my head thinking...
"Okay, now what?"
The Press
In 2024, I shifted from self-publishing YA novels to focusing on my first love of fantasy, but I wanted to do it a different way. I have followed fellow authors and seen their tremendous success with Kickstarter. So, I thought, why not me? With persistence and a hell of a lot of planning, I launched my first campaign in September 2024, raising over 1.4k for my debut fantasy novel, The Dragon Favorite.
With that success came the press. I wanted a place to house my fantasy novels under, since I had more books planned and also plans to utilize Kickstarter again. But again, that little challenge bug crawled into my ear. Why not create the press but also make is a place where I can eventually help authors make their publishing dreams come true?
So I opened the coop in January 2025.
I am excited to be aspiring authors personal cheerleader. To guide them in every aspect or find someone who can. Being part of their journey to publication is such a privilege. Your success as an author is also mine and I can't wait to throw a party for you!