From Government Aid to Book Publisher

New York, NY 2006—When Michael T. Owens was laid off from his Advertising Executive job, he was forced to apply for government aid. “I was living in a gated luxury community and eating ramen noodles and hotdogs,” he stated. “I had a lot of time to start my first novel.” He never imagined years later, he’d be publishing books under his own imprint, Montage Publishing International.

Owens, whose novels and short stories had previously been published by traditional and independent publishers before his self-publishing venture, said he wanted more control in the publishing process. “One of my mottos is: go after your goals relentlessly or don’t bother,” he stated.
His first self-published title, A Dream Come True, received national coverage from media outlets such as Yahoo News, Adweek Magazine, and Media Bistro among others. Since then he’s published the works of several bestselling authors.
To Be Happy (ISBN#: 0-9768589-3-2, October 2006) is his latest release. “This is the most intriguing novel I’ve written,” he said.
To Be Happy chronicles the lives of two Atlanta roommates dealing with serious drama. For Tracey, losing both parents, battling weight problems, and a low self-esteem hasn't been easy. But out of nowhere a handsome prince charming offers a new chance at love and happiness. The only thing standing in the way is a revengeful ex-boyfriend. Rejinald, Tracey’s roommate, offers support, but he’s dealing with issues of his own.
Rejinald suffers from Gender Identity Disorder. Since childhood, he’s felt like a female trapped in a male’s body. When he decides to live life as a woman, Rejina aka “JiJi” is born. Now the drama really begins. He’s alienated from family, friends, and banned from his own church. To ease the pain, he finds comfort in drugs, sex, and alcohol. Thanks to a prayerful Aunt, he changes his ways and turns his life around. Everything is fine until secrets from his dark past return to haunt him.