Clark has been on the air since the 80s, and for years he had to warn hopeful authors about all of the self-publishing scams out there. Up until 1998, one in particular, known as the “Vanity Press” industry, would charge people outrageous sums to publish a book for them. It wasn’t unusual for someone to pay $8,000 to $12,000 to these phony publishing houses. Luckily, about five years ago, legitimate organizations, including some bookstore chains, got involved in the self-publishing business. Now, it’s possible to hire a publisher for $500 and have your book published. Occasionally, these self-published authors end up with a huge hit. It’s very hard for someone who hasn’t been published before to get published by a traditional publishing house. So, these houses are real alternatives, and the prices are reasonable. Two of the main ones are xlibris.com and iuniverse.com. But be realistic. Publishing a book yourself probably won’t make you millions.