She profiles a Richmond, VA-based dentist who's published five books recently, including This Won't Hurt a Bit.
The books have brought the dentist 450 new patients, at an acquistion cost of only $90 each.
Most entrepreneurs-turned-authors seek not only to capture new customers, but to generate "invisible income," writes Needleman.
The latter comes from consulting, media appearances and speeches.
"The trend wouldn't have been possible without the emergence of print-on-demand publishers," she notes.
Thanks to firms like iUniverse.com and Lulu.com, authors can publish for little or no cost, in exchange for a percentage of sales.
