What is Pen of Tales Publications?
Pen of Tales Publications, LLC is an independent publishing house founded by Don Swann II. It publishes financial crime and FBI thrillers, anti-bullying and Hawaiian children's picture books for ages 4–8, personal finance guides for freelancers and side hustlers, and original serialized audio dramas — all under one house, without the genre gatekeeping of a traditional publisher.
What genres does Pen of Tales publish?
Four lanes: financial crime and FBI thrillers (Black Monday: The White Powder Fund, Plight: Amare Dumisuni, FBI), illustrated children's picture books for ages 4–8, non-fiction personal finance guides for freelancers and gig workers, and original audio drama podcasts spanning noir mystery, dramedy, conspiracy history, and true crime.
Who is Don Swann II?
Don Swann II (Donald E. Swann II) is the founder of Pen of Tales Publications. Island-raised on Oahu, a former surfer and banker, he writes across every lane the house publishes — Wall Street conspiracy thrillers, FBI dramas, and picture books about sharks learning kindness and robots learning to surf. His production arm, Fatt Wallet Projects, carries the screen and audio work forward.
What podcasts does Pen of Tales produce?
Five original audio dramas, written by Don Swann II for Pen of Tales and produced by At Da Mic Productions: Playing With Chalk (a noir detective serial), Birthday Suit (a fashion-industry dramedy), Theories Have Birthdates (a conspiracy theory and history podcast), Black Market Bolsheviks and The Tsar's Golden Eggs (true crime and dark history), and Jai-Alai Cartel: Magic City (a Miami crime saga, coming soon).
Where can I find Pen of Tales audio dramas?
All shows stream on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music, with most also on iHeartRadio. Theories Have Birthdates and Black Market Bolsheviks and The Tsar's Golden Eggs also have dedicated YouTube channels. Each show's page (linked from the podcast question above) lists every platform link and an RSS feed.
What age group are the picture books for?
Pen of Tales picture books are written for ages 4–8, and used by parents, teachers, and school librarians as read-aloud books. Titles include Gehru the White Shark (anti-bullying), Tim & Humu (a Hawaiian island tale), When a Frog is a Frog and a Toad is a Toad (self-acceptance), and the Chip the Little Robot series (food- and skin-allergy stories).
Is Pen of Tales connected to AuthorSuite?
Yes, through a common founder — but they're separate companies. Don Swann II founded Pen of Tales Publications, LLC (this site, an independent publishing house) and also founded Structure OS, LLC, the technology company behind AuthorSuite, an AI manuscript and script evaluation platform for authors and screenwriters. Pen of Tales is not a customer, reseller, or division of AuthorSuite — one is a publishing imprint, the other is software, and Don built both.