Lucky Press, LLC

Inspiration, Encouragement, and Diversion in the New Year!

2011-12-21T07:21:00.000-08:00

As 2011 gently morphs into 2012…as Christmas trees are taken down and ornaments put away…as parties are remembered…and resolutions considered…as publisher here at Lucky Press, I'm thinking of the characters within our books and how they might relate to a reader's hopes for the new year.

Sometimes, though, to know what to hope for we must know what we need. So, let's start there. What do you need? Love? Security? Adventure? Health? Diversion? We wish we could give you all of those things! But, one must do what is within one's power to do; so in that spirit…

Adventure (also in the category of "war and planes"):

If you are a reader who often finds yourself sitting at a desk when where you'd really like to be is soaring over the earth in a plane, being a part of history, then join Will Turner in his aviation adventures. British author Chris Davey weaves a tale at times relaxing, at other times harrowing, and almost always with that wonderful sense of British humor Americans love. His books are The Aviator's Apprentice, Turner's Flight, and Turner's Defense. They are available in print and in ebook format. Here is a link for paperbacks. Here is a link for ebooks.

Self-Reliance (also in the categories of "romance" and "stories of scrappy women who make do and do well):

If you are in need of self-reliance and security, with perhaps a touch of romance as well, consider these six great books from Lucky Press… First, Norah by Cynthia Neale. Set in 19th-century NYC, Norah is a young woman who, like millions of women forgotten to us now, arrived in New York from Ireland and is now challenged to survive and live in a difficult world, finding in it beauty and love as she can. Norah survives a horrible experience with strength and grace. This is a book you will settle into as the snow falls in January or February. Here is the link.

If you prefer a quicker read, consider Max and Menna by Shauna Kelley or My Beginning by Melissa Kline. Appropriate for YA and adults, Max and Menna is a story of love and survival in rural, poor Alabama in the 1980s. Paperback and ebook.

My Beginning is a dystopian sci-fi love story. It's a wonderful book about first love and coming-of-age in a time of turmoil: paperback and ebook.

YA readers will also be drawn to the characters in Sarah Martin Byrd's book Guardian Spirit. Set in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, Guardian Spirit is a little scary, a little mystical, a little sentimental, and a lot of heart. In hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

In a manner similar to Cynthia Neale's Norah, Diane Mechem Kinser has written a historical novel, Dappled Glory, about the resilient folks who lived in Nelsonville and Athens, Ohio, in the early 20th-century when coal mining and railroads ruled the area. The Markham family had several department stores in Ohio and this is the fictional story of their lives. If you live in SE Ohio you will love reading a novel that features familiar historical places and people. Here it is in paperback and ebook.

Recently released is String Bridge by Australian-now-living-in-Greece author Jessica Bell. The story of a young mother who longs to return to performing music, String Bridge is literary fiction, women's fiction, stay-up-all-night-to-see-what-happens fictions. In paperback and ebook.

Health (also under the category of "What the Heck?" and "I didn't deserve this!"):

Here at Lucky Press we wish all of our fans and readers good health in the New Year. But life being what it is, we know this is often not the case. If you or a loved one has been touched by cancer, consider Cancer: How Will I Get Through This? by Kevin Molloy. In paperback and ebook. Also consider I Didn't Order This Pink Ribbon by nurse and educator Alice Krumm, in paperback.

Mental illness in the form of bipolar disorder can steal a young life and threaten to rip a family apart. Learn how writer and poet Madeline Sharples and her family survived the death of their talented musician son, Paul Sharples, and went on to rebuild their beautiful family after a truly heart-breaking loss in her memoir Leaving the Hall Light On. If you know any parent who has lost a child to suicide, this a good book to give to them when you just don't know what to say. Madeline has said it well. In hardcover at both Amazon and B&N but with immediate shipping at Barnes and Noble. (coming in May in ebook format)

A mention here for "Inspirational": Check out Harold "Bud" Boughton's book The Missing Piece. Released recently in a 2nd Edition, this book by Coach B, will appeal to guys who want to do right by their family, friends, and, well, by life! In hardcover and ebook.

Diversion (also under the category of "Books for guys who are sick of winter and the Superbowl is over and baseball season hasn't started yet"):

One of my favorite movies is "Finding Forrester." In it, Rob Brown's character notices Sean Connery's character (a famous, reclusive novelist) reading a tabloid newspaper and questions the choice of reading material. "This is dessert," Connery's character says. Well, we have dessert here at Lucky Press, also! And, if I might say so, of a better reading quality than any tabloid…a better value too!

For only 2.99 cents, those who love vampires+hillbillies+raunchy adult humor might want to take a peek at The Hillbilly Vampire Chronicles by Tonto Fielding. What have you got to lose, but your preconceived ideas about vampires, hillbillies, and, well, perhaps your soul, but that's between you and your Maker! Ebook here.

If you prefer detective stories, then let me introduce you to Sam Haggard, the main character in The Killing of Strangers by Jerry Holt. Here's what one Amazon reviewer said: "The Killing of Strangers thrust me into a fast-paced trek across places and faces that I recall from my own Ohio childhood. Vividly, I crept back in time with his pages, and through the dialogue and soundtrack that plays in print I lost myself. It captures not only the mindset of a tumultuous generation but the repercussions of living in its aftermath." In paperback.

Is it literary fiction? A crime novel? An eye-opening look at small town prejudices? You decide, in All the Bad Things by J. Michael Dew. All the Bad Things tells the story in four distinct voices of a social outcast who falls prey to the relentless scorn of a small Pennsylvania town and the cruel lies of its teenage girls. Paperback and ebook.

Leon Trotsky's life ended when an ice pick pierced his head! Yeah, that's a good start for a story. Read about what his killer might have said to justify his part in history in Mark Van Aken Williams' novella The Prophet of Sorrow. In hardcover, paperback, and ebook.

Wishing you, Dear Reader, a wonderful 2012, full of good books, good friends, and good times.

Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher

Lucky Press has more books than those listed above. You can find them all at www.LuckyPress.com.
To learn more about the personal projects of the publisher, visit her blog, www.appalachianmorning.blogspot.com or personal website.

Holiday Gift Ideas from Lucky Press

2011-11-27T06:43:00.000-08:00

Happy Holiday Season!

We know that you have many choices when considering holiday gift buying. This year, consider supporting a small publisher like Lucky Press. In business since 2000, we offer books for men, women, teens, and kids. Fiction and nonfiction. Paperback, hardcover, and ebook.

Our books can be found at Amazon, BN.com and by order from your local bookstore.

Check out the direct links on the right side of this blog……

Thank you and have a good holiday season, full of love, family and friends, and whatever "merry" means to you.

All the best,
Janice Phelps Williams
Publisher

Release of "All the Bad Things"

2011-08-29T10:16:00.000-07:00

Lucky Press has another "engaging book for thoughtful readers" available this month! "All the Bad Things" by J. Michael Dew is about a young man whom some consider "slow" -- his name is Robbie Toe and Robbie is on the receiving end of a small town's hatred when he is falsely accused of sexual abuse. Told from the perspective of Robbie as well as his grandmother, accuser, and accuser's mother, "All the Bad Things" is a book you will not forget. The voice of the characters in this book, especially Robbie's voice, captivated this publisher. The author warned me that I might not care for the ending, but after reading the manuscript I told him it was an unforgettable, sad, and stunning ending for the story he told. I wonder if you will think so as well.

I hope that you will find "All the Bad Things" worth your time and money. It is available in paperback for $12.95 and will be available in Kindle version by Sept. 15th, for $6.99.

View this book on Amazon: CLICK HERE.

View this book on Barnes and Noble: CLICK HERE.

Visit the author's website: CLICK HERE.

The author, J. Michael Dew, was born and raised in Warren County, Pennsylvania. He earned a BA in English from Lock Haven University and an MA and PhD in Literature and Criticism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is an Associate Professor of English at Georgia Perimeter College where he is also the Honors Coordinator for the Dunwoody campus. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and three daughters.

JK Rowling: Commencement Address at Harvard, on Failure

2011-08-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

A very inspirational speech (20 minutes) by JK Rowling. It is no wonder her writing has endeared her to millions the world over.

Thank you Neil Marr at BeWrite Books for telling us about this video.

Publishing: "feet of clay"

2011-07-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

"Behind the facade of prosperity, growth, and optimism [of the 1990s], there was a certain unease to be felt, a … feeling that it was all too good to be true and wouldn't last. For the simple truth remained that the old problem of book publishing hadn't changed: You shipped out a lot of copies, you were at the mercy of the big bookstore chains to get them displayed and sold, and the ones they didn't sell you took back for full credit.

"Much of what had happened to book publishing since the 1960s would have seemed incredible or marvelous to Max Schuster, Dick Simon, or Bennett Cerf, but the retail end would have seemed depressingly familiar. It was merely, on a larger scale, the same old story that had been worrying publishers ever since the Depression. Now, of course it was further complicated by the fact that there were only two major bookstore chains, which wanted to dominate the publishing process, insisting on changes in jackets, titles, prices, and so forth, before they agreed to stock a book in any quantity. The business had mushroomed far beyond anybody's expectations, but it still stood on feet of clay when it came to actually selling the product."

--Michael Korda, "Another Life: A Memoir of Other People," Random House, 1999

Michael Korda (born October 8, 1933, London, England, United Kingdom) is a writer and novelist who was editor-in-Chief of Simon & Schuster in New York City.

Books without Borders

2011-07-19T06:41:00.000-07:00

There will be many blog posts, news articles, and publishing industry analysis of the end of the Borders chain of bookstore and "superstores." From today's WSJ 7/19/11 by Mike Spector and Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg:

Borders "failed to receive any offers to save it."
Liquidation could start "as soon as Friday, and it is expected to go out of business by the end of September.
Borders employs about 10,700 people and has 399 stores (after closing many of its stores earlier).
"the head winds we have been facing for quite some time, including the rapidly changing book industry, [electronic reader] revolution and turbulent economy, have brought us to where we are now." Mike Edwards, Border President.
"The chain's demise could speed the decline in sales of hardcover and paperback books as consumers increasingly turn to downloading e-books or having physical books mailed to their doorstep."
"The loss of Borders may also make it more difficult for new writers to be discovered. 'The liquidation of Borders is an irreplaceable loss of a big part of the book-discovery ecosystem.' said Michael Norris, a senior analyst at Simba Information. 'Thousands of people whose job consisted of talking up and selling books will eventually being [sic] doing something else, and that's bad for authors, agents, and everyone associated with the value chain in books.' "

Link to: "Borders President Explains Liquidation."

Lucky Press signed up with Kobo earlier this year, but we had not yet made the investment in converting our books to formats other than Kindle. I'm glad. Here is Kobo's response to Border's closing.

My two cents:

As a reader, I loved Borders. Loved their clean, well-lit stores. Loved their selection of books and gifts. Loved their staff.
As a publisher, Borders was my favorite chain. They were easy and pleasant to deal with. They were interested in our small press books. They were fair and they paid in a timely way. Still…
In 11 years in business, I found that no physical bookstore was ever as interested in our small press books as were readers who found our titles by word of mouth, PR, or internet searches. The chance of a reader finding one of our titles, in the midst of shelves of tens of thousands of books (many by publishers with the funds to purchase prominent placement) was small.
Amazon has always been the primary way our books have sold, and it is not because of lack of trying to get a foothold in bookstores. A small publisher could go broke trying to sell to bookstores (or other really big discount stores that sell books). Years ago I read that a small publisher should count on bookstores for no more than 50% of their sales; I am sure that figure is much less now. (Every time a Lucky Press authors asks if I can get their book into Walmart, I cringe. Even grocery stores. You do not want to know how much risk is involved in publishing…)
I do not believe that ebooks or Amazon are the problem. The problem is that the larger the company the more cumbersome it is to react, evolve, and adjust to the changing environment brought about by technology, customer preferences, and economic influences.
I think that it is likely even way more complicated than the statement above. That is why there are business schools and analysts and consultants and what not. Lucky Press is a small time operation connecting with readers pretty much one at a time. Big publishers would likely scoff at our sales figures, though perhaps not at our books and authors, if they took a good look. Earlier this year, Grand Central Publishing sent Rachel Simon, author of the book "The Story of Beautiful Girl", on a pre-release tour to meet with sales reps and bookstore staff throughout the country. She wrote about her travels, and the wonderful people she met, at this link. It was wonderful to get a glimpse into the "big time" world of publishing and how even there books are shared and talked up one person to another. Publishing is a very personal business.
Chain bookstores, big publishers, sales reps, and media have not seemed to care that much whether small press publishers thrive or stay in business. Like Tom Hank's character in "You've Got Mail," "It's not personal, it's business. It's not personal, it's business." My business has always been very personal to me. Perhaps that's why I haven't made more money. But the experience, the journey, has been wonderful and I like to think of the readers who've purchased our books and the authors who've written them as something more than profit. Also, you may notice Lucky Press is still in business. Our website is www.luckypress.com.
Sometimes I've thought, however, there is as much difference between being a small publisher and a big, corporate publisher as there is between being a guy who sells paintings in local art fairs and oh, I don't know, Thomas Kinkade or the guy who does those Blue Dog paintings. In other words, sort of the same, but really completely different, and I have to watch my attitude a bit. For I do believe that most of the people who work in bookstores, and publishing, love books. But I feel more akin to the alternative press, ezine, handmade book businesses than Simon & Schuster--at least from a bottom line standpoint, but I digress...
It may shock those who live in major metropolitan areas, but there are many people in the US who do not live within a 15 minute drive or walk to a bookstore. These people like to read. They have money to spend. They are interested in authors and books and ideas. The internet and online booksellers and now ebooks have opened a world of information to people isolated by geography, local economy, family priorities, or disabilities.
Still… the closing of a bookstore, the closing of a bookstore chain…it's an awful thing. I hate seeing businesses fail. I feel so sorry when I hear people have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. Also, no online bookseller can EVER replace the wonderful atmosphere of a brick-and-mortar store. Feeling the books, seeing the covers, mingling with other readers, taking time… wandering around… there is something to that which cannot be found in front of a computer screen or e-reader. And as a society, a community, we should not want to lose this.

I do not agree with Mr. Norris that the closing of Borders will make it more difficult for new writers to be discovered, though the path for a writer to be marketed and connected to readers is definitely changing. New businesses and opportunities will open, and while that is little, if any, consolation to the 10,700 employees who now wonder what they will do for a living, it is a fact it seems of life throughout the ages. Farmers, blacksmiths, printers, factory workers, seamstresses, hat makers, door-to-door salesmen, travel agents, post offices, AOL staff, movie projectionists… everyone on earth must get comfortable with change and plan as best they can for the what ifs in life. Diversification also seems to be a good thing.

Last year, I visited an exhibit about Darwin (see photos). I purchased a poster in the gift shop, which I gave to my son who is in his late twenties and at the start of his business career. The following quote by Darwin was featured at the bottom. I felt it was a good piece of advice for a bright, energetic person facing decisions in his personal and business life. Those of us involved in the business of books, take note.

"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change."

Lucky Press eBooks

2011-07-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

It's interesting to see our ebooks being purchased and enjoyed by readers. Lucky Press just began offering ebooks 1 year ago this month. Now we have 8 titles in ebook format with more planned in the coming months. Our new books are being released in print and ebook format simultaneously.

Our newest ebook/print book release is:
My Beginning by Melissa Kline (YA fiction) (This ebook has just been released!)

Here are our other ebooks in order of top-selling and their links on Amazon:

The Hillbilly Vampire Chronicles by Tonto Fielding (adult-only humor)
There Are No Words by Mary Calhoun Brown (middle-grade/YA fiction) (Foreword's Book of the Year finalist)
The Prophet of Sorrow by Mark Van Aken Williams (historical fiction) (Foreword's Book of the Year finalist)
Guardian Spirit by Sarah Martin Byrd (YA fiction)
Max and Menna by Shauna Kelley (YA fiction) (Foreword's Book of the Year Finalist)
Cancer: How will I get through this? by Kevin Molloy
The Life and Times of Mister by JRM (middle grade - adult)

"Norah": "A highly entertaining piece of historical fiction."

2011-07-13T05:55:00.000-07:00

"Being Irish and a woman wasn't the worst thing to be in the 19th-century, but it was far from the best either. Norah is a novel following how one woman came into New York in the 1850s and tried to make her way through society that views women as second class citizens and the Irish as even worse. Having pride in her heritage, her journey is driven by her determination, and makes for a highly entertaining piece of historical fiction. Norah is quite the inspired read, highly recommended."

Midwest Book Review's Small Press Bookwatch: July 2011, James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief.

Find "Norah" on Amazon at this link.
Visit the author's website and blog at this link.

Memoir Marketing Discussion: Leaving the Hall Light On with Madeline Sharples

2011-07-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

A wonderful conversation with Madeline Sharples on marketing her memoir.

Memoir Marketing Discussion: Leaving the Hall Light On with Madeline Sharples

Creating the Cover for "My Beginning" by Melissa Kline

2011-07-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

Note: This post is being simultaneously posted on Lucky Press founder's Creativity Blog, AppalachianMorning.blogspot.com.

The very best part of the work I do is creating book covers…there's nothing I love more than this part of the publishing process. Today, I'd like to share with you the steps to creating the paperback cover for My Beginning, a young adult novel (sci-fi) by Melissa Kline, published July 1, 2011 by Lucky Press, LLC.

Melissa is a very creative person, not just with words but also with art and craft materials. She is a miniature artist and has displays in the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys, coinciding with the release of My Beginning. Melissa's enthusiasm for all things creative made creating the cover of My Beginning even more fun.

My Beginning tells the story of 16-year-old Ivory, a blonde-haired girl who lives confined in an "institution" -- a place where many children live under the watchful eyes of mother-nurses. The children are not allowed to go outside, for they are told that if they do, they will immediately die, due to a plague that has almost wiped out humankind. Ivory meets Aidan, the first teenage boy she has ever been interested in and the only one of her friends who did not spend his whole life at the institution. After receiving harsh punishment for her relationship with Aidan, Ivory escapes with Aidan into the unknown world outside of the institution and that is her "beginning."

The scene I choose to illustrate, after talking with Melissa, was just after Melissa and Aidan open an old rusty door and emerge into a beautiful wooded area. Here's how I did the cover:

I began with a pencil drawing of how I envisioned Ivory and the woods.

Then, I colored the drawing using a technique that works well for me. First, I color in the major color shapes with Sharpie brand markers. Then, I go over that, in detail, with Prismacolor colored pencils (I use no other brand, as Prismacolors have the best wax content for blending, IMO). Here is a photo of the work in progress:

I saved coloring Ivory until last because I knew her dress would be white and her skin light and I didn't want that part of the drawing to get scuffed or "dirty" while I did the brighter colors. Here (at left) is a detail of Ivory once I have colored her figure.

After the drawing is completely finished, I scanned it with my Epson scanner. Because the drawing was larger than the scanner bed, I had to scan in two sections then merge the sections carefully in Photoshop. (On day I hope to have a larger bed scanner, but they are quite expensive!)

After scanning the photo, I convert it from RGB format to CMYK, the format required by book printers. I also reduce it to fix the dimensions of the finished book (5.5 x 8.5 inches) with an additional 1/4 inch on all sides for necessary bleeding of the image off the edge, to allow for the book to be trimmed to size at the printer's.

So, at this point, I have the illustration in my computer and sized to the correct size for the book cover. But, that is just the end of one phase; it is not yet ready to be a bookcover. This is the point at which many designers new to cover design or author's self-publishing and doing their own covers stop, put on a title and author's name and call it a day. But, by thinking more about the characters and story and letting them speak to you (I know it sounds weird, but it works for me) and also loving the process and the wonderful things you can do in Photoshop, yet knowing how to keep things simple…well all these things are learned by experience and become intuitive to the experienced designer. I have been designer, publisher, or production manager on over 200 books, and finally feel I can trust the process at this point. I dislike being rushed in the creation of the cover; it seems such an organic process. Often what happens is I'll be doing other things, and suddenly this compulsion to work on the cover whispers its way into my consciousness. I'll leave everything else and go to my computer (or drawing pad) and out comes the cover; it seems to pour out from whatever soup was brewing just under my level of awareness. Anyway…. the finished, colored drawing is shown at the top of this post.

Here is my first attempt at making a cover using the illustration. As you can see, it is not well integrated, color-wise or design-wise. It just does not have enough "umph" and the structure of the design does not lend itself to the open, hopeful feeling of Ivory's discovery of the world beyond the institution.

One thing I do like about this cover (at left) is that I choose to use some of the "artistic filters" in Photoshop to bring out the edges of forms in the drawing and enhance the illustration beyond my hand-work. Below, you can see part of this process.

Melissa mentioned the surface of an old white file cabinet; she thought it would work well for the background. I started wondering if I could drag one of Lucky Press's old metal cabinets outside and create a rusty surface using water and the yucky snowy weather we were having here in Ohio at the time. Lucky for me, I had been introduced to Dreamstime stock photos by another wonderful author, Chuck Zigman, who wrote The World's Coolest Movie Star (and another book that I'll write more about this fall).

Here are three textures I liked for this cover. I choose to go with the third one shown here.

Below is the cover as it stood after merging the illustration with the textured background and after I added in the title and author's name. Still, something was not quite right...

Melissa had the wonderful idea of having the illustration show through a keyhole shape and also of having some sort of rusty looking texture behind the illustration. (You are seeing now just how collaborative this cover design process was… our ideas bounced off one another and made the whole process seem not like work, but like a creative adventure!) Here is my third version of the cover with the keyhole and with new fonts for the title (Melanie BT) and author's name (Gil Sans Condensed).

At this point, I knew we had nailed it, though some might think otherwise. Popular YA covers may feature photographs and quirky drawings, but this cover aims to capture the themes of confinement, freedom, nature versus machine, and the innocence and hope of a teenage girl.

After the front cover was completed, it was time to work on the "mechanical": the entire cover layout as it is sent to the printer. Melissa and I fine-tuned the back cover text (synopsis) and chose the reviews that would appear. I obtained the EAN barcode and confirmed the spine width with the printer. Here is the full mechanical for My Beginning.

One of the great reviews we chose to use on the back cover was by Terry Matalas. "Terra Nova" premieres on FOX Sept. 26, 2011 and sounds like a great show, too!:

"Kline has woven a rich tapestry of romance, science fiction, and adventure. Ivory's journey through an Orwellian post-apocalypse grabs hold of you and never lets go." ~Terry Matalas, television writer, FOX TV "TERRA NOVA"

As I mentioned, Melissa creates miniature scenes based on her novels. The final picture here today shows one of the miniatures she created for My Beginning as it displays in the Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys.

My Beginning is now available in paperback from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and through your favorite bookstores. It is also available in Kindle format from Amazon. You can find Melissa Kline's blog, "Reflections on Writing," at THIS LINK and you can friend her on Facebook at THIS LINK. Her photo (by Anissa Long Photography) is below.

Lucky Press is online at www.luckypress.com and you can learn more about my artwork at www.janicephelps.com/illustrations.htm.

Your Summer Beach Reads

2011-06-24T10:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted an update of the goings on at Lucky Press, but that was not due to lack of activity. In fact, just the opposite: We've been busy finishing up the production process on new titles and are so excited about the books and authors in Lucky Press's summer and fall line-up.

Today is the book launch party in Golden, Colorado, for Melissa Kline's YA sci-fi novel My Beginning. It is also available now (paperback) on Amazon (the ebook should be up there early next week). "Sci-fi" is the most appropriate traditional category for this book, but if there was "Sci-fi Romance" that would be even better, for the story of Ivory and Aidan is a love story and, like all good romantic stories, there are a few major obstacles for this young couple to overcome. Melissa Kline is such a multi-talented young woman; she creates miniatures based on her books and some of these for My Beginning are currently on view at the Denver Museum of Miniatures and Toys. She will also be speaking at the Boulder Writer's Workshop later this year. Here is Melissa's website: www.MelissaKlineAuthor.com.
In May, Lucky Press released Leaving the Hall Light On by Madeline Sharples and it is off like a rocket in terms of sales. Madeline writes about surviving and living after the suicide of her son, Paul. She also writes poetry, reaches out to women of all ages about getting through the hardest times we can imagine with our minds and bodies in good shape. I learned today that Madeline will be the writer for www.naturallysavvy.com in the 60+ category. I look for families touched by suicide to be encouraged by Leaving the Hall Light On, and middle-age and senior women to gravitate to the message of strength and positive living Madeline imparts. Madeline lives in Manhattan Beach, California, and is available to speak before groups. You can find her blog at http://madeline40.blogspot.com/. Her book is out now in hardcover on Amazon at this link. It will be available as an ebook, Spring 2012.

We are on pins and needles here today at Lucky Press because tomorrow afternoon Foreword Magazine will announce the winners of the Book of the Year contest! Lucky Press has THREE books shortlisted in this prestigious competition: The Prophet of Sorrow (Mark Van Aken Williams, historical fiction), Max and Menna (Shauna Kelley, YA fiction), and There Are No Words (Mary Calhoun Brown, juvenile fiction).

Cynthia Neale has been actively promoting her wonderful 19th-century novel of an Irish-American woman in NYC: Norah. If you live in New Hampshire, Boston, or the Fingerlakes Region, you may see her at an event. If so, buy one of her novels because there is sure to be someone in your family who will love it. Keep up with Cynthia on her blog, "Tell It Slant": http://cynthianeale.wordpress.com/.

Jessica Bell's debut novel, String Bridge, is in the final stages of production. It will be out November 1, 2011. The super-exciting thing with this book is that there is a CD that goes with the book, original lyrics and music by Jessica (or the book's main character, Melody). Learn more at: http://www.stringbridge.com/

J. Michael Dew's book, All the Bad Things, is also in the final stages of production and review copies are available to media and booksellers. Learn more at www.luckypress.com/jmichaeldew.html.

Sarah Byrd (Guardian Spirit, YA fiction) has autographed copies of her book available on her website: http://www.sarahmartinbyrd.com/books/.

Diane Mechem Kinser is here, there, and everywhere in southern and central Ohio connecting with readers and signing copies of Dappled Glory, a historical fiction novel based on Nelsonville, Ohio during the early 20th century. Learn more about this book or purchase a copy at this link.

Shauna Kelley (Max and Menna, YA fiction) has been graciously reviewing her book's competition in the Book of the Year awards. You can read her reviews at: http://mmshaunakelley.blogspot.com/2011/06/more-on-competition-review-of-blue-so.html. Max and Menna is now available in Kindle format at this link.

As summer settles in, we watch the roots of projects carefully planted months ago sprout forth and bloom, bringing surprises and wonderful connections with readers. We are very lucky indeed!

"Writing Sparks" Giveaway!

2011-06-08T03:31:00.000-07:00

The release of Melissa Kline's YA novel, My Beginning, is nearing and we'd love some help in spreading the word!

EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATES IN THIS GIVEAWAY WINS!!!

All you have to do is share the following link somewhere on the internet - on your blog, facebook, twitter, etc., advertising My Beginning.

Link: http://www.luckypress.com/melissakline.html

That's it! In return, you will receive one of Melissa Kline's mini Writing Sparks books. (see photo)

In order to receive your prize, you have to leave a comment below with proof that you shared one of these links. If you tweeted it, attach your twitter url; if you posted it on FB, comment with your FB url & friend Melissa Kline; if you blogged it, include your blog link, etc.

To receive a prize, you have to include the web address to the shared link in a comment.

Giveaway ends June 24th, 2011. Please make sure that we can contact you to send prize.

Thank you for your support!

The Voice of Robbie Toe Sold Me on the Author's Query!

2011-05-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

I know many of you are anxious for the release of All the Bad Things and so I wanted to provide you with an excerpt of Chapter One. There are some books that just grab my heart and never let go: Riding the Bus with My Sister and The Story of Beautiful Girl (both by Rachel Simon); The Help (Katheryn Stockett); and Little Bee (Chris Cleave). For me, this manuscript was like that and Lucky Press is so proud to be publishing this talented writer's book.

(J. Michael Dew is a college professor (literature) in Atlanta, GA.)

Excerpt from All the Bad Things by J. Michael Dew ©2011 by J. Michael Dew
To be published by Lucky Press, LLC
Sept. 1, 2011
www.luckypress.com/jmichaeldew.html

-ONE-
Robbie Toe

I found another kitten the day Blue Jean went and told the cops I raped her, and I didn’t even do nothing, she’s a damn liar, that bitch, what did she do that to me for? I carried the kitten home wrapped up in my shirt even it was warm out ’cause it shaked like it was cold. It was the last of the litter. Its brothers and sisters was already dead. I heard him meowing from where he was in the tree house and went and got him. I know Gramma don’t need another cat around, I know she don’t, but that damn guy needs to fix his cat so she don’t have no more kittens, and Gramma thinks so, too. The damn cops was there when I got home. They never even asked my side of things before they cuffed me and put me in the cruiser. I hate cops. I hate Blue Jean. I only just had the other charges dropped that I didn’t even do either , and the next day, I’m having a beer by the fire next to some girl I never even seen before whose mom told me, I know who you are now, and I should of known about them right then and there.

My stupid brother, Virgil, told me they was okay. Come over, he goes. Help paint this porch. I went over ’cause I needed the money and did what they told me then hanged out by the fire afterwards ’cause they had a fire and drank a couple a beers. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. I didn’t do nothing.
But Virgil left at midnight ’cause he said he had to mow lawns the next day, and after that, that’s when it started.

Her mom was up at the house, and it was just me and her.

I’m tired, she goes. Can I put my head on your lap?

I told her no.

She moved closer when I said that and reached out and touched my hair.

Mom says you can spend the night. You’ve been drinking. I already asked her.

I ain’t staying over, I go.

Then she lifted up her shirt, and I could see her bra. She undid it and started to play with herself, her nipples, I mean.

You like that? she goes.

You’re fourteen, I go. Don’t show me that.

That’s when she reached for my crotch, and what I did was shoot up and say, I’m going.

We was the only ones that was out there, like I said. The light was on in the house. My ex’s daughter was what got me locked up before, and I wasn’t gonna get in trouble again for something I didn’t do. Fuck that.

I go to get in my car, and that bitch is right behind me.

Go away!

No!

I pushed her, and I know I shouldn’t of done that. But she was pissing me off, why can’t she understand that no means no?

Now go!

She gets up, comes at me. I get into my car, she gets into the other side.

If you don’t give me four thousand dollars, I’m gonna say you raped me.

Crazy bitch!

You heard me. I know who you are. Do it, or I’ll tell.

Get out, I go.

You heard me.

She got out, and when she did, I hit the gas. I seen her in the rearview mirror just standing there, staring at me, smiling in the taillights. I only met her that day. The next day is when I found the kitten and the cops come. Gramma was talking with them at the door. They didn’t even let me get a new shirt to put on.

I wrote lots of poems for Tina, my now ex, but her daughter don’t care how much I love her mother.

I like to kiss you all over your body, my flower, my eternal love like the rain that falls on dry ground.

I didn’t know that her daughter that’s only twelve years old sneaked out of the trailer and looked in on us having sex. She never listened to me, and I was the man of the house. Ever since Tina left her ex. Dick. Missy is a spoiled brat. She never liked me around, dating her mother, living with them. She wanted her father. Tina said that that wasn’t gonna happen ’cause he was an asshole. That’s why Missy made all that shit up about how I supposedly came up behind her and touched her butt and said do you want to touch mine and something else. She shouldn’t of looked in on us. That’s gross. She goes and tells DEFACS that I’m abusing her when I ain’t, said what all she seen and what I supposedly did, which was all a lie, and I had to go to jail for a month, and that brat still got a lot for her birthday.

Her dad wanted to beat me up. He believed everything she said, too, like the cops did, like almost everybody else what are my so-called friends. Tina said she don’t know why she lied. She tried to talk to Missy, but Missy wouldn’t tell the truth. It’s not Tina’s fault. What could she do?

We make love until the dawn of our perfect love forever together, always.

Weilacher’s just a pig, revs the Charger at every stop light (we only have two) just so everybody will see him and say, Wow! Cool! The police! He was the one that brought me in for Missy, told me he knew I did it, said he was just waiting for me to fuck up. He’s only about five’er seven years older than me. Pry thirty-five. I know he played football in high school, picked on kids. Now he gets paid for being a jerk. For Missy, he put the cuffs on too tight. For Blue Jean, he turned me around and slammed me against the wall. Gramma yelled at him, but that didn’t make no difference.

We got DNA evidence now, he says. You’re not getting off this time.

What DNA? I didn’t even touch her.

You have a right to remain silent.

I could tell he was excited about saying that, I just know he watches them cop shows at night. Prick.
He put on his flashing lights when he taked me to jail. Everybody seen me in the back. They pry was wondering what’s going on. I would be, too. He didn’t have to do that though. He already had me, what did he put the lights on for? He thinks he’s such a big shot. They processed me in at the jail, and I could tell by their faces that they wasn’t surprised to see me. Revolving door is what they call it. I’m out, I’m back in. Like other people that’s always getting in trouble. I told them I didn’t do nothing, but they just said shut up and stand still for the picture. Turn to the side. Sit here and shut up. Put this on.

They made me wear orange and not gray like I was already guilty. They put cuffs around my ankles and my wrists, there was a chain that went between them, and when I walked I could barely walk ’cause it was too short. It was just like the movies. I know from before what happens when the other inmates find out about what you did. Sicknin’. That was the first night I was in jail. All the crazies there are in Kinzua County was in my block. Things don’t change. When I was finally processed in, I tried to stay to myself, I don’t know why Blue Jean did that to me.

From "All the Bad Things" by J. Michael Dew

2011-05-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

"There is body, and there is soul, and in all my years, I come to believe that them two ain’t always in step. And it’s not like they have to be. It’s okay if they ain’t. At least it’s okay with me. One can be young, and one can be old. For them people that see that as weird and different, I can’t answer for them. It’s not a reason to bully someone though. Robbie is a sight to see for most people. For me, I see the harmony."
(Estelle, Robbie Toe's Gramma)

From All the Bad Things by J. Michael Dew. (Lucky Press, LLC, September 1, 2011)

Choices: A book launch and signing - Part Two

2011-05-16T14:20:00.000-07:00

Choices: A book launch and signing - Part Two: "A"

My Beginning - by Melissa Kline

2011-05-12T04:55:00.000-07:00

The following review was posted today at Goodreads by Janice Phelps Williams.

Disclaimer: The publishing company I founded, Lucky Press LLC, is the publisher of My Beginning by Melissa Kline. Therefore, instead of a reader review, I'd like to share why, of the hundreds of manuscripts Lucky Press receives each year, I (for it is I who have the final decision) chose to publish My Beginning.

My introduction to Melissa Kline was through email and her query was perfectly written and clearly explained the premise of her young adult novel. Though I am not personally drawn to dystopian-type stories or movies, there was something about Melissa as an author and the main character, Ivory, as a 16-year-old girl living in an "institution" that drew me in. Ivory, like many teenage girls, is insecure about her appearance, a bit self-conscious around some of the other girls she lives with, and wanting more of all the wonderful world she can only glimpse beyond the walls of her current situation.

The author did an excellent job creating the enclosed world Ivory lives in, and instilling her character with a specific personality and voice and with the hope of a better future. When Ivory begins a close friendship with Aidan, a teenage boy also trapped in the same place, the story picks up and escape is not going to be far behind.

Melissa Kline has written ten novels and My Beginning is the first one of her manuscripts to be published in book form. (My Beginning will have a simultaneous paperback and Kindle-ebook release). While this is her debut novel, Melissa's professionalism and the wonderful, strategic steps she has taken to lay the foundation of her career as an author are so impressive.

She is the founder of the Rocky Mountain Women Writers group. She is also very artistic and produces beautiful miniatures (including scenes from her books), prop displays (for example, the clothes and items Ivory and Aidan would own), and photographs. You can see all these cool things on her website (melissaklineauthor.com), her blog, Reflections on Writing, and/or on her Facebook page.

These extra activities, bring a reality to My Beginning that settles in with the reader and, along with her top-knotch writing skills, roots Ivory, Aidan and the other "good guys" into your heart.

As Ivory and Aidan make their way outside the institution, they encounter friends and foes and Ivory's biggest challenge is in making a decision about what she can and cannot accept in the person she loves. The dilemma is set within the scene of a sci-fi world, but the question is one many readers will see relates to their life as well. In other words, there are archetypal characters and themes in My Beginning, but it all reads as a fast-paced romantic suspense, appropriate for readers 15 and older. (I'm 3x that age and I enjoyed the book, too!)

Lucky Press is offering three copies of My Beginning by Melissa Kline in the Goodreads giveaway program. You can see the book trailer (done wonderful by the author) at "luckypressllc" on YouTube.

You won't want to miss getting a first edition copy of Melissa Kline's debut novel. Lucky Press is a small press (10 years old, 30 titles) and we were lucky to obtain the rights to this book, but I predict larger publishers will swoop down before long and snatch up the rights to Melissa Kline's other work. And, I will be happy for her because she deserves it and readers will then be able to enjoy her work for many years to come. But I can always say that Lucky Press published My Beginning!

"Leaving the Hall Light On" Book Trailer!

2011-05-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Lucky Press's newest title: Leaving the Hall Light On, by Madeline Sharples, is now available for purchase!

On Amazon.
At Barnes and Noble.
At fine booksellers near you.

The Vatican Library

2011-04-12T07:02:00.000-07:00

A book by Michelangelo! One written in 200 AD. Oh, the treasures in this library. This is a fascinating glimpse into the Vatican Library: "a treasury of humanity." "A picture gallery of antiquity."

"My Beginning" Book Trailer!

2011-04-03T05:50:00.000-07:00

My Beginning by Melissa Kline, is a great coming-of-age sci-fi fantasy for teens and adults. It will be available July 1, 2011 (How fitting, as Ivory, the main character, finds her freedom in My Beginning.)Learn more at www.luckypress.com/melissakline.html.

Email: reviewcopies@luckypress.com by June 1st, 2011, for a chance to win one of five free copies. Valid entries must to include your full name and address (US residences only), and you must be over 18 to enter this contest. Put My Beginning in the subject line.

My Beginning is recommended for readers 15 and up.

Earth, Water, Sky - a song for the people of Japan

2011-03-22T12:45:00.000-07:00

A Cover for "String Bridge" by Jessica Bell

2011-03-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

Announcing today the cover design for "String Bridge," debut novel by Jessica Bell, due out in November from Lucky Press.

“My ultimate goal is to break into the women's fiction market and steer it away from the stereotypically glorified woman that is most commonly portrayed today with pure honesty instead. Not every women in this world lives without regret, knows exactly what they want, and has the courage to put every essence of their being into achieving their dreams. Not every woman is inspirational to others. Not every woman can leave their comfort zone to better their future. But, so what? Does that mean a less strong-minded woman doesn't have an interesting story to tell? Definitely not.” Jessica Bell

Synopsis of String Bridge: Greek cuisine, smog and domestic drudgery was not the life Australian musician, Melody, was expecting when she married a Greek music promoter and settled in Athens, Greece. Keen to play in her new shoes, though, Melody trades her guitar for a 'proper' career and her music for motherhood. That is, until she can bear it no longer and plots a return to the stage--and the person she used to be. However, the obstacles she faces along the way are nothing compared to the tragedy that awaits, and she realizes she's been seeking fulfilment in the wrong place.

Jessica's page at Lucky Press is: www.luckypress.com/jessicabell.html.

Her website is: http://www.jessicacbell.com/.

Jessica has a vibrant blog with over 500 followers. It's called The Alliterative Allomorph. You can also find her on Facebook.

Jessica is also a published poet. Her work may be found...

Anthologies:

POPPY SEEDS GROWN ON RAINBOWS, DEARY ME, OH DEIDRE DEAR, THE PEBBLED SHORES OF ELLADA, RAT SNAKE, THE LIFE OF A WRITER, RIVER, ENVIRONMENTAL CONSUMERISM, CARDBOARD BOX (poems) in Static Poetry, (an anthology by Static Movement)

TEARS LIKE ETHANEDIOL (flash fiction) in Something From The Attic (an anthology by Static Movement)

KNICKERS WITH TRUCKS ON THEM (short story) in School Days: Tales with an Edge (an anthology by Static Movement)

HOW LONG DO THE LIGHTS STAY ON? (short story), PSYCHOSOMATIC AXIS (poem), THE HEART, THE CHEST, THE BEAT OF HUNGER (poem), BELOW THE RIND (poem), and LIFE IN A BOX (poem) in Literary Foray (an anthology by Static Movement)

BITTER LIKE ORANGE PEEL (1st chapter of novel in progress) in Tribute to the Stars (an anthology by Static Movement - coming soon)

Literary Magazines:

EMPTY (a poem) will appear in The Stray Branch in 2012

Awards:

THE DISGUISED CICADA'S CLICK, was awarded 71st place in Rhyming Poem category of the '79th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition'

Free Excerpts, including in ebook format, for "My Beginning"

2011-03-18T07:26:00.000-07:00

As the spring flowers push their way through the soil here in SE Ohio, this publisher is getting excited about the July release of YA novel My Beginning by author Melissa Kline (of Colorado). You can learn more about My Beginning (which will appeal to teens and adults who like sci-fi/fantasy romance) at this link: www.luckypress.com/melissakline.html.

Also, we've put up the entire first chapter and an excerpt from Chapter Four to give you an idea of what the book is about. You can download it in common ebook formats to your favorite reader or desktop.

MOBI (Kindle) format

RTF (text) format

LIT (Microsoft Reader) format

PDF (Adobe Acrobat Reader format)

(Author photo by Anissa Long Photography)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Melissa Kline penned her first novel at the age of thirteen and has been writing consistently for fifteen years. She has completed ten young adult novels and several short stories. Her preferred genre is young adult, but she writes non-fiction and children's books as well. Her calling is to connect with others and give hope through writing. She is particularly interested in supporting women and young adults. Melissa is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and founder of Rocky Mountain Women Writers, a Denver-based writing group created to inspire women to write from their hearts and follow their dreams.

Three Book of the Year Award Finalists for Lucky Press!

2011-03-16T07:30:00.001-07:00

ForeWord Reviews is pleased to announce the 2010 Book of the Year Awards list of finalists. Representing more than 350 publishers, the finalists were selected from 1400 entries in 56 categories. These books are examples of independent publishing at its finest. Lucky Press, LLC is an independent book publisher based in Athens, Ohio, and has three titles announced as finalists.

Max and Menna by Shauna Kelley (of Baltimore, Maryland) is a finalist in the Young Adult Fiction category. It is the story of three teenagers who survive poverty and prejudice in the South in the 1980s.

The Prophet of Sorrow by Mark Van Aken Williams (of Athens, Ohio) is a finalist in the Historical Fiction category. Twenty years after stabbing Leon Trotsky with an ice pick; the killer, Ramon Mercader, writes his memoir.

There Are No Words by Mary Calhoun Brown (of Huntington, West Virginia) is a finalist in the Juvenile Fiction category. It is the story of a girl with autism who travels back in time to save her grandfather's childhood friend from the great Tennessee train wreck of 1918.

Founded in 2000, Lucky Press, LLC has 30 titles in its list, which can be found online at www.LuckyPress.com as well as on Facebook and Twitter. The books noted above may be purchased at bookstores and online. The Prophet of Sorrow and There Are No Words are also available on Kindle, as will be Guardian Spirit in April.
ForeWord Reviews' Book of the Year Awards program was established to help publishers shine an additional spotlight on their best titles and bring increased attention to librarians and booksellers of the literary and graphic achievements of independent publishers and their authors. Award winners are chosen from real librarians and booksellers, who are on the front lines everyday working with patrons and customers.

Lisa and Laura Write: The Bookanistas

2011-03-15T03:44:00.000-07:00

Lisa and Laura Write: The Bookanistas: "The Bookanistas are a group of writers who are at various stages in the publishing process and have decided to band together to recommend a..."

Sympathy for Japan, and Admiration - NYTimes.com

2011-03-12T03:44:00.000-08:00

Sympathy for Japan, and Admiration - NYTimes.com: "Uncomplaining, collective resilience is steeped into the Japanese soul"

The Hillbilly Vampire Chronicles ebook trailer

2011-03-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

If you've wondered if Lucky Press has any books that are eBook only, the answer is YES. We have a tiny imprint called EndPages and this is our first title in that imprint. EndPages are titles that are different than our usual fair and The Hillbilly Vampire Chronicles is for adults only. From Tonto Fielding.
Learn more at www.hillbillyvampirechronicles.com. Visit Tonto's very odd blog. Dare to friend Tonto on Facebook.

Gideon Chickenstalker is a 400-pound vampire from the hills of southern Ohio. He may be the most inept vampire in history. The Hillbilly Vampire Chronicles is filled with some of saddest people you will ever meet in fiction, yet their earnest attempts to navigate daily life teeter on the edge of bizarre hilarity. Fieldings' novel carries on the tradition started by Donald Ray Pollack in Knockemstiff, bringing to life the story of Appalachia’s drug abusers, perverts, and a cast of characters that would make Carl Hiasen proud. These forgotten populations of uneducated folk scull the parlous straits between comedy and calamity with only the devil to pay.

A Star Trek geek with a fondness for cantalopes, Gideon finds companionship with Esther Gradgrind, a meth-addicted ex-stripper, only to have his life forever altered when he is turned into a vampire. Being so out of shape, he finds himself unable to hunt down even one human. Along with her washed-up bodybuilder boyfriend, Amos Pecksniff, Esther helps Gideon with his ultimate goal of tasting real human blood, all the while ending up in a life of crime that would make Bonnie and Clyde deny their profession.

A Fairy Blast on St. Patrick’s Day | Tell It Slant

2011-03-03T19:24:00.000-08:00

Cynthia Neale's recent post related to being of Irish heritage and celebrating St. Patrick's Day and dancing impressed me so much... I wanted to share it with you here at this link:

A Fairy Blast on St. Patrick’s Day Tell It Slant: "A Fairy Blast on St. Patrick’s Day"

Cynthia is the author of Norah: The Making of an Irish-American Woman in 19th-Century New York and her book has just now launched and is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (online and in stores). (This is her 3rd published book.)

Norah will make a wonderful gift to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, women's fiction, Ireland, 19th century New York life...and remember, Mother's Day is May 8 and Norah is available in paperback and hardcover. So buy a paperback for yourself and a hardcover for a gift for your favorite book lover.

~Janice Phelps Williams, publisher and founder of Lucky Press, LLC

Book Awards for "There Are No Words"

2011-01-29T16:36:00.000-08:00

BLOG.MARYCALHOUNBROWN.COM: There Are No Words has won a total of NINE literary awards.

An Author's PR Kit

2011-01-22T08:34:00.000-08:00

Every serious writer who wants to be published, and every author who is published, should have a PR/Media Kit. This kit should contain loose-leaf sheets, so it can be customized depending upon the need. It should contain: a bio, a synopsis, endorsements, a Q&A, a photo of the author, a printout of the book cover. Specifics on how to write the materials within a media kit, can be found at the links I've saved to Delicious. Click here for the links with the tag: "Author's-PR-Kit."

At all times, an author must put his or her best foot forward. The "brand" must be consistent, as well as fonts, style, presentation, even the color of your materials and the type of paper you use is all part of representing you to strangers -- strangers who may be able to help you greatly in promoting your book.

PR/Media kits may be printed and/or electronic. Where would they be sent?

bookstore managers, where you are seeking to have a book signing or talk
national book buyers for chain bookstores
independent bookstore managers
associations related to your book's topic
experts related to your book's topic
business who seek speakers related to your book's topic
newspapers
magazines
publishers you are querying
agents you are querying
TV/radio producers
people you want to endorse your book or manuscript

Like a resume, your kit will grow and evolve as your writing career progresses. Your competition is way ahead of you in creating marketing materials; they may have a large publisher putting tens of thousands of dollars into marketing an author's brand. But you, too, can have an effective kit. It will often be responsible for the first impression a person has of you and your work. Take the time to make it the best it can be.

Janice Phelps Williams
Publisher

Creating a Book Cover

2011-01-07T07:08:00.000-08:00

In March, Lucky Press will release Norah: The Making of an Irish-American Woman in 19th-Century New York by Cynthia Neale. The files for this book will go to press in early February, so time is running short! I thought it might be fun to share with you the progression of the book cover design on this title.

1. You can read a synopsis of Norah at this link, but basically it is about an Irish immigrant, Norah McCabe, whose family lives in Five Points in New York City in the second half of the 1800s. Norah is in her early twenties, strong-minded and creative. She owns her own used-clothing shop, and takes cast-offs from wealthy women and resells them. She also dreams of being a journalist -- there is no stopping Norah from reaching her dreams.

We wanted a cover that would capture Norah's strength, her love of fine clothes, and the "feeling" of that period in NYC's history. I asked the author, Cynthia Neale, to send me any documentation she might have on dresses Norah might have worn (though Norah is a fictional character, accurate historical details were most important to the author as she wrote her book). Cynthia sent me a book of historical costumes, noting the images correlating to Norah's generation; I also found some costume images, from museums, online (see photo at left).

2. In the meantime, I also looked at photographs available from stock photo agencies. There was one photo that I liked very much, but the woman's face was not right for Norah. I also looked at images of women in period costumes, but they all looked very posed. Here are some images we came across (available from Superstock Images):

3. I did come up with an idea using one of the images from Superstock, but, again, the author did not feel the image was quite right and, after all, she knows her character best!

Here is an early idea for the cover.

4. Also, I needed to familiarize myself with Five Points; so I visited websites and came across these photos.

5. I played around with using an image of a woman plus an image of Five Points...

This is a rough "sketch," but I wanted to see how the cover might look with a city view behind it.

6. We also looked at a lot of covers on Amazon, noting what appealed to us. I was surprised to find how many bookcovers do not show the woman's face!

7. Eventually, though, we decided to see what an original drawing might look like. I decided to use Cynthia's costume images as the basis for an illustration. The dress I referred to was yellow, and had roses on it, but no shamrocks. I decided to change the design of the pattern on the dress and add shamrocks. I also altered the details of the dress slightly. I drew the dress in pencil, then did the lines in ink with a Micro Pen, .005 and .01 thickness nib. I then added watercolors to the drawing, which was done on smooth Bristol paper. (Yes, I am a cover designer as well as the founder and publisher of Lucky Press. This allows me to be involved in the production process of a title in a wonderful way, and I love this opportunity to design a cover. If a cover is not quite right for my skills, then I engage the services of another designer. We all have different strengths and areas of focus.)

This shows the drawing as it originally was created. Although I didn't think we'd use Norah's face, I wanted to draw it. The author noticed the chin "wasn't quite right" (and I agreed). I altered the chin/jawline slightly. Also, as you see below, I cropped the illustration and flipped it.

8. I didn't want the cover to appear "pastel" though, because the book is gritty, dark in some places, and while there are some romance, love, and light moments, it really is a struggle for Norah to find her way and she is surrounded by people with ulterior motives. I didn't want the book cover to indicate a light romance. I wanted it to be strong. So, the illustration was imported into Photoshop and treated with art filters.

Here is the drawing, scanned and imported into Photoshop, and treated with filters.

9. When I was satisfied with the look of the drawing, I then turned toward the title, subtitle, and author's name. There was some tweaking of the fonts and voila! a book cover for Norah!

Norah will be available March 1, 2010 from online booksellers and through your local chain or independent bookstore. If you love Ireland and/or stories of strong women characters, you will love Cynthia Neale's Norah.

10. Still to be done: adding a hyphen in "19th Century"... But this is a small thing. Next, we will work on the back cover and spine, as well as adding in a snippet of this wonderful review from Feathered Quill:

"This is not a tame, peaceful read. Although there are certainly beautiful scenes of corseted females in their finery traversing the streets of New York City, those same streets are also filled with vicious, violent people desperately trying to feed their families. Norah's life is upsetting in many ways and the twists and turns that happen to her do, indeed, include angry people who are truly out for themselves. However, this story is filled with so much intrigue, mystery, and beauty, that you'll cling to every word while watching Norah grow into a strong, courageous, and brilliant woman, who ends up truly proud of her Irish blood."

Read full review at this link.

I hope you found this behind-the-scenes look at the making of a book cover design interesting, and hope your New Year is off to a good start!

Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher
Lucky Press, LLC

Steps from "Yes" to "Yeah!"

2010-12-15T14:51:00.000-08:00

In our last post we listed the forthcoming titles from Lucky Press in 2011. In this post, I'd like to explain a bit about the steps from acquisition to publication, for those of you who are writers or just curious about what happens when. The following scenario is what is typical at Lucky Press, a publisher of 10 years with 30 (and growing) titles in its list. This procedure will vary, of course, depending on the publisher.

After many conversations, review of materials, and the signing of a contract, the author is given a "Yes," replies "Yes" back to publisher, and the book -- let's call it "Wonderful Book" -- is put on our list for publication, usually 9 months to 1 year in the future (but it can be less time or more).
The author goes through the manuscript again, making any revisions she (or he) deems necessary, then emails to publisher the final Word document of Wonderful Book. Any photographs that go in the book are send on a CD and carefully numbered either sequentially (001.jpg - 100.jpg) or by chapter (01-001.jpg to 20-001.jpg).
The author begins the process of obtaining permissions on any quoted material in her book.
The author sends written permissions on any photos used in the book, including the author's photo.
At the publisher, a schedule is drawn up.
The book proceeds to editorial, where it is reviewed with a red pen for the first time. If any major changes are needed, it is discussed with the author, who has the chance to revise the manuscript at this time.
The book is given an ISBN and added to Books In Print under the publisher's catalog of books with Bowker.
After the manuscript returns from the author with any major changes she has made, the book is read again and line editing takes place. In some cases, depending on the book and the schedule, the book might proceed to layout first and then have proofreading later. But it is preferrable to have most of the editing done while the book is in word processing (rather than design) format.
After the author reviews the line edit, the book returns to editorial again at the publisher's office and all changes are entered into the file. (Changes might be entered into the file by the author, but if so, no matter who enters the changes, the book must be carefully proofed to ensure new errors were not inserted during the revisions.)
A title is determined.
Six months before pub date: About this time, the book info, ISBN, author bio, synopsis, and excerpt are added to the publisher's webpage as a "forthcoming title."
Six months before pub date: The book's pages are designed, importing the Word document into QuarkXpress (some publishers use InDesign). At this point, the author no longer has access to the book in Word.
Five months before pub date: When all the pages are designed, the author is sent the pages to review and the publisher also reads and marks any final corrections to the pages.
Five months before pub date: The cover is designed.
Four months before pub date: We look at issues related to social media marketing and if the author does not yet have a website, blog, Twitter and Facebook account, these are discussed and put on the schedule.
Three to four months before pub date: In regard to marketing, a list of reviewers is compiled and galleys are mailed for review.
Work on the author's marketing plan continues, mostly by the author with input from the publisher.
When reviews come in, they are added to the book cover and/or web page.
Two months before pub date: The book is announced to the publisher's trade contacts and previous customers. Key contacts receive a review copy.
One month before pub date: The book info is placed online with major retailers and with wholesalers.
Publication date: The book is printed and ready for sale!

Forthcoming Titles for 2011

2010-12-01T03:27:00.000-08:00

Our 2010 submission period has been a busy and exciting time and is ending December 15th. We still have a few manuscripts under consideration, but as of now, our 2011 forthcoming titles will include:

WINTER 2011

January: ebook release of Cancer: How will I get through this? by Kevin Molloy (nonfiction; cancer -- encouragement from a wide variety of people with cancer, of various types in various stages)

February: ebook release of The Aviator's Apprentice; Turner's Flight; Turner's Defense by Chris Davey (historical fiction for teens and adults -- WWI, aviation, RAF, men's adventure)

February: paperback release of The Prophet of Sorrow by Mark Van Aken Williams (historical fiction -- 20th-century, world politics, political intrigue, assassination of Leon Trotsky in Mexico)

SPRING 2011

March: Norah, The Making of an Irish-American Woman in 19th-Century New York, by Cynthia Neale (adult historical fiction -- Immigrant experience, Irish famine, women's rights, NYC's Five Points District)

March: ebook release of Guardian Spirit by Sarah Martin Byrd (fiction for ages 14 through adult; womens contemporary fiction -- domestic violence, family, Cherokee, mountains of North Carolina)

May: Leaving the Hall Light On, by Madeline Sharples (nonfiction -- rebuilding your life after the suicide of a family member)

May: ebook release of Max and Menna by Shauna Kelley (fiction for ages 15 through adult -- coming-of-age, alcoholism, prejudice, poverty, first love, Alabama in the 1980s)

Note: Look for Lucky Press founder Janice Phelps Williams' new children's picture book (story by Charles Zigman, illustrations by Janice) from Allenwood Press, Spring 2011. Title and info to be announced.

SUMMER 2011

June: ebook release of What Saved Me: A Dozen Ways to Embrace Life by Janice Phelps Williams (inspirational/self-help -- parenting, divorce, special needs)

July: My Beginning, by Melissa Kline (YA fiction, sci-fi -- dystopian coming-of-age)

FALL 2011

September: All the Bad Things, by J. Michael Dew (adult, literary fiction -- crime, disabilities, community)

November: String Bridge, by Jessica Bell (adult women's contemporary; literary fiction -- music, marriage, motherhood, career)

November: Santa's Brother, Sandy Claus: Paper Doll by Janice Phelps Williams (children's book; papercraft)

It Is All About You . . . (Your Bio, Your Brand)

2010-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

Within query letters we receive at Lucky Press during our submission period (which runs through December 15, 2010), there are two sections that are crucial in catching our interest. The book synopsis and the author's bio. As many querying authors do not include a bio or present one that could be improved upon, I'm offering these tips today on the bio, your introduction to acquisitions editor, agent, or editorial assistant. Pretty important snippet of sentences, isn't it? (A future post will look at the synopsis.)

I want you to write your bio, right here, right now. Actually, I want you to write THREE.

The short one:

It must be more than “John Smith is an author living in Cleveland, Ohio.” (Yes, a few years ago I actually let an author get by with this, but it won't do anymore.)

Now, about your bio, your wonderful, persuasive, "Here I am, a professional writer and I deserve your attention because I'm giving each word in this query letter my careful attention," bio.

It must be at least four sentences long. I want to know where you live, one unique fact about you, your publishing focus or platform, and a small bit of info about your family. (The last is unnecessary, but it tends to make things seem more like the start of a conversation or relationship between letter writer and letter receiver and isn't that the goal?)

For instance:

A lifelong interest in art and books led Janice Phelps Williams to become a book designer, illustrator, and the founder of a publishing company, Lucky Press. She received her BFA from Kent State University and has two grown sons. Janice's home with her husband, Mark Van Aken Williams, also a writer, is in the beautiful hills of Southern Ohio, home to Ohio University. Open Your Heart with Pets is Janice’s third book.

In my bio, I was trying to communicate the following:

That I am not just serious about this instance of a manuscript, article, or whatever has led to contact with the reader, but that my entire life has been infused with a love of art and books.
That I've made a living and career with this interest.
My education.
A bit about me personally. This also gives away my approximate age. It's also a subtle way of letting a publisher/agent know that while I am middle-aged and may be older than some of the writers querying him, I have no dependents at home, writing is taken seriously in our house, and I am likely free to travel around and promote the book I hope he'll publish.
Where I live. By mentioning Ohio University, I'm communicating that it is important to me to live in a town that contains the first college established in the Northwest Territory (1804, I believe it was.) This makes up a bit, I hope, for folks who have no idea where Athens, Ohio, is or the vibrant intellectual and artistic community here and the natural beauty that keeps people tied to this region.

Okay, enough about me. Here’s a more impressive bio from Abigail Thomas’s website:

Abigail Thomas, the daughter of renowned science writer Lewis Thomas (The Lives of a Cell, etc.), is the mother of four children and the grandmother of twelve. Her academic education stopped when, pregnant with her oldest daughter, she was asked to leave Bryn Mawr during her first year. She’s lived most of her life on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and was for a time a book editor and for another time a book agent. Then she started writing for publication. A Three Dog Life is her fifth book; the most recent, Safekeeping, is also a memoir. She teaches fiction writing in the graduate program at The New School and lives in Woodstock, New York, to be near her husband, Rich.

Now, you try it . . . . (Grab pen and paper or open a document and do it.)

A word to your heart here: Dig deep. You may not think you have credentials, but you do. This is what marketing is: finding the smallest positive thing and putting it in the best light. Make a list of your positives and accomplishments. What stands out? What do you want to be known for? Now work some magic.

The even shorter, catalog version:

While the above is what you will want to put in your query letter, you have already, I hope, had to come up with an even shorter bio to use as a tagline in your articles, online posts, guest blogs, and such. There is something very enlightening about being forced to describe yourself in just a few words.

You need a shorter bio that communicates your brand, the essence of who you are as a writer. What makes you so special?

Here are some examples of what I mean from the author websites I mentioned earlier:

LISA SEE: Lisa See, author of the critically-acclaimed international bestseller, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005), has always been intrigued by stories that have been lost, forgotten, or deliberately covered up, whether in the past or happening right now in the world today.

ELIZABETH BERG: Before I became a writer, I was a registered nurse for ten years, and that was my “school” for writing—taking care of patients taught me a lot about human nature, about hope and fear and love and loss and regret and triumph and especially about relationships—all things that I tend to focus on in my work.

JODI PICOULT: “Picoult is a skilled wordsmith, and she beautifully creates situations that not only provoke the mind but touch the flawed souls in all of us.” —Boston Globe

Keep it short, one or two sentences. I’ll go first:

Janice Phelps Williams explores the human-animal bond in her book, Open Your Heart with Pets (DreamTime Publishing, 2007). Gently leading readers to open the door to their hearts just a bit more, she celebrates, through words and art, a world where animals bring love, humor, and acceptance.

Now, your turn . . .

And still more about you!

You will also need a longer bio that can be placed on your website and in your marketing packet. Visit John Grogan’s site (author of Marley and Me) for an example of a long bio.

Now, take the time to write a one-page bio. Over the next few days, reread it and self-edit. Ask others you trust to read it too. Be sure it communicates your brand and supports and points people toward your book.

I would love to see your four- to five-sentence bio posted in the comments section. Please include a link to your blog or website so we can all know more about you and your writing (or artwork).

All the best to you in your creative endeavors!

Janice Phelps Williams

Publisher/founder, Lucky Press LLC

How to Know if an Editor Is a Good Fit for Your Book Project

2010-11-18T09:57:00.000-08:00

For many years I've edited the manuscripts of books published by Lucky Press as well as (on a freelance basis) manuscripts by self-publishing authors and those published by other small presses. While I've scaled back my freelance editing work to focus on growing Lucky Press, freelance illustration/design work, and personal projects, the following information is offered for writers considering hiring an editor to work on their manuscript. (I am happy to refer you to a competent editor, or you can look at the resources links at the Independent Book Publishers Association's website.)

Consider the following checklist:

□ How many books has the editor worked on, as the person solely responsible for the editing of the project? (I am emphasizing books because working on magazine articles, journals, and other written communication is not the same as working on a book project. You will want someone experienced in books.)

□ Have you been provided with references and a list of past clients? It is very important to get references and to see the client list. More than a few times in the last decade a manuscript has come to me that has been "professionally edited" and filled with errors. The author paid good money for editing, but received poor service. So, take the time to find the perfect editor for your project.

□ Were these books similar in genre to your book?

□ The more extensive an editor’s involvement is in a project (for instance, from manuscript phase all the way to finished book stage), the better the quality of editing will be, because she will have a start-to-finish approach to the project. Editors who take projects through to finished book stage can tell when they are editing a manuscript in MS Word how that manuscript might look and read when it is designed into a book. This is an intangible asset that can help your project immensely.

□ Does the editor have a college degree? (Sometimes it is easy to overlook the obvious. For an editor, it is necessary. Though one of the best proofreaders I've known did not attend college. )

□ Have you obtained a sample edit from this person? If so, compare the original and edited pages side-by-side (which you can do in MS Word using the “tools” feature). Do you think the edited version is more reader-friendly? If you obtain a sample edit from more than one editor (this is not uncommon), you might want to show the samples to a few others whose opinion you trust and see which version they think reads best.

□ Did the editor mark primarily grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors or did she also suggest substantive changes, such as improving a sentence here or there; clarifying a concept; noting what might be confusing to a reader?

□ Have you spoken with the editor over the phone? Is she a good listener? Does she seem to grasp what you are trying to accomplish with this book?

□ Are the fees comparable to any other quotes for editing you have gotten? If you are at all unsure whether to commit to this editor, is she willing to do several chapters as a test before you commit to send the entire manuscript?

□ What timeline are you being given for completion of the editing? Note: Some editors take between one to three months to edit a book, with two months being quite common. But there are editors who take a year, or more, to edit a project. You’ll want to know, beforehand, what the expected schedule will be.

□ Privacy agreement. It is not unusual for an author to ask an editor, and any assistants in the editor’s office, to sign a non-disclosure statement protecting the privacy of the author and his manuscript/project.

□ Is the editor using an assistant or subcontracting out the work? There are many editorial services and book shepherds online today who actually farm work out to subcontractors. I believe it is important for the primary editor (the one who does at least one round of editing and takes responsibility for the quality of the editing) to have a one-on-one relationship with the author. You cannot get this by uploading your manuscript to a faceless, nameless “editing service.”

As far as an assistant; an editorial assistant can be an asset to your project. For instance, one editor might be particularly strong in content editing and the “big picture.” But an assistant editor might also have complementary skills in the subject matter. Or, the assistant editor might be more proficient in issues related to grammar and punctuation. Do not look negatively at an editor who pairs up with an assistant editor to complete your project. You may be getting two editors for the price of one, yet the primary editor will still take full responsibility for the work that is done.

□ Rights. If you are having your manuscript substantially edited, you may want the editor to communicate to you, in writing, that upon final payment for editorial services all rights to the written text of your manuscript, and any writing or editorial work done by the editor, transfers completely to you.

Editing a book requires several skill sets:

the ability to understand the material and converse intelligently with the author,
the ability to see things from the reader’s point of view and sense whether concepts will be comprehended by the market for which the book is intended,
seeing how the manuscript will translate into a finished, printed book,
diplomatically communicating to the author weaknesses within the manuscript,
knowing how the manuscript might be improved, while retaining (and perhaps strengthening) the author’s voice (all the while sublimating the editor’s voice),
knowing the rules of style (many editors follow The Chicago Manual of Style) and determining an appropriate style for a particular project, and
knowing grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

An editor should not be expected to be a fact checker on your book (unless this is agreed upon in advance and in line with their area of expertise), but will highlight instances where double-checking should be done, by you or someone proficient in the subject matter.

Editing a book is a process and sometimes, depending on the amount of editing needed, the subject matter, and the length of the book, it can take more than one pass-through to edit a book. In other words, if the editor is initially looking at substantive changes and concentrating on improving sentence structure, the book as a whole, etc., then things like spelling and punctuation might be overlooked as the “big picture” is being considered. It would then be necessary, after the big picture is sorted out, to go back through the book with an eye to the details.

An author should not panic if small errors make it past the initial editing stage, if the initial editing stage involved substantive work. Simply bring it to the editor’s attention and give her the opportunity to verify that something that should have been corrected was missed. Ask if, given the substantive nature of the initial effort, she would go through the manuscript one more time with an eye on spelling, grammar, and punctuation. This is not an unreasonable request.

Circus by Moonlight

2010-11-14T15:22:00.000-08:00

“A perfect browse for poetry enthusiasts . . . Williams [is] an impressive talent and skilled wordsmith, deserving of as wide and appreciative an audience as possible.” Midwest Book Review, Small Press Bookwatch

Solitary Signs

i come from this wall,
but not as graffiti,
with cryptic lettering
that declares the
boundaries of suffrage,
extracted from a child’s
innocence — blood still warm.

i am not a thick
moss, the mold of suffocation come to
seal forever an offensive mortar, a tomb for our
sins under a lush
and deceptive green.

i am born of a seed,
deposited unseen by a
breath that was gentle
as a lover’s sigh, to
draw support through
the decay, a blooming,
simple and susceptible.

The Dialogue

try not to burden
me with things
that i have never felt
under the influence
of weightlessness

tell me again about
feather-weighted bones
that will carry me
beyond the lamp which
lights the lifting

speak carefully when
addressing the environment
of uncertainty
for solar flares will
assault the principle

i tend to enjoy the
part where pine boughs
fall upon the headstone
far below the floating
moon where wildly i spin

The Writer as a Child

this is an open letter
to children who
verily cannot put feelings

into their own correspondence
because i could never get past
that defective first recognition

but do not ache
because it was the convention
that censored the attempt

so don’t rely on formality
but hold to your heart all impressions
and disclose them later

when the competence matches
our automatic assimilation
of powerful perceptions

it’s there
waiting for the right time
as your substance synthesizes

A Bit of History at My Feet

there is history in the fallen leaf,
short and prosaic and unwritten.

i stand looking down at a seasoned
casualty, in fastened animation.

had you forsaken the lure of sugar
or tired of the season’s caress.

there are no coins on your eyes
and mourners’ wails are wind bourn.

anonymous member of the chorus,
perhaps i had heard your voice sing

with the current, a rustling comfort
that piloted me to sleep and dreams.

did you provide a cool shade when
i had cursed the dog day heat,

connected by the umbilical of your
host to the mother of us all.

yes — you had a history, short and
unwritten, but to me it was poetry.

About the Author: Mark Van Aken Williams has been writing poetry and essays for many years and his work reflects a sensibility that extends beyond national borders and encompasses the dichotomy of poverty/wealth, striving/acceptance, ancient/modern, and the particular and universal. Circus by Moonlight contains poems written between 1990 and 2007. He is also the author of The Prophet of Sorrow.

Paperback; 6 x 9 inches; 130 pages ISBN-13: 978-0-9760576-6-6; Retail Price: $ 12.00; Category: Poetry; Ohio Poets

Click on the retailers below to order your copy:

The Memory Tree

2010-11-14T15:08:00.000-08:00

As you might already know, or have guessed, I've committed to writing 50,000 words of a first-draft of a novel to be completed by Nov. 30th for National Novel Writing Month. This has resulted in: my Chihuahua now waking me up at 4:30 to write; a big increase in coffee consumption; and a new thankfulness for my laptop. Also, I have a renewed appreciation for the novelists and nonfiction writers whose work I publish here at Lucky Press. I'm a publisher, but also a book designer and editor, and as I push around other people's words and work (ever-so-gently, mind you), I try to do so with respect for their process and expertise.

Now in the author's seat, and whether or not my NaNo WIP or any other novel of mine will be published, I have a word-by-word growing respect for the craft of creating a new world through words on a page.

I started my NaNo from a prompt posted on Facebook by the Rocky Mountain Women Writers group (thank you, Melissa Kline). A few days later I learned of National Novel Writing Month and immediately knew wanted to follow the few sentences I'd started and go from there. The words flowed. I decided to titled it "The Memory Tree" even though I had no idea how that would relate to the story. Nine days into it, and suddenly I knew how all the characters would relate to each other and how it would all relate to The Memory Tree, which I could "see" in my mind.

And then I thought of how much I love trees and how I have a photo album filled with only photos of trees. I have a small camera in the center console of my car, ready at all times to photograph trees I might see driving across the southern part of Ohio every third Saturday. For ten years. That's a lot of trees.

And then this summer, my mother and I went back to my childhood homes. "At Each Home, a Towering Tree" was the name of the blog post I wrote afterward, about my father and how he planted trees everywhere he lived, and they lived on like a silent witness of his life.

Here are the few paragraphs in my NaNo on The Memory Tree (I posted this also on my creativity blog, Appalachian Morning, and so this might be a repeat if you follow both blogs. Usually I keep them seperate and focus this blog on Lucky Press LLC's authors' work.... To follow my NaNo progress (will the publisher finish?) you can track me at this link.:

In the woods here on my ridge there is always one tree older than any other; once a sapling, then a young tree that bends in the tornadoes that whip across Ohio; never breaking, never uprooting, growing wider and taller with each passing year, home to all sorts of wildlife, feathered and four-footed. Then, as its branches thicken and its trunk widens and the roots of its being push deeper, past the soil and wrapping around the rocks that make up this ridge, the tree begins to store memories.

Like a human being retains memories for only a season, trees hold the warm-weather memories in their leaves, to float to the ground in the autumn, wiping the surface of near-time clean. But some leaves are so infused with memories that something -- sound or sight or spirit -- seeps into the branches, the small ones first then into the large ones. When the leaves fall to the ground the spirit of these memories infuses the soil and seeps to the roots. Up from the ground and down from the sky, these memories journey, meeting in the trunk, the center of a tree's wisdom, where rings measure not only years but seasons of memory.

If man could devise a machine to measure a tree's memory, he would learn a history unlike that told in any printed book. The tale of everything wild and natural, mentioning man from the unbiased view of observer. A history such as I can share with you, as all these trees on my shoulders have whispered to me their memories with each gust of wind blowing through their branches.

In the winter, dark lines against the gray sky form a calligraphy of testimony, as the trees themselves reveal the shorthand of their time on earth. Time that spans the generations of men, of government, of weather. Some of the trees on my ridge are two hundred, three hundred, years old. If you sit under these trees long enough, you might sense their memories too. I wonder sometimes if Bugaboo did. Perhaps that's why he felt little guilt about what he did to Lester Dixtin. No guilt whatsoever, not even for a minute. He replaced any thought of the man he'd killed with a focus on the nurse who was like a mother to him, his brother and best friend, and the plants that were his children.

"Silence Like Deep Water" by Simon C. Larter

2010-11-13T16:23:00.000-08:00

Want to read a beautiful short story that will make you feel like you're in Paris? I just did and can recommend it to you. It'll take 10-15 minutes and you'll wish for a whole book of stories by this author.

Simon C. Larter's, Silence Like Deep Water, is the featured short story at Short Story America this week. You do have to register to read the stories on the site, but it is quick and painless and worth it for this one story, and you'll have access to many additional stories as well from a wide range of writers.

Click on the "Story of the Week" tab at the top of the main page to read Silence Like Deep Water.

Follow Larter's blog "Constant Revisions."

Books: The Initial Spark

2010-11-10T07:28:00.000-08:00

There is nothing more powerful than the words we use as individuals and as a society . . . words to challenge, inform, motivate, subdue, intimidate, entertain, threaten, instruct, sell, change, or comfort. When our words are put on paper and bound between covers they become a fixed entity that, in a way, takes on a life of its own. Our thoughts become words and our words become books.

Until age thirteen I lived a very physical life: dance lessons, hiking in the woods near our home, and skating on a nearby pond. But I was set back with a prolonged illness at the start of high school, and it was then I began to discover the magic of books. The library in the small Ohio town where I lived with my parents was a pleasant summer’s walk away, holding ideas and stories that took me beyond the limitations of an insecure adolescence. I checked out as many books as I could carry the mile or so back home. I didn’t learn about other ideas, religions, governments, and centuries at my local school. School was the place I had to go to before I could go to the library. When I was able to work in the school library, well, that helped quite a bit.

I remember one afternoon when my father came to pick me up outside a secondhand book sale and was astonished to find me standing on the sidewalk with three large cardboard boxes full of books. My mother kindly made room in the hall closet for the complete set of twenty or so antique, embossed, oversize hardcover books on classical music and voice training. One treasured find was a book that opened to reveal fold-out newspaper articles written as if at the time of the Old Testament: “Moses Parts the Red Sea, Enemy Dies by the 1000s!” “ ‘I Respect My Father’s Judgment,’ Isaac States, as He Returns from Mountain Trip.” “ ‘I Never Looked Back,’ Lot Assured this Reporter.”

One of my clearest memories is the arrival of several boxes to the home of my high school English teacher who lived in the same apartment complex as my family. I don’t remember her name, but I remember her encouragement of my interest in books and art, and it was my good luck that she put me on the team publishing our school’s first literary magazine.

When the boxes of printed and bound magazines arrived, it was quite an occasion. I remember vividly how they smelled of ink and how the paper felt. That sense of delight hasn’t diminished for me: decades and hundreds of books on a wide variety of subjects later, I still feel happy anticipation cutting through the packing tape, and pulling out the first printed copy of a new book.

--Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher, Lucky Press
First posted at papercovers.blogspot.com on June 2004

My Response to LA Times' Response to Salon Article on NaNoWriMo

2010-11-08T04:40:00.000-08:00

The following is my comment left in response to an LA Times post...12 reasons to ignore the naysayers: Do NaNoWriMo (November 3, 2010 | 12:12 pm) by Carolyn Kellogg...which was a response to an article at Salon by Laura Miller. If you have time, read Carolyn Kellogg's article, she lists out the points and addresses each one. (Read Miller's article to see the hundreds of interesting comments!)

My comment (posted below) was offered because I could not help but speak up for writers, would-be published authors, and the many schools and regional groups that participate in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). And, truth be told, myself. Who would ever suggest that there are so many truly awful paintings in the world that an organization that encourages sketching is not a good thing?

Ms. Miller's start: "For me, the end of October is always slightly tinged with dread -- provoked not by Halloween spooks, not even by election season, but by the advent of something called NaNoWriMo. If those syllables are nothing but babble to you, then I salute you. They stand for National Novel Writing Month."

Ms. Kellogg's start: "Miller, who I usually find thoughtful and sweet, has written an anti-NaNoWriMo column -- "Better yet, DON'T write that novel" -- that is at best wrongheaded, and at worst, smallhearted. Miller would lay the blame for too many writers -- and not enough readers -- at the foot of NaNoWriMo, the project that challenges would-be authors to write a 50,000-word novel during the month of November."

Here is my comment to Ms. Kellogg's post:
Thank you for this article, which I will post a link to on Lucky Press LLC's FB page. I have two businesses: one is a graphic design/editing business for authors and small publishers. Having brought 200+ books through production, I've seen all levels of quality that would-be writers can produce. My other business is a small press, which I founded 10 years ago. We have 30 titles in our list and add 4-6 titles each year, all from unagented, typically unpublished, writers.

Additionally, I've been published (in nonfiction) and have been working on a novel for years that I can't seem to commit to finish. Signing up for NaNoWriMo this year has been a great way to give my writing the boost it needed within a structure, the fun of a competition (even if only with the calendar) and the support of regional writing buddies. I can't say enough good things about what I'm seeing in my introduction to this organization. (LP Blog readers, click here if you want to see my progress or "buddy" me.)

As a writer, publisher and reader, I think it is great.

As to the comments about the world needing more readers than people who think they can write a book...probably true, but so what? It is the publisher/agent/editor's responsibility to set the guidelines for submission; to set the boundaries and gatekeepers.

It is okay to write, to write well, to write often, to write an entire novel, and not care and not seek to be published. Just as it is okay to paint a painting and not be in a gallery or swim on the high school swim team and not want to be in the Olympics. It is okay, and perhaps even more than okay, to experience and enjoy and learn from the process.
NaNoWriMo is nothing more than a framework for a process. Novels have to start with a first draft and I do not think anyone is suggesting that you can take what was written in 30 days and submit it for publication.

Readers and Authors are supportive of each other. This is why I love being a publisher and why I never want my small company to be so big that I am forced to forego embracing the supportive relationship of editor to writer, writer to reader, publisher to book buyer and all the nuances in between.

--Janice Phelps Williams, 11/08/10

Lucky Press Facebook Fans' Writers (and 1 other) Blogs!

2010-10-31T17:19:00.000-07:00

You're taking the time to follow us on Facebook, so we wanted to return the favor. The following is a list-in-progress of blogs by writer-friends of Lucky Press (and perhaps a few friends-to-be). Thank you, Jessica Bell, for your suggestions as well.

I encourage you to network/link/be inspired by these bloggers who are committed to developing their craft. I've visted each and every one of the blogs on this list. My basic criteria for inclusion: the author must identify their first and last name; the blog must be about writing and contain information that is helpful to other writers, too; and the blog must appear to be active, with consistent posting and followers. (There is one exception, a jeweler's blog.) Tips for writer-bloggers: Somewhere have your first and last name, email address, and a link to an example of your writing work, WIP, or work for sale. Make it easy for those interested to learn more about what you do.

Enjoy! -- Janice Phelps Williams 10-31-10

This list does not contain Lucky Press authors' blogs. You can find a list of them at this link: www.luckypress.com/authors.html

The Alliterative Allomorph (Jessica Bell): "A novelist who desires to dabble in prose which deviates from 9-5 desk dramas. It is my delinquent duty to derange the order of a dull and droning day. This blog will demand literary deliciousness."

Boedy Bones (Nathan Boedigheimer): Jeweler/Sculpture (Beautiful work!)
　
Book Dreaming (Shannon LeMoine O'Donnell): about the journey toward publication, as well as writing and YA, MG, and Children's literature.

Constant Revisions (Simon C. Larter): "Flash fiction specialist, short story neophyte, poetry idiot. Aspiring novelist, discovering that the middle of your first novel is damn hard to write."

Cruising Altitude (Don Hammons): I've produced several short stories and I'm currently working on my first book.

Deb Salisbury, Writer: Seeking the Magic in the Journey Called Life
(Her "current links for writers" seem very helpful)

Earnest Writer's Excerpts (Theresa Milstein): YA fantasy/paranormal romance

Edward F. McKeown's page at SFWA (not a blog, but I wanted to mention it anyway). I've enjoyed a life-long love affair with science fiction. I write believable people in extraordinary situations, balancing romance,humor, adventure and reasonable extrapolations of science in stories that I believe people will want to return to.

From the Shadows to the Page (Karen Gowen) To share and connect with those interested in writing from life, recording their personal histories, writing a memoir for publication and/or personal use, and all things related to writing one's story.

I'll Name My Typewriter after the Moon (Hanna C. Howard): I'm an Imaginist. I'm also a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hope-er, a pray-er, and a Magic Bean Buyer. I have a cross-eyed Catahoula Leopard Dog who was once called "polka-spotted" by a small child. I prefer to be barefoot, and I drink a lot of black coffee. Oh, and I write YA.

Jill Kemerer: sweet, emotional, sparkling Christian romance novels.

Life, Love, and Living in France (Samantha Vérant)

One Significant Moment at a Time (Nicole Duclerior): "I'm a Literary Fiction writer using this blog to hone my craft. As I tackle my first novel project (*gulp*), my blog entries below document my journey.."

Overland, A Novel (Mark Levy): Musings and posts about my novel OVERLAND, a love story travel/adventure of historical proportions.
　
The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment (Matthew Rush): "A clumsy attempt at making some sense of the sinister submission process."

Rachel Simon, Author of "The House on Teacher's Lane," "Riding the Bus with My Sister," and (forthcoming) "The Story of Beautiful Girl."
Don't miss her publishing tips, either.

Random Thoughts (Sharon K. Mayhew): This is an upbeat blog with lots of variety, short postings, links to contests and free critique offers, great snapshots of various things, rocks, words, fossils, dogs. I love it!

Reflections on Writing (Melissa Kline): Insights, Exercises & Tools to Inspire the Creative Writing Process. "I have completed 10 YA novels and several short stories. I write non-fiction and children’s books as well. My calling is to connect with others and give hope through writing. I am particularly interested in supporting women and young adults. I am a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators and founder of Rocky Mountain Women Writers.

Susan McKinney de Ortega is a Philadelphia-born writer living in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico since 1992. de Ortega has a recent guest blog post on The Huffington Post. It's wonderful (and I'm not saying that because her daughter's horse's name is Lucky.)

Talli Roland: Over-caffeinated fiction writer making the journey towards publication with humour, book reviews and writing tribulations.
　
Unedited (Jennifer Daiker): "I love to lie. Wait a minute, I love to tell stories, yup that's my calling. I spend my days day dreaming of distant lands, fairies, witches and that one handsome prince who will whisk each and everyone of my characters off their feet and into a more beautiful place. Why write of reality and live in reality when there are so many possibilities through imagination. They call me crazy, but I call myself a writer. This is my life on paper."

Words 'n' Whimsy (DL Curran): writing on the way to publication...posting with a touch of whimsy

The World Crafter (Katrina DeLallo): Crafting worlds one idea at a time.
　
Writer's Ally, Sa Larsen: the Paranormal Chronicles of a Young Adult & Middle Grade Writer

Writers Rainbow (Tamara Kaye Sellman): Free advice, tips, meditations, op-eds, Q&As, plus workshop announcements and other promotional communications from Writer's Rainbow Literary Services.
　
Writer's Quandry (Anne Kenny): My YA novel, FATE CREST, is currently making the rounds in the agent world as I search for "the one". In addition to pursuing fiction, I regularly contribute to PlatformNation.com, a magazine style website featuring the latest news regarding technology and the video game industry.

　Note: If you have a blog for writers and want to be considered for this list (it is not all-inclusive, but a list of sites I like), just follow these simple steps.
1) Fan Lucky Press LLC on Facebook.
2) Friend Janice Phelps Williams on Facebook.
3) Send me a "message" on Facebook with a link to your blog.

For the best chance of inclusion, your blog should demonstrate the following qualities:
1) have a spirit of both sharing your particular writing life story AND reaching out to other writers
2) contain your full real name somewhere
3) have regular postings up to the present time (if your blog has not had posts for several months, I can't consider it).
　　
　

The National "Best Books 2010" Book Awards

2010-10-26T05:16:00.000-07:00

The National "Best Books 2010" Book Awards have been announced.

Two Lucky Press books were finalists. As this contests receives many, many submissions, finalist status is a wonderful recognition for these authors and for Lucky Press in general. Congratulations, authors!

Fiction & Literature, Historical Fiction-Finalist
The Prophet of Sorrow by Mark Van Aken Williams
Lucky Press, LLC 978-0-9844627-0-4

Fiction & Literature, Young Adult Fiction-Finalist

There Are No Words by Mary Calhoun Brown
Lucky Press, LLC 978-0-9776300-2-8

Also, congratulations to these publishers:

Best New Fiction-Finalist
Fiction and Literature, General-Finalist
Fiction & Literature: Multicultural Fiction -Finalist
My Waltzing Egypt by Aabeid Salama
Thunder House Books, LLC 978-0-9827378-8-0
book design, editing for Thunder House Books, LLC by: Janice Phelps, LLC

Children's Fiction-Finalist

Children's Religion-Finalist
Angel or Not? Angel for Sure! by Lori Diez
Angel's Books 978-0-9844166-0-8
book design, editing for Angel's Books by: Janice Phelps, LLC

Fiction & Literature: Chick Lit/Women's Lit-Finalist
Fiction & Literature: Multicultural Fiction -Finalist
Feddie Girl: The Hilarious Adventures of an American Teen in a Nigerian Federal School by Nona David
Bernard Books Publishing 978-0-9824526-0-8
book design for Bernard Books Publishing by: Janice Phelps, LLC

Tips for Submitting Manuscripts to Publishers

2010-10-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

Lucky Press is in the midst of its submission period and yesterday I did the first round of gleaning the gems from a large stack of submission packages. I thought it might be helpful to provide writers with some tips. While there are many books and online articles and blogs that provide what authors should and should not do when querying a publisher or agent, surprisingly enough a good percentage of authors do not follow this professional advice. They believe they are outside the norm, or rules, or they simply haven't done the research, yet they hope (perhaps even expect) that a publisher will invest a lot of time and money in their manuscript.

The following tips are from the perspective of Lucky Press, a publisher with 30 titles in its list, in business since 2000.

THE GOALS OF A QUERY PACKET:
An author submitting material to a publisher wants to convince the publisher of the following:

1) That the manuscript is worth a closer look.

2) That the author is the right person to write this book.

3) That the author is professional in every way. This is reflected in the cover letter, email responses (keep it on the formal side), and general tone and attitude. An aside: the publisher does not want to hear about how hard it is to find a publisher; how you will have the book edited by your relative; how you want to find a publisher so you can go back to writing, which is what you really love to do...

4) That the author has given thought to what efforts are needed to build a readership and market a book; and whether or not he or she has the time for such efforts.

5) That when the publisher reads the synopsis and chapter summary of the book, she will want to read more and when she does read more that she can't put it down. All the items 1-4 combined with un-put-downable manuscript entice the publisher to go to the next step. Step 6.

6) That the author's proposed book is a good fit for the publisher. The publisher looks at what is already in her publishing companies list. The idea for many small publishers is to stay in a niche, within certain categories. In this way marketing efforts for one title, also help other titles in the list. In other words, if a reader (or bookstore buyer) is enthusiastic about YA Fiction Book One, they may also buy YA Fiction Book Two. Conversely, if a reader purchases YA Fiction Book One they are not necessarily likely to buy a book on breast cancer.

SIDENOTE: How to know if your book might be a good fit for the publisher: A small publisher looks at the titles in its list as sets of books, and is constantly evaluating how the titles not only are doing in the marketplace individually, but how the sets are doing in the marketplace according to genre. Readers and bookstore buyers find it easier to remember the publisher when they associate it with a "brand" -- when they know what they are going to get from that publisher.

Writers are advised to review a publisher's list and submission policies carefully before submitting, but some do not. This lack of attention is counterproductive to their goal of getting published, and its costly in terms of postage and printing. Writers should absolutely visit the website of the publisher they are interested in submitting too and carefully read (and print out) the submission information located there, following it to the letter. It is the first test the publisher has put before you, and it is an easy one to pass.

REASONS WHY THIS PUBLISHER SAID "NO, THANK YOU."

Yesterday, I wrote about 20 handwritten rejection letters. Here's why.

1) Basic info missing. One query had no cover letter and the author's name and address were nowhere on the paperwork. There I am with pen in hand ready to send the author a handwritten response, but I didn't know her name. I had to refer to the return address label on the envelope (which in this case I still had). The author has sent 20+ pieces of paper, but no cover letter. Nothing to sell me on her or her work. The submission material was printed in a "fancy" type font that was difficult to read. There were no spaces between paragraphs nor indentations at the start of new paragraphs (spaces aren't needed, but a tab or indent at the start is necessary). The manuscript she had written had not been looked at from the perspective of what it would be like for a reader to read this. In other words, this nonfiction query was written more like someone's journal thoughts than a book ready to be published. It just was not right for Lucky Press and the author would be well-served by researching what makes a successful query package, and also hiring a professional editor to whip the manuscript into publishable shape.

2) Errors a plenty. Another query was in line with what Lucky Press publishes, but the manuscript had many punctuation and a few spelling errors and, trust me, a query packet must be perfect in terms of punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and spelling.

3) Why? A few authors sent queries about children's picture books. Lucky Press does not publish picture books. I have no idea why these authors queried Lucky Press. This is not something you can change a publisher's mind on. Picture books are printed in color and are marketed to a completely different buyer than YA fiction or adult fiction. Production costs and methods are different, everything is different, and so these queries immediately were sent back with a no.

4) Too much information. I do not recommend sharing your age in a query letter, especially if one is over 80 or under 18. This is not a deal-breaker but it is not helpful either. The work should stand on its own with the marketing packet. If your query passes step one, then during the next phase issues of age and any limitations due to age, disability, day-job, youth or anything else can be addressed. Publishers do not say yes because a person is 90; has had brain cancer (and that is not related to their book topic)...etc.

5) Bad timing. One excellent query that came our way would have gotten a closer look, but Lucky Press had already committed to publishing a book in 2011 on the same topic: a mother who had lost her son to suicide. There was no way the author could have known this, and I wrote a personal note encouraging her to keep searching for the right publisher, that I was sure her book would help others.

6) Unconvincing pitch. One of the authors sent a query about a book that is about a topic we cover in another title, but not in the same way. It is nonfiction and the book we publish on this subject is fiction. So, I looked closer at the query package to see if it might be a good fit. In the end, the author's premise for why people will buy the book (to paraphrase: "Because people will want to know how things were done in the olden days before all this information is lost forever.") did not convince me. I didn't see the market for the book, so I was not convinced to read further or invest Lucky Press's money in bringing it to the marketplace.

7) Qualifications lacking. Publishers learn that many people who have experienced cancer, death of a family member, disability, motherhood, and war feel qualified to write about it. Experiencing something does not make one qualified to write a book about it. One of the queries that came into Lucky Press was directed to new mothers; however the only qualification of the author was that she was a mother. The platform of an author (and you can search "platform" on Google to find out more) requires more than experience. Credentials are needed. Education is needed. A following of readers through blogs and Facebook and magazine articles are needed. If you are an author who wants to write about a subject you've experienced but do not have professional qualifications to write about, then start a blog, join writing groups, build a platform, obtain endorsements from better-qualified people, then give a query letter your best shot.

NOW FOR THE GOOD NEWS!
What did the authors I said "yes" to do right?

1) Great query letter. They wrote a convincing one-page query letter (in print or in email), which summarized:

What their book was about and the title.
Their qualifications to write the book.
Why people will want to buy the book.
Any supporting materials within the query packet.

2) Extra credit. They took the time to answer the Author's Questionnaire on our site (see www.luckypress.com/submissions.html). This increased their chances considerably; their chances of their query packet being given more attention and their impression with me was more favorable. They were trying to make my job easier and provided this information before it was requested. Who wouldn't like that?

3) Faultless. There were no spelling or punctuation errors in their query packet.

WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP FOR THOSE WHO RECEIVED A "YES"?
For authors whose query packet generated interest, I requested 3-5 chapters. Several authors had already gotten past the initial query packet, and I'd already requested to see a few chapters of their book. At this point, I was looking for a story that would grab me from the start and make me want to hurry and get the rest of the chapters from the author. A half-dozen authors have made it to this point.

Lucky Press is already committed to 3 new titles for 2011 and is looking to add 2 more titles for 2011 and perhaps 2 titles for early 2012. Our submission window continues through November. I'm excited to see what this next month will bring!

--Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher

Lucky Press to publish "Tecker"

2010-10-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

Lucky Press will publish J. Michael Dew's debut novel Tecker (working title) in September 2011. This adult fiction title would best be described as literary fiction that explores the prejudices within a small community against a 29-year-old man, Robbie Toe, a graduate of Vo-Tech, whose intellectual differences garner the attention of the town bullies, male and female. When a false accusation of rape lands Robbie in jail, the true nature of various townspeople is revealed.

Synopsis:
Robbie Toe never touched Missy inappropriately, never raped Blue Jean by the fire, never did anything to the other five girls who accused him of sexual abuse. But no one cared to hear his side of the story. He was a "molester" from the beginning, a "pervert," a "predator." On the day he climbed into an abandoned treehouse to rescue The Priest, an all-black kitten with a white tuft on his neck, Robbie was whisked off to jail to the great satisfaction of the bullies who hated him for no other reason than that he had a curious penchant for cats and was an easy target.

Tecker tells the story in four distinct voices of a social outcast who falls prey to the relentless scorn of a small Pennsylvania town and the cruel lies of its teenage girls. How is a 14-year-old girl inspired to use sex as an instrument of torment? Has our collective conscience weakened to the point that bullying another becomes a source of amusement? Twenty-nine-year-old Robbie Toe stands to be forever changed by these attacks. The charged conclusion of the story, however, will leave the reader wondering: was the change for good or bad?

About the Author:
J. Michael Dew has been making a living as an English professor since 2002. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and three daughters.

West Virginia Book Festival - Saturday

2010-10-16T19:41:00.000-07:00

What a great day, our first day at the WV Book Festival. (By the way, the Festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary, as did Lucky Press, back in February.)

Charleston Civic Center

Mark and I arrived in Charleston Friday around 2 p.m. and checked into the Hampton Inn. It was a challenge finding our way to it from the freeway, as we were unfamiliar with the one-way streets and Google Maps was not as helpful as I'd hoped. But, we made it and after checking into the hotel went over to the Receiving area of the Civic Center and, trusty dolly to help, made our way with boxes of books, banners, and brochures to Booth 608.

We set things up in 2 hours and then, happy to be settled in, went to the Fifth Quarter Restaurant for dinner. What a delicious dinner and a break from the diet, excuse me "new healthful eating plan," we've been on. Mark enjoyed "the best prime rib in 30 years" and I had my usual: shrimp cocktail and petite filet. We ordered carrot cake to take back to the hotel and while a little too sweet for my taste Mark, the Williams foodie, pronounced it perfect.

Mark, Fifth Quarter, Charleston

After hooking up all electronic doodads (cell phones, camera batteries, iPads, and laptop, which insisted on "updating" at the wrong time), we fell asleep to the Texas Rangers and NY Yankees ballgame.

Saturday I slept until 6 and after breakfast and paper and coffee coffee coffee...off we went for Our Big Day.

People were lined up in front of the Civic Center at 8:45 and we proudly made our way to the booth. Mark stopped by the Ohio University Press - Swallow Press booth and Judy Wilson, Customer Service, and Jean Cunningham, Marketing Manager, came over to meet me. (I later teased them that I'd looked forward to coming to Charleston to meet the Press that is a few miles down the street from us in Athens.) It was great to meet them and see their booth also. I'm acquainted with Julie Elman who did the book design on Stories from the Anne Grimes Collection of American Folk Music and Katharine Ziff, author of the forthcoming book on the history of The Ridges and the Athens Lunatic Asylum located there for many years. Later in the day I purchased Out of the Mountains: Appalachian Stories by Meredith Sue Willis and The World of a Wayward Comic Book Artist by Sandy Plunkett.

Mark Van Aken Williams and Sarah Martin Byrd

Sarah Martin Byrd and her husband, Jerry, arrived around 10 and it was great to meet Sarah in person at last (and Jerry because we love those supportive spouses). Sarah's been doing a great job promoting Guardian Spirit, and her lovely, warm personality was clearly evident as she connected with potential readers, and sold books. (And yes, I learned listening her talk with locals that there is a family connection between her husband and the late Senator Byrd.)

Mark's book, The Prophet of Sorrow, generated interest as well, and after he'd sold the first two copies it was as if he'd been doing this forever.

I felt it challenging to explain how I was the illustrator of The Life and Times of Spirit as well as the publisher for Lucky Press, so some of the time I spent handing out free coloring sheets for The Life and Times of Mister to the children who came by on their way to the play area. Several writers seeking publication stopped by and I talked to them briefly, referring them to the submissions page on our website.

Mary Calhoun Brown (far right) with friends.

Mary Calhoun Brown, author of the award-winning book There Are No Words, arrived around 11 in the morning with her beautiful vertical banner, winning smile and what seemed like astounding face recognition and name recall of dozens of people who came by the booth to say hi, hug her and buy her books (one gentleman bought 3 hardcovers). Mary's book was awarded the 2010 Moonbeam Childrens Book Award bronze medal, which is one more award for this YA novel about a mute autistic girl who travels back in time to save her grandfather's friend and stop the worst train wreck in U.S. history, in Tennesse.

Sarah Martin Byrd (left) with visitor.

Sarah Martin Byrd also continued selling and connecting with readers and Mark and I went off to the Fifth Quarter for another meal, but this time I stayed with the salad bar, and Mark indulged in his favorite, a cheeseburger. (It's okay he now does the treadmill for 1 hour every night and has beat me in the losing weight game.)

In the afternoon, I stopped in at the used book sale (it was like a huge library sale, with books at $2 for hardcover). I got several good buys.

Sarah went to hear Nicholas Sparks speak and I bet she'll be writing about her impressions on her blog soon. Here is the link.

Throughout the day the beautiful new blue Kanawha bookmobile sat near us, a cheerful reminder to me of a brief time in my life when I used the services of a bookmobile. I can imagine the excitement children would feel stepping up into this traveling library on its rounds.

Because Halloween is near, there were many children and a few adults in costume and the Cat in the Hat was wandering around as well.

Can you see the Cat in the Hat's hat?

Lucky Press's booth, with Mary, Mark and me, continued to sell and connect with readers throughout the day. I was happy also to meet Greg Moore from the WV Gazette who wrote such helpful info on the WV fest blog all these weeks up to the Festival. Check out this link to his "live blog" with up-to-date info on what his impressions of the festival (check out 5:05 p.m. Saturday).

We went to the Tidewater Grill for dinner. It was delicious and I see why Jerry Holt told me it was one of his favorite restaurants. Jerry, the author of The Killing of Strangers, will be in town tomorrow to man the table with Mark from 12 - 2. With Mary signing at 2-4 and Mark and I back to sign books and close up shop from 4 - 6...I will call it a weekend well-spent.

We'll be thankful it's less than 2 hours to get home and back to our Three Dogs and a Parrot, but have a lot of great memories of readers met, time with our wonderful authors, and connections made at the 2010 West Virginia Book Festival.

Columbus Society of Childrens Book Writers & Illustrator's "Scarlet and Gray" Conference

2010-10-12T05:10:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the Columbus (OH) chapter of the Society of Childrens Book Writers & Illustrators "Scarlet and Gray" Conference. "Scarlet and Gray" due to the home team, Ohio State University. On this Saturday morning I departed Athens at 6:30 for the nearly 1.75-hour drive to Upper Arlington.

As I left the Appalachian Foothills behind, the road flattened out, the sun rose and illuminated the autumn leaves, and soon downtown Columbus with its confusing freeway interchanges and impressive skyline appeared. I wondered how it would seem to someone flying in from New York. When I return by plane from somewhere else, Columbus looks like a city in the middle of flat farmland, but where we live is so hilly, green and beautiful with cliffs and forests and lakes... we really do have the best of everything and access to all that a metropolitan area offers as well. And...a great group for those dedicated to writing for children.

After a brief moment of panic when I couldn't find 2800 Tremont, the Senior Center, because it was off a side road with no signage whatsoever on Tremont, I arrived at the conference thinking that finding the location seemed to parallel an author's search for a publisher or agent! Or time to write. Or...well, a lot of things.

Here are the highlights:
1st up was speaker Mary Kole, an associate agent with Andrea Brown Literary Agency a firm which represents authors and illustrators. Mary's talk contained a wealth of information on writing for children--I would have driven 4 hours just to hear her speak for an hour. You missed it? Well, not to worry, Mary has a great blog at http://www.kidlit.com/ and you can benefit from her advice and experience too. (And, she's written about the conference in the blog post at this link.)

Mary often mentioned Ursala Nordstrom (publisher and editor in chief of juvenile books at Harper & Row from 1940 to 1973), whose discerning eye launched many of the books on top childrens literature lists today. (Here is a NYT article on Nordstrom.) Mary mentioned the difference between how adults read ("to put themselves to sleep, to steal moments") and how children read ("kids devour books") and that "it's important for children to share the same imaginative landscape with their friends." Books "make people into lifelong readers -- kids' books change lives." I think all books change lives, but it was good to be reminded that books read in one's childhood hold a special influence. Perhaps after parents and teachers the most influence of all (my thought, but perhaps Mary and Ursala would agree...).

A few quick notes on where books fall into the childrens literature categories:
1) Fiction picture books are for ages 3-5 and 5-7 and are 500-700 words. "the more spare the better" and Mary said that editors are looking for shorter manuscripts for picture books, not longer, also "more prose than rhyming" on picture books.
Examples: "Little Oink" is a favorite of Mary's. Also "Bubble Trouble" (as a great example of rhyme) and "Guess Again."

2) Chapter books and early readers: not a leading market category as developmental milestones must be included, and there is no specific age range.

3) Middle Grade: This category is doing well with strong backlist. Written for 8-10 and 10-12 year olds and as high as 14. 20k-35k words with a maximum of 60k.

Readers for Middle always read up, in other words, 10 year olds like to read about 12-year-old characters, etc. So, if you're writing 13-year-old characters, have their experiences appropriate to be read by 10-year-olds.
Mary talked about the interests and motivations of kids in the Middle and YA categories. At ages 8-12, she said, kids live in a world "made up of contrasts": loyalty and independence, being part of a group and individuality, wanting to go and wanting to stay. "Middle grade is not as edgy as YA...Romance should be sweet."

Examples: "Shug"; "Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School and Other Scary Things"; "Violet Raines Almost Got Struck by Lightning"; "Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie"

4) In the Young Adult category, the readers are 12 - 16, and up. Minimum word count is 45k up to 90k. 100k is a "hard sell" (unless a book is "awesome").

In YA stories can be "sweet, literary with little content (edgy)" or "edgy, adult, sophisticated." Mary talked a lot about the emotional life of teens. The teenage mindset is full of possibilities, of firsts, "so big your heart could explode."
Examples: "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"; "Before I Die"; "Glimpse"; "Articokes Heart"; "Paper Towns"; "Feed."

The next two speakers were Lisa Klein, author of "Ophelia," "Two Girls of Gettysburg," and "Lady Macbeth's Daughter" and Marcia James author of "hot, humorous romances," including "At Her Command."

Lisa talked on "From Scene to Story": building a story (her books are historical YA) using the 7 steps she shared. She also mentioned point of view and the pros and cons of each, as well as navigating between scenes.

Marcia James has a very active website and online presence and shares generously with other authors marketing tips. She writes for adults (sensual romance novels) so her experience is from that perspective, but her ideas are applicable for writers in any genre, so check out her website: http://www.marciajames.net/. She has a PDF called "Best Bang for Your PR Buck" and other info for authors--a wealth of info.

After hearing pitches, Mary Kole returned to the podium to talk about finding an agent and the author-agent relationship.

I appreciated the three women who spoke at this conference: each brought different insights to attendees, creating an interesting morning with something for everyone, and a LOT of information and expertise for this author and publisher to muse upon. There is always so much to learn, but I must not feel overwhelmed. How lucky I am to work in this field and have access to this information. Now, for the time to really delve into it. That is work that each of us must do on our own.

--Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher (Lucky Press) and Illustrator.

Note: I have summarized, to the best of my ability, the highlights of this conference. Please visit http://www.kidlit.com/ and http://www.marciajames.net/ and http://www.authorlisaklein.com/ to learn more about the speakers and read their words.

What authors need to wear when attending book festivals...

2010-10-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

Trotsky-related novel up for sale at the Frankfurt Book Fair

2010-10-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

"Generally speaking, human beings are free to separate themselves from their past and their prospects. This is the moral climate of our sound and fury; because ultimately we are responsible for what limits us. It is our obligation to develop conceivable narratives of ourselves, determine the future domain of the possible, and guide oneself toward it. ... What we do matters..." so says Mark Van Aken Williams on what he hopes readers will gain from his historical fiction novella The Prophet of Sorrow (Lucky Press, LLC, Feb. 2010) Readers interested in the motivations of real-life politicians, leaders, and spies, will find The Prophet of Sorrow, a fictional memoir of Ramon Mercader, an engrossing read. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the murder of Leon Trotsky at Mercader's hand.

Set against the political backdrop of the Moscow Show Trials and the exile of Leon Trotsky in Mexico, a Spanish agent of Joseph Stalin’s notorious secret spy ring, the GPU, is sent to assassinate Trotsky. After killing the exiled Bolshevik, Ramon Mercader has spent 20 years in a Mexican prison. The Prophet of Sorrow is a tale of suspense, courage, and love as recounted by the assassin.

This month Bob Erdmann, Columbine Communications, will be presenting The Prophet of Sorrow to foreign publishers at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's largest trade fair for books. Lucky Press is certain this novella will appeal to foreign publishers.

Leon Trotsky (1879-1940, born Lev Davidovich Bronstein) was a Bolshevik revolutionary and Marxist theorist; one of the October Revolution (1917) leaders, second to Vladimir Lenon. He advocated Red Army intervention against European faxcism and opposed Stalin's peace agreements with Hitler. His ideas formed the basis of Trotskyism (Marxists coined the phrase to separate his philosophies from theirs). Still, Trotsky's ideas are a school of Marxist thought that is opposed to the theories of Stalinism (see Wikipedia). He lived in exile in Mexico where his life intertwined with many 20th century historical figures such as Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo. The artist David Siquerios (it is his painting featured on the cover of Williams' book) had made an attempt on Trotsky's life.

Ramón Mercader (pronounced "Mer ca dare") was a Spanish communist and agent of the NKVD who assassinated Stalin's rival with an ice pick in Mexico on August 20, 1940. In 1960 he was freed from a Mexican prison, and this is the point where Williams begins his story in The Prophet of Sorrow.

Williams chose this topic for two reasons: first, as a way to investigate one of the pivotal political assassinations of the 20th century, which happened in North America yet is unfamiliar to most U.S. readers; second, as a venue for exploring the emotions of passion, anger, envy, discontent, fear, and sorrow. "I was reading The Anatomy of Melancholy by Robert Burton," said Williams, "and was struck by something he brought up when discussing folly, melancholy, and madness. He said that all fools are mad, though some madder than others. When delineating on his point, he delved into the concepts of passion, anger, envy, discontent, fear, and sorrow. He ended with, 'And they who call you fool, with equal claim may plead an ample title to the same.'

"I loved this and thought that there was the genesis of a novel in this alone. About what, I did not know. But it piqued my interest enough to start what turned out to be a year of research into those six subjects. After this, the relationship between these concepts and the assassination of Leon Trotsky just popped into my head. I had no political interest in him, but history is of great interest to me. And, as it turns out, the material I gathered simply fell into place when I outlined the plot of the novel."

The Prophet of Sorrow received 4 stars from J.W. Coffey, Lexington Literature Examiner, an endorsement from the Midwest Book Review, and finalist status in the International Book Awards’ historical fiction category.

• Coffey states, "A page turner that makes you think, reminds us who these people really were, and gives them a voice to tell their side of a dark event in history. Definitely a must read for anyone who enjoys historical or spy thrillers."

• Midwest Book Review calls Williams, “An accomplished poet” (for his first book Circus by Moonlight) and The Prophet of Sorrow, “A riveting novel that plays careful respect to historical detail…an entertaining read from beginning to end.”

Mark Van Aken Williams received a Master of Education and a Bachelor of Arts from Cleveland State University and attended Hawken School. He has enjoyed traveling throughout the world: including salmon fishing in Alaska, visiting Mayan ruins in the Yucatan Peninsula, deep sea fishing in Costa Rica and attending an International Rainforest Workshop on the Amazon River in Peru. Williams resides in Athens, Ohio, home of Ohio University. He maintains a blog called "Shakes, Shivers, and Dithers."

The Prophet of Sorrow ($26 hardcover) is available for purchase through online and brick-and-mortar bookstores. The ebook version ($7.99) is available also.
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Below, is a video from YouTube where Lee Davis, author of Assassinations that Changed the World discusses this subject.

“The Face of Consciousness”

2010-09-28T05:37:00.000-07:00

"Creativity is 'the elixir of life' that heals and transforms life. Through the creative process we enter that 'sacred place,' that zone of evolution where the world lights up to itself as we light up to the world. It is here, in that 'holiest of holy' places that we are reunited with the waters of the wellspring of creativity, The Source of the 'River of Life' from which all creative energy and vitality issue forth to be manifested as new life. Through every creative act, life fulfills itself. Through every creative act, we transcend the mortality of our separate ego-self of I and enter into the realm of immortality to become one with our contextual self as Thou, as a self-realized collaborator in creation. Through creativity, we are delivered from the chaos of illness into the dynamic order of new life."

(P. Donovan & Herb Joiner Bey from The Face of Consciousness, 2006)

Please join me on this courageous venture of life and "enter into the realm of immortality," the realm of dialogue and relationship by poetically sharing with this community, your struggles to live... to "nullify the unremitting recurrences of death" through the continuous recurrence of birth. Through dialogue and relationship, the Face of consciousness is seen, recognized and witnessed. It is your Face, my Face, the Face of all life, the Face of our God. ~ Patrick Donovan, ND

About the Author:

Dr. Patrick Donovan is a Naturopathic Physician, author and educator. He has over 30 years of patient-care experience. He currently maintains a robust private practice at his integrated medical clinic, the University Health Clinic, in Seattle, Washington. In his naturopathic medical practice, he diagnoses, treats and co-manages patients with various chronic health problems that include heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease, and other chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders.

Dr. Donovan also writes and lectures on the transformational process of healing. He believes a person's healing journey is ultimately a quest for his/her identity, purpose and meaning. This journey is mythologically and mystically represented as "the Hero's Journey." He strongly emphasizes that each person discover the self-affirming and self-transcending theme of his/her journey as it is presented in their disease process (biologically, psychologically and spiritually). He is the co-author of The Face of Consciousness and author of Dancing with the Beloved, both published by Lucky Press LLC and available on Amazon.com.

Links:

Dr. Donovan's books at Lucky Press
Dr. Donovan's health website
Dr. Donovan's blogs: The Face of Consciousness and Diary of a Doctor
Dr. Donovan's radio show: Pair-a-Docs of Health
Dr. Donovan's bio on Blogger
The Dispensary: Your Best Medicine, Naturally!

Helpful Tips on Storytelling from Peder Hill

2010-09-20T06:58:00.000-07:00

Conflict and Character within Story Structure

Dialogue

Dappled Glory: Book Signing

2010-09-19T04:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a beautiful, clear, sunny September day in Athens, Ohio. OU's stadium parking lot was packed with cars left as folks gathered to travel to OSU for a match-up. The town seemed to sigh a bit after the tornadoes two days earlier. As if Court Street wanted to forget and be happy, but kept remembering and then feeling a bit sad, and perhaps guilty, too. That weird guilt that is unjustified and typical.

I'm the publisher here at LP, but Friday (12 hours after the tornadoes) I felt only like a neighbor. And the subject of neighbor, what it means, was forefront. I won't reprise my musings here, but point you to my personal blog post to read if you are interested.

Saturday was an important day for Lucky Press as "Dappled Glory," an historical fiction book by Diane Mechem Kinser, launched at Little Professor Bookstore on Court Street. I stopped in to see how things were going and found Diane, as always, energetically talking about coal mining whilst referring to books in the store on historic topics related to her books and greeting folks who'd come in because they'd read or purchased her previous titles and wanted "Dappled Glory" or the previous books signed.

Diane is always in attendance at Final Fridays in Nelsonville (she grew up there, but now lives in Columbus and teaches at Columbus State Community College where she is also an annual presenter at their great Writer's Conference, held in May). Anyone with questions about the area in the 1900s or with an interest in a good novel with romance, politics, and history seeks Diane out at the many area events she attends.

Little Professor is a vibrant bookstore; a fixture for decades. There are always people there, coming and going, stopping in to browse, to get textbooks, to search their great wall of magazines, to pick up the NYT or WSJ... And the owners know this community well, having owned the shop for 25 years. Perhaps the vibrancy in the store is a result of this being a college town, but I'd guess it is also about the spirit there, the selections, the layout. I don't know retail, but the store feels welcoming. They had cookies for the signing!

Anyway, it was a lot of fun and to me it seems like just a few weeks ago that Diane queried Lucky Press with an email that said "We are a perfect fit!" She was right and I'm so glad we chose to publish "Dappled Glory." Anyone who writes as well and works as hard and is as charismatic as Diane is sure to succeed. We can just stand back in awe of her energy and committment to telling the story of Southeast Ohio in the early 1900s.

The Acquisition Process - at a small press

2010-09-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent has a blog artice HERE on a behind the scenes look at a meeting where editors decided on books to acquire for the coming publishing season. It is very informative.

I found Ms. Gardner's blog through the Facebook "like" I made with Writer's Digest magazine. Each day they bring a link to something I'm interested in. It's wonderful and writers should definitely 1) Join Facebook (don't worry about privacy settings, just delve into them and set them as you are comfortable with, then consider it a professional association and don't post anything you wouldn't want an employer or co-worker to see) and 2) Start "liking" other Facebook businesses and people who share your literary goals and interests. Suddenly, you will start to feel less alone and less in a confused haze (if you are) about how to get your book published.

But, back to "Behind the Scenes": The scenario Ms. Gardner describes is likely for most presses I am sure, but there must be other presses such as Lucky Press where the scenario is much different. Of course, the results may be much different too, and we do not offer advances at all, so for the big-money/advance seeking writer it might be best to query elsewhere.

Here is our scenario, similar to what is happening right now as we are in our submission period (through Dec. 15):

EXAMPLE #1:

Lucky Press receives Query #1 (YA fiction, takes place in West Virginia).
JPW (myself, publisher/founder) to Tyler Winston (Pekingnese): Hmm... sounds interesting. I'll email and ask for more info. Tyler sighs.
A week passes no response.
A postcard from author comes in the mail.
JPW calls author, finds out email did not go through. Author mails additional information and manuscript.
Email situation gets straightened out and author states she will be in Athens area and would love to meet for lunch.
Meeting scheduled. JPW
JPW reads manuscript.
JPW immediately recognizes intelligence, committment, and marketability of author during personal meeting and already likes the book and thinks kids will like it too. The manuscript is in good shape, just needs a light proofreading.
A contract is offered.
1 year later: Book has been out 7 months, garnered several awards and author has been marketing like crazy, wowing Lucky Press with her ideas and gumption. She is on Facebook, Twitter, Skype and has a blog, website, and feelers out in many media markets. Her book trailer garnered 1000 hits just in one week and is now up to nearly 9,000 hits. LP is very glad to have signed on "There Are No Words" by Mary Calhoun Brown.

EXAMPLE #2:

Lucky Press receives a fax of a children's book.
JPW does not review faxed queries.
Lucky Press does not publish picture books (see submission policy)
Author does not indicate an email address.
Query recycled...

EXAMPLE #3:

Writer reads submission info at www.luckypress.com/submission.html
Writer follows information as closely as humanly possible and emails a query letter.
JPW reads query and asks for sample chapters.
JPW is not sure about this manuscript. It is well written but on a very sad topic. She reviews a lot of manuscripts on sad topics and is not sure Lucky Press should publish another sad topic book right now because people need hope not depression. Still, there's something here.
JPW for Lucky Press asks to see entire manuscript, which Author promptly mails to Publisher's home so she does not have to wait in line for it at the post office.
JPW begins reading sad, yet compelling, manuscript, pen in hand. She makes a lot of marks, gets halfway through, and sends a letter to the author with the manuscript stating, in short:
"This book should be a good fit for Lucky Press but I'm not sure that as it is that it's a good fit. I feel like you haven't finished it because some of the manuscript seems repetitious and I sense that readers would be very interested in your life after sad event and the wonderful life your family has worked hard to create. I love your poems, by the way. My feeling is that if you work on this more it could be the definitive book for this subject; that when someone knows someone else who has this same sad event, THIS is the book they will recommend. You have the writing experience, committment, intelligence, and heart and life experience to write this book. It is just not there yet. Lucky Press will have to pass on this now."
A month passes...
JPW does a Google search under Author's name and pulls up her blog (which Author had never sent her info on). She reads postings about the search for a publisher for this book and notices blog about the day "Dreaded Envelope" (rejection) arrived. She feels a continued interest in the book and author, and emails to author: "I'd like to keep the door open between us to discuss this further down the road."
Author responds to email from Lucky Press. Manuscript is out with professional editors getting second opinions and Author is open to revisions that would provide Reader with a more hopeful experience based on Author's real-life journey from sorrow to acceptance to creating a "life after."
JPW is impressed with Author. She does not tell Author that friend experienced same sad event, a suicide, and it is unsaid that Lucky Press would love to publish this book in honor of deceased friend who committed suicide. But Author must produce a manuscript that focuses on coping and not just surviving but recreating a life of love, hope, optimism and family.
Author keeps agrees to do so and contract is sent to author.
Lucky Press and Author agree on terms and "Leaving the Hall Light On" by Madeline Sharples is going to be published on Mother's Day 2011.
As things move forward, Ms. Sharples continues to blog and work tirelessly on edits of her manuscript, seeking input from her contacts with publishing and literary experience. She implements a unique (to JPW) way of reviewing her book by using storyboards on a long hallway wall. She shares her progress with blog readers and Facebook friends and fans. Soon Madeline will sort through photos and send them and her final manuscript to JPW for design and review. In every way, this author has shown herself to be committed to the shared vision for this project and an asset to this small press.
It's a win-win scenario and readers are going to find this book to be a huge help to anyone touched by suicide...and that is a lot of people.

EXAMPLE #4:

Author sends query letter, synopsis and completed Author Questionnaire (see recent post) to Lucky Press via email.
JPW requests sample chapters; then all chapters.
Author emails sample chapters as Word documents, all in one file, which makes life easy as JPW now uploads to her Kindle and can review while sitting on the couch whilst husband watches another football game.
JPW likes excerpt and requests entire manuscript, which Author emails, JPW puts on Kindle and reads through many football games and even in bed at night because it is so good. She neglects to read "The Nine," which is what her local book club is reading because the new manuscript is more interesting.
Stay tuned to see what happens with this manuscript...

As you can see, with a small press (let's be honest a micro-press in terms of staff but a small press (30 titles) in terms of size) there is not the need for committee consensus you will find with a larger press or corporation. (Which is why it can take so long to hear back from big publishers, if they will even look at your unagented work, which they will not.) Money is always a factor in business, but other factors count also with Lucky Press:

Is the book a must-read either for the acquiring editor (JPW) or for the market Lucky Press seeks to reach?
Will the Author market the book?
Is the Author up-to-date on the Internet and social media, or does he/she demonstrate willingness to learn in this area?
Will he/she be amenable to suggestions and pleasant to interact with?
Does the Author think this book is going to allow him/her to quit his/her job and buy a summer house or is he/she realistic about how hard it is to make money in publishing?
Does Author look at this book as one of many to come in a writing career that is being established; in other words, can she go the distance or will she get discouraged and quit after the book is just released?
Can the publisher, JPW, "see" the manuscript as a book?
Do readers need and want this book?
Will it sell well via online booksellers?
Is it economical to produce?
Will Lucky Press regret not publishing this book?
Is it in line with Lucky Press's categories and goals?

ONE: In short, the first step to having one's book published by Lucky Press is the wonderful query letter and synopsis, after determining the book fits into Lucky Press's categories.
TWO: The next step is feeling enthusiastic about the entire manuscript.
THREE: The next step is feeling enthusiastic about the Author.
FOUR: The final step is seeing that it can be done considering economical factors and potential for marketing and sales.

"The Power of Perseverance"

2010-09-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

As a publisher and an author, I see the querying process from a unique perspective. Some manuscripts are not too hard to "reject," but as Lucky Press has grown and as we have communicated more clearly what sort of books we are looking to publish, the quality and suitability of submissions has greatly improved. It is more difficult than ever to say "I'm sorry, but your manuscript is to a good fit for our press."

Laura Munson, the author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, This Is Not The Story You Think It Is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness, discusses rejection, the power of perseverance, and the hunger it all takes on a recent blog post at SheWrites. (Men, do not be put off by the website name "SheWrites" ... this article is for all writers, everywhere.) Here is a snippet:

I learned all about rejection by being rejected over and over as a writer. I learned how to not take those rejection letters personally. I learned how to not let things outside my control define my happiness. I learned how to focus on what I can create, what I can edit, what I can submit, and then to…just…let…go and get back to creating. That is where the power lies. That is where the freedom lies. I want writers to set their minds and hearts on that power and freedom, and together, to create a new paradigm.

Travel HERE to read the entire article. You might want to print it out and post it in sight of your desk, or mailbox if you are receiving rejections, or wherever you write...

Lucky Press - Core Values

2010-09-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

We have a new logo, a new motto, and a list of core values! 2011 is going to be a great year for Lucky Press!

Our values were chosen with careful thought . . . considering our past 10 years publishing books, as well as looking toward the future and what we hope to accomplish in bringing "engaging books to thoughtful readers" (our motto, by the way).

COURAGE . . . as demonstrated by characters, real or fictional, who overcome adversity and experience adventure.

HOPE . . . imparted to readers of our engaging and inspirational books.

WISDOM . . . conveyed by authors who are experts in their field of endeavor.

WONDER . . . expressed by diverse and surprising voices.

Questions for Want-To-Be-Published Writers

2010-09-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

Whether you are sending your manuscript to an agent or to a publisher, large or small; your chances for a successful outcome will increase if you include a marketing plan that answers the following questions. In fact, as many unpublished writers do not have agents and query small independent publishers, it is even more important for them to take the time to answer the questions below and to provide the publisher with the most accurate, detailed information possible to successfully place the book.

When a publisher asks for a marketing plan or a platform from the author, the following answers are not acceptable: "I hadn't thought about it." "Bookstores and libraries, any other ideas of what I should do?" "My book is really one-of-a-kind, I don't know where it will fit in." "I just want to write books; isn't it the publisher's job to market and sell the book?" "I have 500 friends on Facebook and I'm sure they will all want to buy the book."

By providing input before it is requested, a writer shows that he or she understands where his book might fall in the grand scheme of publishing; who the market is for the book, and what the publisher might need to help market the book.

1. How would you describe your book in 100 words or less (think of the short descriptions in a mail order or book club catalog)? We also need a longer synopsis, of 300-500 words (think of the back cover or jacket flap text).

2. Why did you write this book and how will you measure your success with it (i.e. "when it's sold X number of copies; when I've earn $x amount; when it makes the bestseller list; when it paves the way for my future books; when I have a book signing at my local bookstore; when it is in Barnes and Noble, etc.)?

3. Have you had the book professionally edited? If so, by whom and what were their credentials? If not, would you be expecting Lucky Press to provide more than copyediting on your book or would you be willing to hire a third-party editor to help ready your manuscript for publication if that is recommended?

4. Who is your target audience (who will buy your book)?

5. What category do you think your book should fall into; be as specific as possible (young adult fiction: historical fiction/Tennesse; nonfiction: inspirational/breast cancer)?
6. What 5-10 “keywords” or phrases would you suggest for your book (think Internet search words)?

7. If nonfiction, what significant features/benefits does the book offer (think "USP" unique selling point)?

8. If nonfiction, list at least 5 significant books on the topic by TITLE, AUTHOR, ISBN, COPYRIGHT DATE, PRICE. (Note, you can learn this info by searching bestselling books in your category(ies) on Amazon.

9. Why should a reader purchase your book?

10. Why should a bookstore stock your book when there are a gadzillion other books coming out the same year?

11. If nonfiction, what is your experience/expertise on the subject?

12. Describe your “platform.” (Here is an article on platform: http://tinyurl.com/qc68fy )

13. What other books, if any, have you published?

14. If nonfiction, what recognized experts would be willing to write an endorsement? (These would be people you know would look at your book and write a blurb.)

15. If fiction, what authors, teachers, librarians, or other professionals related to your subject, would you personally contact to write an endorsement?

16. Have you won any writing awards, scholarships, or grants?

17. Have you attended any writer’s workshops?

18. Have you self-published previously?

19. Have you self-published an ebook?

20. Does this manuscript exist in a self-published or ebook version for sale at this time?

21. Please describe any post-high school education you’ve received (i.e. degree level and area of concentration).

22. We need your bio, and it should be 100 – 300 words long. As an author, you are creating a “brand.”

23. Do you have a computer, Internet access and an email address?

24. Do you have a social media presence as a writer/author? (i.e. Website, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, WordPress, SheWrites, SCBWI, Blogger, YouTube). If so, please list the links to any online sites that feature your work or input.

25. List any potential reviewers, columnists, opinion leaders.

26. List any business organizations or nonprofits that should be purchasing your book in large quantities.

27. How much time and energy will you be able to devote to marketing your book over the next 18 months? (hours per week or month, estimated)

28. Why did you choose to send your book proposal to this publisher?

29. What have been your favorite books to read?

30. What books have you read in the last six months?

--Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher

Videos Related To Our Book Topics

2010-09-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sorting through online videos can take a lot of time; before you know it, an hour or more has gone by and "what was I originally looking for anyway?" Lucky Press is saving our readers a bit of time. If you are already familiar with our books, you know that reading for entertainment alone is okay by us, but reading for entertainment, information, and inspiration is even better.

We have a "channel" now on YouTube and have gathered some favorite videos there to share on topics close to our heart, such as autism; domestic violence awareness; cancer survivor stories, and more. Take a look at our favorites and you'll see what is close to our hearts. Tip: When you visit Lucky Press's Channel, click on the tab for "Favorites" to see all of the videos below, or click on the links at each description below to view the ones you are interested in.

Videos related to Lucky Press books: There Are No Words (Mary Calhoun Brown); My Sad Is All Gone (Thelma Wheatley); Notes from Ohio (Bryce Merlin)

SPECIAL NEEDS / AUTISM / DOWN'S SYNDROME

PASSIONWORKS STUDIOS: INSPIRING AND LIBERATING THE HUMAN SPIRIT THROUGH THE ARTS: Filmaker Melissa Godoy produced a short film highlighting the spirit and energy of Passion Works Studio (Athens, Ohio, home of Lucky Press). See first hand how Passion Works Artists define the purpose and ideals of the studio.

LET ME BE BRAVE: This is a preview of a 45-minute documentary made in 1991 and directed by Mike Tollin. In 1990, a group of 12 young adults with developmental disabilities journeys to Africa in an attempt to scale Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest peak. The group deals openly with physical and psychological limitations, and encounters additional obstacles presented by weather and altitude. Finally, on the eve of their final ascent to the summit, a heart-breaking decision has to be made, and we observe how these extraordinary individuals deal with triumph and tragedy. This unique film is part of the Sprout Touring Film Festival, showcasing films related to the field of developmental disabilities.

THE OTHER CHILD: A preview of a short documentary on the siblings of people with autism and developmental disabilities.

BEING A SPECIAL NEEDS SIBLING - PREVIEW 2: This is a preview of a 5-minute documentary made by Ilana Trachtman. A child whose sister or brother has a disability also has his or her own "special needs." This five-minute piece captures the diverse and often unrecognized challenges of being a special needs sibling, during the weekly meeting of a sibling support group.

THE BOY INSIDE: This is a preview of a 47-minute documentary from Canada made by Marianne Kaplan. A touching story of the filmmaker's son Adam, a 12-year-old with Asperger Syndrome, filmed during a tumultuous year in the life of their family. Aspergers makes Adam's life in seventh grade a minefield, where he finds himself isolated and bullied. As he struggles to find a place for himself, his troubles escalate, both at school and at home.

THE COLLECTOR OF BEDFORD STREET - PREVIEW 2: This is a preview of a 34-minute film made by Alice Elliott. The film takes an intimate look at Larry Selman, the filmmaker's 59-year old neighbor with developmental disabilities. A tale of personal persistence overcoming the odds, the film humanizes the story behind the abstract statistics of mental retardation, shedding light on how a community builds tolerance and understanding.

BRIDGE2HOPE: Bridge2Hope is a 501(c)(3) Illinois nonprofit organization founded by the parents of a developmentally disabled young adult. Our purpose is to provide a temporary funding source for day and/or residential programming for young adults with developmental disabilities who are transitioning out of entitled school age services and into adult service programming. Providing the smoothest transition possible and raising awareness of the need to support this population of individuals are our primary goals.

KIND: A group of developmentally-disabled adults takes a trip to a well known amusement park. What follows in hand-held, wide-screen fashion is a kinetic short film accompanied by pop stylings. Bricker-Down Productions® presents Kind © Justin Zimmerman

DREAMS: Dreams features children and adults who have Down syndrome talking about their dreams and what they're proud of in their lives. This fun and inspirational video made by Scott and Julia Elliott celebrates the work of the National Down Syndrome Society and the larger Down syndrome community.

WORLD SPECIAL OLYMPICS: SHANGHAI 2007

VERY SPECIAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2007, L.A.: Reporter Ben McCain and Cameraman Gino Salerno are humbled by the talent and passion these young artists displayed at the Very Special Arts Festival in downtown Los Angeles.

THERE ARE NO WORDS: Book Trailer at Lucky Press LLC's Channel on YouTube.

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Videos related to Lucky Press books: The Prophet of Sorrow (Mark Van Aken Williams)-------------------------------

HISTORICAL FICTION: TROTSKY

TROTSKY: RISE AND FALL OF A REVOLUTIONARY: Trotsky, the hero of the Russian Revolution, was for years venerated like a saint. For him the October Revolution and the civil war were merely stages on the way to his real aim: the world revolution. This film examines Trotsky, the revolutionary; venerated and reviled, loved, hated, feared. Archive material compiled from all over the world, citations and new shoots create an electrifying proximity to the historical person and to the man Leo Trotsky. Stages in his life and eventual flight are carefully examined from St. Petersburg, to Mexico City.

THE ASSASSINATION OF LEON TROTSKY: On August 20, 1940, Trotsky was successfully attacked in his home by a NKVD agent, Ramón Mercader, who drove the pick of an ice axe into Trotsky's skull. The blow was poorly delivered and failed to kill Trotsky instantly, as Mercader had intended. Witnesses stated that Trotsky spat on Mercader and began struggling fiercely with him. Hearing the commotion, Trotsky's bodyguards burst into the room and nearly killed Mercader, but Trotsky stopped them, shouting, "Do not kill him! This man has a story to tell." Trotsky was taken to a hospital, operated on, and survived for more than a day, dying at the age of 60 on August 21, 1940 as a result of severe brain damage.

Videos related to Lucky Press books: Leaving the Hall Light On (Mother's Day 2011) (Madeline Sharples)

SUICIDE / MENTAL ILLNESS

THE BRIDGE: The Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic structure; a symbol of San Francisco, the West, freedom -- and something more, something spiritual, something words cannot describe. The director and crew spent an entire year focusing on the Bridge. Running cameras for almost every daylight minute, they documented nearly two dozen suicides and a great many unrealized attempts. In addition, the director captured nearly 100 hours of incredibly frank, deeply personal, often heart-wrenching interviews with the families and friends of the departed, as well as with several of the attempters themselves. THE BRIDGE is a visual and visceral journey into one of life's gravest taboos, offering glimpses into the darkest, and possibly most impenetrable corners of the human mind.

MENTAL ILLNESS: PSA "Are You a Friend?"

18 MILLION REASONS: Promoting mental health for college students everywhere. The Jed Foundation Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students.

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Videos related to Lucky Press books: Guardian Spirit (Sarah Martin Byrd); Max and Menna (Shauna Kelley)

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE / RAPE

SPECIAL REPORT: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: The July 2007 death of Nicole Oliver -- allegedly at the hands of her estranged husband -- has again focused the public's attention on the issue of domestic violence. News 8's Tracy Sabol reports.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DOCUMENTARY FILM EXCERPT: "Power and Control: Domestic Violence in America" is a new documentary film about domestic abuse. The film offers a probing and intimate exploration of the troubling persistence of violence against women in America. The recent economic crisis has contributed to a sharp increase in domestic violence around the country. This 10 minute video is an excerpt from the film, premired at the 2009 Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival.

NO! THE RAPE DOCUMENTARY TRAILER: Trailer for award-winning, ground-breaking documentary, explores the international reality of rape and other forms of sexual assault through the first person testimonies, scholarship, spirituality, activism and cultural work of African-Americans. Winner of an audience choice award and a juried award at the San Diego Women Film Festival, NO! also explores how rape is used as a weapon of homophobia. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center-the comprehensive center for information, research, and emerging policy on sexual violence intervention and prevention in the United States--designated screenings and discussions of NO! in community settings as the Featured Event during their 2007 Sexual Assault Awareness Month Campaign.

See the Guardian Spirit book trailer on Lucky Press LLC's YouTube Channel.

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Videos related to Lucky Press books: I Didn't Order This Pink Ribbon (Alice Krumm); Cancer: How Will I Get through This? (Kevin Molloy); Magical Story (Leslie Bowden)

BREAST CANCER / CANCER

A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR'S STORY: Mona Harris, a young breast cancer survivor, speaks about her ordeal and how she was able to express her feelings through painting.

YOUNG BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS: Share their stories...

WHAT DOES CANCER LOOK LIKE TO YOU?: This video captures the art and emotion of a personal journey with cancer. It pays homage to the hundreds of entrants of Lilly Oncology On Canvas, an art competition and exhibition honoring those whose lives have been affected by cancer. Their stories are told through art and narrative, with the hope that the rich tapestry of emotions conveyed in these pieces of art provides hope and inspiration to others.

THE ART FOR CANCER GROUP: PHOTOGRAPHY: We are a group of global artists who have united to help in the fight against cancer. We donate a portion of our art sales to various cancer charities.

ART FOR CANCER: DIGITAL ART: We are a group of global artists who have united to help in the fight against cancer. We donate a portion of our art sales to various cancer charities.

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Visit Lucky Press LLC on YouTube to see any of the above videos under our "Favorites."

Guardian Spirit - Book Release Sept. 15, 2010

2010-09-01T06:21:00.000-07:00

Guardian Spirit

by Sarah Martin Byrd

Published by Lucky Press, LLC

A little girl’s world should be all sugar and spice and everything nice, but that is not the case for twelve-year-old Sadie Madison. She, her mother Millie, and little brother Sammy have all felt the strong hand of Brad, Sadie’s abusive father. After many failed attempts, they escape to the childhood playground of Millie. From Texas to North Carolina, they travel to the cabin in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, back to the memories that were left behind when Millie’s mother left with her over twenty years before.

Millie longs for her cherished Grandma Ann, but can she risk contacting her? Brad might be watching. Besides, her grandmother hasn’t even looked for her, has she? She might not even care anymore. Will their lost spirits find a way to reconnect? How long can Millie hide her family before Brad finds them? And what horrible things will he do to them if he does? The image of five-year-old Sammy’s battered face flashes before Millie, fueling her resistance and determination. Who or what can save them? They need a miracle.

As the summer of 1968 comes to a close, Millie knows they can’t winter at the cabin. It would be much too dangerous with only the fireplace for heat. The children need to be in school, and she has to find a doctor to renew her prescription. She can’t risk doing without her cancer drug. Once Brad finds his family though, all Millie’s other worries become insignificant.

In the local town, the Cherokee medicine woman Nyoaka feels their presence and the upcoming arrival of “the evil one.” She has the gift of visions. She knows that her grandson Doctor Lewis Townsend will at long last come to the end of his trail of tears. With this new family he will find forgiveness and healing if they — especially the girl Sadie — also believe. Sadie, too, has the magic.

The Madisons walk as the proud Indians did all those years ago on their horrible Trail of Tears. Millie, Sadie and Sammy willingly leave their home to escape torture; the Cherokees were forced out of their homes and into the torment. Both tribes endure suffering and humiliation, neither deserving. The Madisons believe in guardian angels. The Cherokee believe in the Guardian Spirit. Are they one and the same? Can the Madison family survive the clash of wills as good collides with evil? How can the painful tears of yesteryear become tears of joy for the Cherokee? Can a long overdue reunion of souls bestow a miracle of healing? A journey that started 130 years ago will finally come to an end.

Sadie’s Indian name is “Wakanda” which means possessor of magic power. Will this young girl be able to harness that power in time to help the Guardian Spirit save them? Yes!

About the Author:
Sarah Martin Byrd graduated from The Institute of Children’s Literature, West Redding, Connecticut and lives with her husband at the foot of The Blue Ridge Mountains in Elkin, North Carolina. She states: “Guardian Spirit was written for women, specifically young adults. It is a journey from abuse to healing with miracles and magic woven throughout. Even though the work is fiction, it was inspired by the true experiences of many I know.”

In the Coal Mine Shadows, the author’s first novel (not yet published), placed in the top 30 of 400 entries in The 2009 Santa Fe Writers Project. Mr. Andrew Gifford, Project Director said, “In the Coal Mine Shadows stood out as an example of excellence in the craft of writing.” The author is at work on a third novel, The Color of My Heart. Sarah Martin Byrd has also written a weekly column in a local newspaper for years.

Visit Guardian Spirit at www.luckypress.com/sarahmartinbyrd.html

Purchase this book from Amazon.com.

ISBN: 978-0-9844627-2-8 Retail: $14.95 USD

There Are No Words - Book Trailer

2010-08-30T06:45:00.000-07:00

Dappled Glory Release - Sept. 15, 2010

2010-08-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

Dappled Glory: The Black Diamond Heritage

by Diane Mechem Kinser

Published by Lucky Press, LLC

Life in the coal mines of Ohio and Pennsylvania was fraught with tragedy, illness and death in the early 20th Century. Irish immigrant Jamie Burns fights anti-Irish sentiment and danger, both in the mines and out. In Southeastern Ohio, the Markhams continue to build their merchandising empire, with builder Fred Hunt providing both inspiration for the Markhams and a distraction for several women whose paths cross his. Fictitious characters interact with real historical figures in this look at the early days of the United Mine Workers of America in the Appalachian Valley coal region.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Diane Mechem Kinser is also the author of I Owe My Soul: The Black Diamond Covenant, The Mourning of Amalie (a ghost murder mystery set in Vinton County, Ohio, in the early 20th century), and Magician's Wake, (a fictionalized autobiography). Kinser is an English and Communications Instructor at Columbus State Community College, an annual presenter at the CSCC Writers Conference and can be found signing books at libraries, historical societies, and festivals throughout southern Ohio.
Learn more at Dappled Glory's website at www.LuckyPress.com/dianemechemkinser.html.

Order this book from Amazon.com.
ISBN: 978-0-9844627-5-9 Retail: $18.95 USD 272 pages

Topics: Early-20th century life in Southern Ohio; Coal Mining; Retail business/women in business; Athens, Ohio; Nelsonville, Ohio; Albany, Ohio

My favorite books on writing and publishing...

2010-08-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

A Recommended Reading List for Authors and New Publishers

The following is in no way an exhaustive list; there is so much information out there today for writers, and help as well for new publishers. For the publishers, I recommend joining IBPA because their newsletter alone is well worth the cost of membership. Writers can find much encouragement from Writer's Digest magazine. Here are some books from my bookshelf.
~Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher 8/2010

James A. Michener’s Writer’s Handbook: Explorations in Writing and Publishing

On Writing

1001 Ways to Market Your Books, Sixth Edition (1001 Ways to Market Your Books: For Authors and Publishers)

The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers

Selling Subsidiary Rights : An Insider's Guide

Shelf Life: Romance, Mystery, Drama, and Other Page-Turning Adventures from a Year in a Bookstore

Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, 3rd Edition

Book Business: Publishing Past, Present, and Future

Publishing for Profit: Successful Bottom-Line Management for Book Publishers

On Writing Well, 30th Anniversary Edition: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction

Another Life: A Memoir of Other People

Wham! Bam! Publishing: The Strategic Marketing Plan for Authors and Publishers

The Author Q&A

2010-08-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

Author interviews are a great way to find new books to read and authors to follow. They are also a golden opportunity for writers to develop their readership and platform. I'd say about 50% of the books I purchase as a reader are prompted by an author interview I've read online or listened to on NPR's various programs, or on book-related Podcasts I download onto my iPod and listen to while driving.

Author interviews (audible) give the reader a real sense of the author's personality; for some genres this is important. For nonfiction, author interviews give behind-the-scenes info on the subject and what prompted the book to be written.

Here is a list of author interviews (print) online. You can find some great books to read and, if you are an author, get an idea of what makes an interesting interview. All authors should have a Q&A at the ready; posted on their website, blog and Facebook page and available to distribute to media as a foundation for future interviews.

~Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher, August 17, 2010.

***FICTION***

Many author interviews may be found online at http://womensbookreviews.com/authors.htm.

AUEL, JEAN M.

The Shelters of Stone

LeCRAW, HOLLY

The Swimming Pool

LENDE, HEATHER

Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs

POLANSKY, CYNTHIA

Remote Control

SCHELL, ADAM

Tomato Rhapsody

SWARUP, VIKAS

Slumdog Millionaire

WILLIAMS, MARK VAN AKEN

The Prophet of Sorrow

***NONFICTION***

BATUMAN, ELIF

The Possessed: Adventures with Russian Books and the People Who Read Them

EGGERS, DAVE

Zeitoun

FUAD-LUKE, ALASTAIR

EcoDesign: The Sourcebook

GROSSMAN, ELIZABETH

High Tech Trash

KORMAN, GORDON

Dive

METZ, JULIE

Perfection

MOORE, WES

The Other Wes Moore

MORRELL, JESSICA PAGE

Bullies, Bastards & Bitches: How to write the bad guys of fiction

SIMON, RACHEL

Riding the Bus with My Sister; Building a Home with My Husband/The House on Teacher’s Lane

SOLOVE, DANIEL

The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor and Privacy on the Internet

WARD, VICKY

The Devil’s Casino

***CHILDRENS / MIDDLE READER / YA***

BROWN, MARY CALHOUN

There Are No Words

DOYLE, DARRIN

Revenge of the Teacher’s Pet: A Love Story

WEATHERFORD, CAROLE

Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom

Rosie Red Bottom - featured in Parrots Magazine!

2010-08-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

We are so proud of author Donna Mann and her parrot, Rosie, for the four-page article in this month's "Parrots Magazine." Click here to see the webpage and order a copy of the magazine.

You can find Donna's book "Rosie Red Bottom: A Comedian with Feathers" at this link to Amazon.com.

For more info on Donna and Rosie, visit her publisher, Lucky Press.

Men at Mid-Life in Popular Fiction

2010-08-18T05:25:00.000-07:00

Lucky Press has made several posts recently related to women's writing, and now it's time to give some attention to male authors. Here is a great blog, "Books and Authors" and an excerpt from their post "Men at Mid-Life in Popular Fiction." Library Journal commented as follows on "Books and Authors": "This readers' advisory tool provides fresh, informative content for all genres and age levels."

Definitely worth following this link and reading the entire piece.

Writing fiction is a career with a long training period. Many writers spend a decade, even two or three, writing work that then remains unpublished. So while the coming-of-age story is commonly told because everyone has one, the mid-life crisis story may be commonly told because so many writers begin publishing successfully as they reach that stage of life, or at least approach it. Middle age is also a time in a character’s life when he has a bit more control and a wider variety of options. This leaves more options open for the writer. the same basic theme, though, is apparent in both coming-of-age and mid-life novels: The question of what a life might mean and how it might be led in order to infuse it with the greatest significance possible.

Note: "Men at Mid-Life in Popular Fiction" was posted by "N Danford" who I believe is Natalie Danford author of "Inheritance" and co-author of "Best New American Voices."

~Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher 8/2010

Literary Events 2010-2011

2010-08-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

Our author events are listed on the Events tab on Lucky Press LLC's Facebook page.

Notable release dates for new LP titles:

Sept. 15: Guardian Spirit (Elkin, NC); Dappled Glory (Columbus & Athens, OH)

November 1: Max and Menna (Baltimore, MD)

March 1, 2011: Norah: An Irish-American Woman in 19th-century New York

May 8, 2011: Leaving the Hall Light On (Calif.)

Mary Calhoun Brown (There Are No Words) lists her events at this link.

Cynthia Neale's book events are listed at BookTour.com ~ Cynthia is the author of Norah: An Irish-American Woman in 19th Century New York, which will be released on St. Patrick's Day, March 17, 2011. In the meantime, learn more about Cynthia at CynthiaNeale.com (where she also lists events, as you'll see).

Shauna Kelley (Max and Menna) will be listing her events on her blog at this link.

The following is a general list of literary-related events throughout the U.S. and beyond. (Lucky Press authors are not necessarily at these events, though they may be. Check our Facebook page for our author appearances.)

Literary Event Calendars:

Appalachian Literary Events

Athens, Ohio Events (literary and otherwise)

Book Events in Boulder, CO

Boston Literary Events

Chicago: Printers Row

Denver Literary Events

Houston Literary Events

Indiana-area Literary Events

Poets and Writers ~ Literary Events Calendar

Las Vegas Literary Events

Local: iPhone application for local book-related Events

Local: Literary Events in Your Neighborhood

Minneapolis Literary Events

NYC: Literary Events listed at the Village Voice

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Literary Loft

New York State Literary Events Calendar

North Carolina (Western NC) Literary Events

Ohio Center for the Book, Events Calendar>
Philadelphia and beyond

Philly Book Geek: Your Source for All Things Literary

Portland Arts & Lectures

Sacramento, CA, Literary Events

St. Louis Literary Events

San Francisco Arts Events

Seattle Literary Events

United Kingdom Literary Events (British Council on the Arts)

University of Washington Bothell Campus Literary Events for area

Utah Literary Events

Washington, D.C., Literary Events (author Dorothy Phaire's list)

Worldwide Listings of Literary Events, Suite101

Worldwide: Literary Festivals around the World

Literary and Book Festivals by Month:

Read Across America (March)

L.A. Times, Festival of Books, Los Angeles, California (April)

London Book Fair (April)

National Library Week (2nd full week in April)

Free Library Festival, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (April)

Ohioana Book Festival (May)

National Book Month (May)

BookExpo America (May)

Newberry Book Fair, Chicago (late July/early August)

Annual YMCA Book Fair, St. Louis, Missouri (August)

Atlanta Black Book Expo (August)

L.A. Black Book Expo (August)

Charlotte, NC, Literary Festival (September)

LitQuake: San Francisco's Literary Festival (October)

West Virginia Book Festival, Charleston, WV (October)

Southern Festival of Books, Nashville, Tennessee (2nd full weekend in October)

Miami Book Fair International (November)

Miscellaneous Book-related Info:

Childrens Authors and Illustrators Week, (1st week in February)

For the Love of Books (from Biblio)

Literary Holidays

News about book fairs, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times

Ohio Literary Map

Ohio University Library: Special Collections and Digital Exhibitions

OPAL's Archive of Previous Book Discussions, Author Interviews, and Other Literary Events

Publishing Perspectives Blog

This list was compiled by Lucky Press, which cannot guarantee the accuracy of dates or information. Please check event organizers' sites to confirm these events. Have fun!

Marriage is only a boat.

2010-08-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman, after hearing her interview on the Diane Rehm Show. Many listeners called in during that show, so eager to read the book, in near tears from listening to the excerpts read on the show.

I can't say I loved the book, because I think from now on I should reserve "love" for books I would want to read over and over again, would want on a desert island...you get it. This underlying event in the book was too overwhelmingly sad to make me want to read it more than twice. The first time, this time, for the story. The next time, to pay closer attention to the author's skill. For I did appreciate this book and treasured the wealth of expert storytelling, character building, and emotional gardening that went into this story. As a writer, I can only hope to achieve something close in the manuscript I am working on. As a publisher, I hope the next Ayelet Waldman will send us a query.

There are many reviews available of Red Hook Road, so I will not show my lack of reviewing skills by commenting here further on Ms. Waldman's abilities and success (see though links I've placed at the end of this post). But I would like to quote from what is my favorite passage in this book, page 338, near the end. I found a lot of wisdom in this passage. And for me, as a reader and ultimately as a publisher, I prefer fiction that teaches me or introduces me or shows me something I do not know, or illuminates and gives me the words for what I suspect is true. I read recently someone's quote about (to paraphrase) fiction being more truthful than nonfiction, and while if I think too hard about that I feel confused, in my heart I believe it. Nonfiction teaches us about the facts of life, but fiction, if it is masterful, teaches us about life.

To set the scene (slight spoiler here), a man loses his boat:

David agreed. "...it's only a boat."

That was true, Iris would sometimes think, about marriage: it was only a boat, too. A wooden boat, difficult to build, even more difficult to maintain, whose beauty derived at least in part from its unlikelihood. Long ago the pragmatic justifications for both marriage and wooden-boat building had been lost or superseded. Why invest countless hours, years, and dollars in planing and carving, gluing and fastening, caulking and fairing, when a fiberglass boat can be had at a fraction of the cost? Why struggle to maintain love and commitment over decades when there were far easier ways to live, ones that required no effort or attention to prevent corrosion and rot? Why continue to pour your heart into these obsolete arts? Because their beauty, the way they connect you to your history and to the living world, justiies your efforts. A long marriage, like a classic wooden boat, could be a thing of grace, but only if great effort was devoted to its maintenance. At first your notions of your life with another were no more substantial than a pattern laid down in plywood. Then year by year you constructed the frame around the form, and began layering memories, griefs, and small triumphs like strips of veneer planking bent around the hull of everyday routine. You sanded down the rough edges, patched the misunderstandings, faired the petty betrayals. Sometimes you sprung a leak. You fell apart in rough weather or were smashed on devouring rocks. But then, as now, in the teeth of a storm, when it seemed like all was lost, the timber swelled, the leak sealed up, and you found that your craft was, after all, sea-kindly.

Purchase this book on Amazon.
Purchase this book at an Independent Bookstore.
Hear the Diane Rehm Show interview with this author.
See this book and reviews on Good Reads.
Visit this author on Facebook.

Please feel free to leave your comments about "Red Hook Road."

~ Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher 8/14/10

Young Adult fiction

2010-08-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

In September and again in November, Lucky Press will release Guardian Spirit and Max and Menna, respectively. In acquiring and marketing a book, in every step of the process really, the publisher must answer the question: "In what category does this title belong?" (Note: publishers refer to each book in their list as a "title.")

When Sarah Martin Byrd sent in her proposal for Guardian Spirit, I don't believe she identified the specific category, noting only that she'd written the book for young women and adult women. In her story, which takes place in 1968, a mother (Millie) and her two children (Sadie and Sammy) flee a physically abusive, violent and controlling husband and father (Brad) in Texas and drive to North Carolina to stay in a cabin Millie remembered from her childhood. Ann, Millie's grandmother, has not seen her in many years; nor has she returned to the cabin she owns because it is the scene of a family tragedy. So, while Millie and her children find shelter and safety, Brad plots to find and harm them, and Ann continues to miss the granddaughter who unbeknownst to her is living right in the "abandoned" cabin.

Sadie's voice in this novel is very strong; as strong and real as Millie's and Ann's. She is linked to the Cherokee theme of a Guardian Spirit and is sensitive to the animals that live in the woods.

When I first read Guardian Spirit, I very much wanted it to be available to teenage girls as well as adult women. Yet the character of Brad was very frightening; his thoughts and words so cruel, twisted, and unfortunately realistic as there are so clearly individuals who think as he does. Would this be too frightening for teen readers?

Sarah Martin Byrd was very open to my concerns and with care and sensitivity she proceeded to slightly edit Brad's language, as well as Millie's diary entries describing abuse; the "less is more" approach. Upon re-reading it, I found that Brad was still frightening, but he is not the central character and exposure to him is only provided to move the plot along. In the end, I was comfortable with the balance achieved and felt that I could recommend this title to readers 14 and over, as well as adults. In fact, mature 12-13 year olds may be interested in the story.

Byrd states: “Guardian Spirit was written for women, specifically young adults. It is a journey from abuse to healing with miracles and magic woven throughout. Even though the work is fiction, it was inspired by the true experiences of many I know.”

In 2011 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market Jack Martin, NYC Public Library Assistant Director, is asked the following:
Madeline L'Engel had this great quote: "You have to write the book that wants to be written. And if the book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children." Do you see that in books for teens today?

Mr. Martin's answer:
"With titles like The Book Thief; Living Dead Girl; and Under the Wolf, Under the Dog, it's hard to say. These are tough, hard-hitting books published for teens that feel like adult books, so I'm not sure if the same equation applies. Instead, books like these blur the lines between teen and adult (you also find many more adults reading from the teen market, too). I think publishers are picking up on this by giving new teen book covers a more adult look to reach both audiences."

Concurrently with Lucky Press acquiring the rights to Guardian Spirit, we also aquired Max and Menna by Shauna Kelley. It will be out in November. Max and Menna is the story of a brother and sister, barely parented by an alcoholic single mother and with an older sister who is the town "slut." They befriend a boy, Nick, who lives in a nearby Reservation. The story takes place in the early 1980s in Alabama. Racism, poverty, alcoholism, promiscuity, bullying, friendship, cultural and class differences, and loyalty are the themes of this book, which will appeal to teens and adults. This book seemed to me to be perfect for YA, yet I know adults, men and women, will also find it a "good read."

When Lucky Press worked with Cassidy Cataloging to create the PCIP for the copyright page (that information geared toward librarians), the information came back with the word "bildungsroman." "Is that a typo?" I asked. Nope.

Blythe Woolston tells 2011 Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Market, "...Bildungsroman, which I choose to define as the story of self-cultivation. YA is the story of building ourselves from the inside out, about finding an individual identity. ...it is that essential struggle to know the self that makes YA."

Kelley says of Max and Menna, “This is a story that has been with me for a long time, but I hadn’t, until quite recently, lived enough to begin to do it justice. I relied on the excellent example of my writing heroes—Margaret Atwood, Sherman Alexie, and John Irving—and hope I have constructed a book that will appeal to women and young adults and help them learn about the human capacity for overcoming unbearable situations. This is a lesson that I have only just begun to understand.”

Max and Menna has already received a positive review from no less than Madison Smartt Bell, author of many novels including All Souls Rising and other works, as well as winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award.

At the end of the day, I believe a good book, well produced, will find its market. These books will as well, and I also hope they will bring insight and hope to readers no matter what their age. That is why they were chosen by Lucky Press, LLC to be published in the upcoming season.

Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher

I forgot what blue stands for...

2010-08-13T07:45:00.000-07:00

In October, Lucky Press will be at the West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston (Oct. 16, 17). In preparation for that, and the release of five new titles in the next eight months, I began creating a catalog. Since so many of our books deal with various issues, I thought of tagging the books with the colored ribbon associated with that cause. So, I did some online research and found out---whoa!---there are a lot of colors and causes. And multiple causes for one color. And I thought to myself, doesn't that sort of defeat the whole purpose of the ribbon? Or, is the ribbon only of meaning to the person wearing it? What if there are so many meanings to a remembrance ribbon that it means nothing to the viewer who doesn't know quite what to think and doesn't want to be impolite and ask?

I thought of creating a generic Lucky Press ribbon that could be used to ID any title related to a cause worth promoting. But, that seems a bit self-serving too. Perhaps even crass to some. We don't want to offend potential readers.

In the end, my lucky ribbon might only end up right here on this blog. For our autism-related titles, I think I'll go with the puzzle piece icon. It's always seemed to me a perfect one for that challenge. And, pink ribbons are universally associated with breast cancer. I think domestic violence ribbons should be white, with little red and pink hearts on them. But I digress.

It means a lot to publish books that are written by authors impassioned about the causes associated with their books. In ten years Lucky Press has covered: stroke, autism/Asperger's, hearing impairment, domestic violence, suicide (forthcoming), breast cancer, cancer in general, Hodgkin's disease, coal mining (forthcoming). The perils of publishing seem pretty tame in comparison.

Janice Phelps Williams, Publisher

Lucky Press has a blog...

2010-08-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

Lucky Press is pushing forth into its 2nd decade like the little engine that could--or the little publisher that could. Ten years ago we did not fully utilitze, if even in existence: Twitter, Blogger, Google, eBooks, YouTube; Facebook...and on and on. Any business in business more than five years has to marvel at all the opportunities new technologies offer.

Lucky Press is a traditional publisher. By this we mean that our authors do not pay to be published. We accept manuscript submissions according to our policy posted online, carefully weed through submissions in hopes of finding a gem that fits with our stated goals and mission statement (as well as the books already in our line), and are limited to no more than 5 new books per year (at this time).

We publish paperbacks, but many of our new titles are also available in hardcover, for the die-hard book lovers and author fans among us. Our authors are carefully chosen; many already proven in the publishing world in one form or another. They are busy blogging, tweeting, and hoping that you, too, will find and love their book.

In September 2010, Lucky Press will bring out two new fiction titles: Guardian Spirit by Sarah Martin Byrd of Elkin, NC and Dappled Glory by Diane Mechem Kinser of Grove City (Columbus area), Ohio. Click on the links to learn more.

October 16-17, Lucky Press will have a booth at the West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston. Six of our authors will be there signing books and meeting readers.

In November, Lucky Press will release Max and Menna, which has received an endorsement from no less than Madison Smartt Bell. Max and Menna is a YA and Adult fiction book written by Baltimore resident Shauna Kelley.

Lucky Press not only spreads the word about the work of LP authors, we care about other authors too and will mention their work from time to time. Also, due to the publisher's experience as a book designer and editor for non-LP authors, Janice Phelps Williams will offer advice to writers, tidbits gleaned in bringing over 200 books "to life."

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