I am seeking a new publisher

[WilliamPitt]

My third book, "Our Flag, Too" is stuck at the printers because the publisher, Context, is now in Chapter 11. I am working with my attorney to get the contract for that book released so I can hand the book off to another publisher. I am wondering if anyone here has any contacts within the publishing industry that would be interested in this book.

Total pain in my ass.

[Kamika]

1. What does that mean?

Is now in chapter 11 ?

[TXlib]

3. Filing for bankruptcy

[TXlib]

2. Damn, good luck, Will!

I am looking forward to reading that book.

I hope it resolves quickly.

[HFishbine]

4. How About

Bev Harris's publisher, David Allen at Planet 9?

CONTACT: David Allen
Fax:[phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Location: High Point, NC
Time Zone: EST

[WilliamPitt]

6. What's their spread?

How far is their reach?

[supernova]

16. Plan9 Publishing

They're putting out Bev Harris's BBV book and also Doug Marlette's latest collection of politcal cartoons,

[RebelOne]

5. Well, I work for a publisher,

but we only do hunting and fishing magazines. But I'll check around for you. Maybe our editors have some leads.

[WilliamPitt]

7. Kick

[underpants]

8. Does MovOne publish?

How about the Nation or Mother Jones? Those are the biggest liberal places I could think of.

[WilliamPitt]

9. Already checked with the Nation

They have two books on deck similar to mine. Have shouted out to Seven Stories and others.

[ikojo]

24. What about Common Courage press?

When Michael Albert of Z Magazine writes a book, who is the publisher?

[BurtWorm]

10. Soft Skull?

The guys who publish Fortunate Son? Sander Hicks is extraordinarily approachable, very good guy.

[Shakespeare]

22. A second on Soft Skull

DEFINITELY give them a call. And they'll do cool promo gigs for you in NYC. :-)

[HEyHEY]

11. For a $3000 down payment I am willing to publish your book

In this specail one-time offer!
Act now and recieve a new juiceman!

[HEyHEY]

12. check your PM will

[GOPFighter]

13. I feel your pain...

I have to get nine books published annually...each goes to a different printer (low bidder). Talk about ulcers. But to be fair, the publishing business is cutthroat and extremely competitive. I feel for those poor bastards.

[jmowreader]

29. My boss tried to open a publishing company

We hired a distribution agent, got some authors, everything was going fine. We already had all the equipment we need. We were going to be a "subsidy publisher" which is just like a regular publisher but you pay for the print runs and they sell the books through their distribution network. (A vanity publisher prints your books, sends them to you and you try to sell them. Of the two, subsidy publishing is more likely to result in your actually selling books.)

Then we made the Most Fatal Mistake in Publishing: our first book sucked. It was an unreadable collection of so-called children's poetry by a retired schoolteacher. No one bought it. We ran 1100 and we still have 975 left; of the 125 that were taken, at least 75 of them went out as samples. The book couldn't decide whether it was a children's book or an adult's book, and all of it was in the most cloying tone.

We are no longer a subsidy publisher.

[Book Lover]

14. Will, have you looked into going with

an independent distributor, like Publisher's Group West? If the book is at the printer's, it's nearly done; all you'd have to do is secure your distribution. How far along is the book; has it gone to the bindery yet? Have you talked to the printer yourself? You can't be the only author in this position.

I am happy to volunteer my time and services (I've been in book publishing, in the production department, for nearly 15 years now) with you on this matter.

Here's the blurb on the matter from Publisher's Weekly:

Context Books in Chapter 11 Bankruptcy
by Calvin Reid -- 9/15/2003
News > Money Problems


It's the best of times and the worst of times for Beau Friedlander, founder and publisher of Context Books, a small, well-regarded New York City publishing house. Two weeks ago, Friedlander, much better known as a publisher, signed with Viking to publish his own first novel. Not long after that happy announcement, PW learned that Context Books has been in voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy since last November.

In documents filed in Bridgeport, Conn., on Nov. 27, 2002, Context Books listed assets of $496,640 and liabilities of $486,153. The largest claim listed is Margaret P. Baldwin, publisher of Chelsea Green Publishing of Vermont ($135,000). Other claims by unsecured creditors listed at the time of the filing included such Context authors as Daniel Quinn ($29,226), Derrick Jensen ($24,729) and Elissa Wald ($13,933).

Friedlander told PW that his creditors were "vendors and authors" and that he was working under bankruptcy protection "and trying to move forward." He acknowledged that the bankruptcy had disrupted the shipping of some Context titles. But he also told PW that now all books were shipping on time and "we are supporting all of our books." He said the house was on the ninth printing of Jensen's A Language Older Than Words, and he also cited strong sales for Scott Ritter's Frontier Justice: Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Bushwhacking of America.

[asjr]

15. publisher

Try Algonquin Press out of North Carolina.

[Armstead]

17. Try this

http://www.oriononline.org/pages/ob/index_ob.html

[matcom]

18. Call Malloy

he HAS to know some people

[rucky]

19. Manic D'Press

in SF Bay...worth a try

[never cry wolf]

20. Wish I could help more than a kick....n/t

:kick:

[toddzilla]

21. what about the zmag people?

can't remember the name of the publishing co.

[NightTrain]

23. Hey, I'm just seeking a publisher

You want pain-in-the-ass? How about trying to get your foot in the door as an unpublished novelist? I can't even get an agent to look at sample chatpers of my novel!

[SOteric]

25. It's the time-honoured catch 22 of publishing.

You can't get published without representation, and you can't get representation unless you've been published.

You might try scanning the Publisher's Weekly to see which publishing houses may currently be accepting unrepresented work. Then screen those publishers by those known to publish the genre in which you're writing.

It also helps to have articles, short stories or flash fiction published in periodicals which cater to your genre.

[SOteric]

26. I know a few folks, yes

but in fields of publishing somewhat divergent from the sort of work you do.

I'm confident of my relationships, though, so let me make a few inquiries and see if there aren't some names and recommendations I can put together for you.

[LeftistGorilla]

27. try a canadian publisher...

it worked for "bowling for Columbine"
GOOD LUCK!

[Khephra]

28. Ummmmmm....

Will?

Why don't you tell me this shit before you post it anymore?

Let me work on my connections. I'm (we) are lucky that I even saw this thread. I won't be able to talk to them until tomorrow though.