Creative Publishing

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Comment by Dawn McCall on October 25, 2009 at 4:47pm

Hi Kevin,
I had a look at Lightning Source and was very impressed... enough so to submit an application. I use InDesign, so do not require any assistance in my formatting, layout, etc., so I think this might be a good switch for me at this time. It would also enable me to help others with getting their books published and I like that aspect greatly. I am only interested in the history/genealogy genre... perhaps I may become consumed with this new venture I have in mind and wait and see with the newspaper. Not that writing and research fail to use most of my time, but when we were publishing a weekly newspaper I have worked straight through a 50 hour time period just to meet my own deadlines and I really don't want to put myself in that kind of position again.
Thank you very much for the reply... I will be sure to let you know how it works out.

Comment by DONALD MAROTTA on October 24, 2009 at 6:37pm

What about local gazettes possibly appearing individually online--or in library directories--which may cover the field, but won't have widgets. Calling the Ghost Busters will not help, except if you think it will for momentary relief. Sorry about this last.marottadonald@gmail.com

Comment by Kevin Morgan Watson on October 24, 2009 at 5:42pm

Dawn,

I'm based out of Winston-Salem, but for Press 53 I use POD printing by Lightning Source, a division of Ingram. They are based in LaVergne, TN, and I have an excellent relationship with them. I think LULU is fine for very small runs and if you need help formatting your book. As for newsprint, I'm totally lost there. Can't help at all.

Comment by Dawn McCall on October 24, 2009 at 3:09pm

Kevin,
I currently use Lulu services and have had excellent results from it, although that could be the result of the marketing that I have personally done... what services are available in the Asheville area for printing, do you happen to know? My son and I used to publish our town newspaper through the Asheville Citizen Times press, but it is now shut down. After it shut down we had to go to a non Gannett owned press in SC because we had only a small circulation (Rosman is less than 500 people). We closed the newspaper out in November of last year, but I hope to start running at least a monthly or bi-weekly again this summer... so I am looking for both a newspaper press and a book press that is local.
Thanks.

Comment by Kevin Morgan Watson on October 24, 2009 at 2:44pm

Don, If by "uploaded publishing" you mean an ebook, I'm all for it. I don't acquire electronic rights to the books I publish, so the author is free to set up his or her book as an ebook for Kindle or the Sony reader and reap the rewards. I think ebooks can enhance hard copy book sales.

Comment by DONALD MAROTTA on October 22, 2009 at 7:11am

I am wondering whether uploaded publishing and simultaneous hard copy publishing are possible with the author's owning the copyright. Reply without a publisher's bias if you are considering this. By uploaded publishing, I do not necessarily mean Amazon or related megapublishers, which pay about 20%. Don Marotta
marottadonald@gmail.com

Comment by nancy dillingham on April 18, 2009 at 11:04am

Thanks for your reply/explanation. Would love to come on Wed; I have a class with Steven Samuels (Great Smokies Writing Program) and am scheduled to present a poem. Perhaps we can keep in touch.

Comment by Kevin Morgan Watson on April 17, 2009 at 10:10pm

Nancy,

You pose a good question that I am asked often. Usually, when I reprint a book it either what I consider a classic out-of-print book, like John Ehle's The Land Breakers, or Guy Owen's Journey for Joedel (coming soon), I also consider books that are currently out of print because the publisher closed its doors before the market potential for the book was met, like Marjorie Hudson's Searching for Virginia Dare. All of these books were out of print.

To take on a book that is still in print or has been self published (and I'm a big fan of self publishing), I would have to read it first and consider if I can bring anything new to the book that the previous publisher or the author did not. In other words, do I see the book having a whole new life which includes renewed sales. Plus, I would need to have a personal conversation with the author, because I would have lots of questions.

I'll be at Malaprop's this Wed, April 22, at 7 p.m. Stop by if you can and introduce yourself.

Comment by nancy dillingham on April 9, 2009 at 8:12pm

Hey Kevin, are you interested in looking at poetry and short story collections that are already in print. I published 4 books of poetry and short stories; I used the local WorldComm for the first three and published the fourth under "Big Ivy Books." I did layout, cover--everything--took it to Biltmore Press and they printed it. Would you have any interest in looking at my books? Wondered--since you say you are interested in poetry and short stories and that is what I write--am working on another collection at this time.

Comment by Rob Neufeld on April 9, 2009 at 9:39am

There's a noteworthy small press program program coming up at Malaprop's, and Kevin is one of the speakers! This would be a good place to learn more, have a good discussion, and build our network, I think. See program info. Spread the word--you can invite people to this group, too. /Rob

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