The Last Casualty by Mark Connelly

 

How we came to publish this one
this on was identified by one of our freelance editor who found it on our submissions platform Duosuma.

The title

This came from the title of one of the stories in the  book. This is often a way of finding the title for a collection such as this.

Some notes about the process

It went through the usual thee stages of editing and two of design and proof reading the edits were conducted by the editor who selected the the textfor publication did the  editorial work on this one.

The cover

The author gave us a concept and we worked with that. .

Some notes about style

 These storiese tend towards a literary voice.

Who we think the render is

This is certainly for the thinking reader but many of the stories will also make you chuckle. Some will make you cry.

What else

We launched this book with three others.

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the link to be taken to our bookshop. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or e-book file.

 

 Grab your copy here.

Book club guide for 'Spooking'

 

1. This book is described as  a 'paranormal romance'. How scary are the 'paranormal' elements?
2. Do you know any of the places mentioned in the novel?. How true to life do they seem?
3.  Comment on the tensions and pace in the novel.
4.  Which character do you like most? Why?
5. And least? What do you think makes them the way they are?
6. Does the novel's' view of the afterlife match your own?
7. How does the car accident compare with any you have had?
8. How much does Marcus help Tom?

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Book Club guide There's More to Life than Death

 

1. 1.       1 Do you have a favourie story from this collection?Why do you like those one sso  much.
2. 2.       many of these stories have a strong sense of time and e. Pick one that resonates with you and compare  with the actual time and place.
3. 
4. 3.    'so nostalgia and
5. 4.       sextuality may catch the reader by the throat'
6. 5.       ' says the author in her introduction. Do you agree with this? can you give examples?
7. 6.       She lo mention s the 'uncanny/' can you d fin examples of this.
8. 7.       There's More to Life than Death is the title et of one of the  stories.Ho true do you find
9. n this to be?
10. 8.       How representative of the h collection do you find the cover?
11. 9.       Fin a characterh you link in on of the h stories. How has the author r created that character.
12. 10.   Writing withh the  senses always produces great writing. Can you find some example in these stories?
13. 11.    Hve any of the  stories created for you the desire to visit one of the places mentioned?

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1.  

Should I have a contract?

 

WE do issue contracts to our author and base this on what the Society of Authors has indicated to be good pracicecti.  I try  this out from time to time by sending in a contact I have been offered by another publisher tot them so that they find any pitfalls and then  avoid putting those into our contract. Our draft contracts are available for a month. After that we must have a decision

 Occasionally we i nsert an extra clause because of something that has some up.

 We've added a clause about using no AI as It was becoming in clear that some some submissions were using in AI.

Each clause is there for a reason.

 We alsoo include a work schedule. This gives you a very clear idea about what should be happening when. Here is an example

• Contract confirmation 31 May 2026
• Edit  131July l 2026Hannah
• Edit 2 30 September  2026Liz
• Edit 3 31Ocober 2026Debz
• Design 1 30 November 2026
• Proof 1 31 December 2026
• Design 2 31 January 2027
• Proof 2 28 February 2027GillLL
• Soft launch 31 March 2027
• Hard launch 30 April 2027
• Note, if the editorial work is completed sooner we may be able to bring the other processes forward and publish the book sooner. BUT we do have to dovetail the work with other projects. 

 

Not the first month  of each edit is for the editor and the h second one is for the author to respond to ethe ditor's suggestions. Note only the editor is involved inEdit 3. This I because Proof Read 1 hat ih follows soon after edit 3gives the author the opportunity to have a final say.

Soft launch means we have released the h book and it is I making in its way to all the eretail channels This takes some time.

What is the lead time on submissions?

we look at submissions as soon as they come in and decide whether we're interested in thatt submission or not. Editors' may decide if they want to take on a project or not. If a project hasn't ' been taken up withinihin three months we tend to decline but try to give you some feedback. 

WE do urg you to try other publishers. We can't possibly take on on all publishable projects. 

howwe came to publish this one: Something very Human

 

Hnnah had beenn witing ng for us for wuitr  while no. Sh is a regular contribution to CaféLit and had often appearedre in Th best of CafeLit book and sometimes in our annual anthologies.SH is very professional n easy to work eithih.

The title

Th stotier do indeed sheow aspects of very human humanity.

Some notes about the process

It went through the usual thee stages of editing and two of design and proof readingDebz tt worked as ht editot on thi sone whcih delighted Hannahhnnah as she felt thatDebzeb understands her wok well.

The cover

This was produced Hannah's  brother.

Some notes about style

Hannah has  a strong and distinctive voice. These storiestrend towrds theh literaryvoice.

Who we think the render is

This is certainly for the thinking g reader but many of  the stories willalso make you chuckle. Some will make you cy/

What else
Marirn an I we able to attend the h laucnh which was held at Menaii Bridg;e; we happened ro b returning fromth eh Republic of Ireland via Holyhead.

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the link to be taken to our bookshop. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or e-book file. 

Find your copy here