Fresh Beginnings by Leela Dutt

 

How we came to publish this one

We have known of Leela’s work for some time and were very pleased to put together this collection of her short stories.

The title

As often with a short story collection, the title is also that of one of the stories. In a sense, though, don’t all stories give us an opportunity for a fresh beginning? Something ends and something new may begin. As one reviewer says, there is an offer of change in the lives of ordinary people.

Some notes about the process

This book went through the normal three stages of editing. Leela worked with one of our free-lance editors.   

The cover

The cover and the inside illustrations are provided by Leela’s daughter, Kate Attfield.

Some notes about style

There is a tendency towards the literary here. Leela Dutt’s writing is tight and well-crafted. The story arcs are effective.

Who we think the reader is

This collection is for the discerning reader who likes to be invited to contemplate life. This collection is recognised in academic circles.

What else

This is a bit of a family affair with daughter providing the illustrations and grandson helping with social media and promotion.  

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the image to be taken to Amazon or here for other options of buying. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or mobi-file.       

Find your copy here

 

What if? By Anne Wilson

 

How we came to publish this one

We have already published Anne Wilson before. I do have to be a little careful here, however: another Anne Wilson runs my u3a French group.  

The title

There is a great title. There is perhaps an argument that every story should be called this. That is in the end perhaps the sub text. In this collection that question become particularly important.   

Some notes about the process

This book went through the normal three stages of editing.  

The cover

The paper in the typewriter show the title and the by-line. This emphasises that the “what if?” question in the writer’s greatest tool.   

Some notes about style

There is a tendency towards the dark here. The texts deal with the ghostly and the surreal.   

Who we think the reader is

The text isn’t perhaps for the faint-hearted. One review has mentioned the collection  might need trigger warnings. Well, here they are.  

What else

This is one of our single author collections. Each story has its own voice.   

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the image to be taken to Amazon or here for other options of buying. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or mobi-file.       

 

Find your copy here. 

 

The Memory Keeper by S.Nadja Zajdman

  

How we came to publish this one

We have already published S.Nadja Zajdman several times – in our annual anthologies and on CafeLit. She has a great story-telling voice and we were so pleased to put this one together for her.   

The title

There is a great title. The narrator here does gather lots of memories. This reads like a memoir but it is in fact fiction.     

Some notes about the process

I had the privilege of working with Sharon on this book. It was a great pleasure. It was such a satisfactory process for two reasons: there wasn’t much that needed altering and Sharon was very open to suggestions.    

The cover

We went backwards and forwards a little with pictures of snow scenes. There is still an element of that in the way the child is dressed. But this is such an apt illustration; much of the narrative is about the relationship between the narrator and her father.    

Some notes about style

The writing is very engaging and tending toward the literary. Zajdman works with the sense to create vivid pictures. There is also a considerable amount of inner monologue.  

Who we think the reader is

This is an absorbing read and relationships figure largely in the narrative. It will certainly also make the reader think,   

What else

This is one of our single author collections. Yet it could also be in Feisty Women series. Although each chapter is a self-contained d story there is also an over-arching story as well.

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the image to be taken to Amazon or here for other options of buying. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or mobi-file.     

Small Press, Hybrid, Vanity

                      

These three have some common traits but the differences are important.

Small press

This is anything but the Big Five. There are a few bigger independent presses such as Bloomsbury and a lot of much smaller ones, many of them operating online and out of someone’s back bedroom. These do not have huge budgets and will often not do a lot of marketing, so much of this is left to the author. Note, though, that all authors have to contribute to marketing and it’s rare for those who don’t to have much success.

The very small presses rarely pay advances and even when they do these are small. However, many of them offer much more generous royalties, such as 50% of net sales.  Be aware though that sales may not be as high as with more established publishers.

A small press will not ask for contributions to the costs.

They risk the amount of time and money they have to spend on setting up titles, editing, cover design, book design, proof reading, distribution, marketing and sending your books to the legal deposit libraries.   

 

Hybrid

You pay anything from a reasonable amount to an extortionate amount to have your book prepared for publication, published and distributed with a minimum amount of marketing. You may like to compare what they’re charging with what freelancers ask  for these services and even consider which ones you can supply yourself. Their main saving grace is that you get a sizable portion of the profits on your books. A reasonable hybrid publisher will leave the rights with you.    

 

Vanity      

They charge a lot of money, take your rights, and do very little to promote your work.

 

Buying in services

There are a few companies and a lot of freelancers who offer services for self-publishers. These include:

• Editing (three stages?)
• Proof reading
• Book design
• Cover design

Freelancers can be found on https://reedsy.com and https://www.fiverr.com/

You can mix and match and find the team that suits you if you use free-lancers.

Even if you use a company that offers all of these services in-house, they differ from vanity and hybrid publishers in that all of the rights stay with you.

 

Two important considerations  

Do you have your own ISBNs? Some companies will offer them to you and even if you publish with Amazon KDP you may use their ISBNs. However, a series of ISBNs distinguishes you as a publisher.

More crucially do they take your rights? Clearly a small press does, but they are  swapping those rights for the risk they take on the services they provide for your book. A hybrid publisher probably will and a vanity publisher most certainly will.

Web sites offering services and freelancers won’t.      

        

Mysterious Ways by Jeff Laurents

 

How we came to publish this one

We have published Jeff before so he fits our criteria of being a writer whom we already know. 

The title

There is certainly a lot of mystery in this book.   

Some notes about the process

Two different editors worked with Jeff this book. One did the three main edits another proof read. 

The cover

We are certainly presented with a mystery straight away. Is that a hangman’s noose or something far less sinister. The red implies danger and the dark background hints that the stories may be dark.  

Some notes about style

Each story poses a question. Is life really as simple as it looks or are there deeper mysteries behind it all?

Who we think the reader is

This collection is for the reader who likes to dwell a little on the darker side.

What else

This is one of our single author collections. We hope you will take a look. There is much to admire in Jeff Laurents’ work.

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the image to be taken to Amazon or here for other options of buying. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or mobi-file.       

Or find other ways of buying here.

 

Speculations

 

How we came to publish this one

We have published Stephen before so he fits our criteria of being a write whom we already know.  

The title

This is another “what if” book. Not the sub-title.

 

Some notes about the process

Two different editors worked with Stephen on this book. One did the three main edits another proof read.  

The cover

The stylised figures on the cover ask silent questions about the material they are handling, We hope that is exactly what our readers will do.    

Some notes about style

None of the stories are too “genre” or too literary. We hope most of them will make you think.

Who we think the reader is

Many of our writers have a good number of friends, family, fans and followers. We like to think that our style is recognisable and we have a reasonable following.

What else

This is one of our single author collections. We hope you will take a look. There is much to admire in Stephen Faulkner’s work.

Review copies

It’s always great if you can buy the book and give us a review. Just click on the image to be taken to Amazon or here for other options of buying. If you would like to review and you are strapped for cash, just get in touch for a free PDF or mobi-file.