Thursday, April 27, 2006

One Sock Press Joins BPNW

Please welcome the following new member to BPNW.


ONE SOCK PRESS
William C. Branley
861 Taurnic Place NW
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
Ph: 206-842-5207
info@onesockpress.com
www.onesockpress.com

Description:
A small publisher with one fiction title, "Sea Changes," coming out in 2006.
One Sock Press is interested in fiction, memoir, cooking, and music.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

One Publisher's Report on Wordstock

Wordstock in Portland, Oregon, came roaring back from its newcomer success last year to give a great show. My table was right inside the entrance. The reading stages each took up a third of the north wall of the exhibition halls, instead of in the four corners of the room like last year. The writing and selling workshops were featured in smaller rooms outside the exhibition hall.


Attendance seemed to be down from last year, but still busy for the most part. Last year was a rainy weekend; this year was sunny and warm. Attendees seemed to be in two major groups: those who’d come to attend the workshops and pitch their own writing and those who came to hear the authors’ readings. Last year, the crowd seemed more generally curious and book-seeking. My sales were 23 books this year to 27 last year.


In general, the reading authors included more nationally known authors this year. If any author has been disappointed by audience turnout at a signing, consider the 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon author slot. It pitted Gore Vidal against Carolyn Radziwill (cousin-in-law to Kennedy clan). Vidal had all his seats filled and an overflow standing crowd at his theater, while Radziwill had maybe six people listening to her.


There seem to be many writers and writers’ organizations in Portland. I found the Independent Publishing Resource Center table to advertise all sorts of resources (including computers and graphics programs) for do-it-yourself publishers. It’s a non-profit organization based in Portland and promotes “zines” low-cost, lower-grade publications, usually of a personal nature.


My only wish for Wordstock was that I brought someone to work the table with me so that I could browse and chat more.



Margaret Doyle
Port Gamble Publishing
The Fisherman's Quilt
ISBN 0976 109 905

Monday, April 24, 2006

Franca's Story Finalist for Design Award

Franca's Story: Survival in World War II Italy has been named as one of three finalists in the 2006 Benjamin Franklin Awards competition, in the following category: Interior Design, 1-2 color. The designer is Peggy Zafarana with assistance by Lautaro Gabriel Gonda, both of Seattle. The book was published by Wimer Publishing Company.

For the title, Zafarana used Bodoni Book, a typeface with its origins from Giambattista Bodoni of Parma, Italy in 1798. The text is set in Adobe Jenson Pro, based on the classic forms of the Venetian Renaissance-Antiqua of Nicholas Jenson (1470) and the italic typefaces used by the master scribe Ludovico degli Arrighi early in the 16th century.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Should BPNW Go to Portland Trade Show?

The Board of BPNW is pondering whether to rent a table for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Fall Trade Show in Portland. We have displayed books in the past at this show which usually draws a larger crowd than the Spring Trade Show in the Seattle area.

Because of the October date of the show, most of our usual volunteers cannot be there (we have a very small corp of regular volunteers who have done every show in the past few years).

So, before we say "yes" to PNBA in Portland, BPNW needs a firm commitment from our members that they not only want to display and, possibly, sell books at this show, but that they are willing to do some of the work. In return, those who work this show could have free entry to the show and free display space. Travel and lodging will be at the publisher's own expense.

We need to know the following from our members by the end of the April. Please answer 1, 2 or 3. Please be honest in your answer, especially if you answer 1, as we will take this a pledge of your willingness to work.

1. I am willing to pay my way to Portland in October to work a booth at this show. I am willing to take orders for other people's books as well as my own. I understand that I may have to pack and unpack boxes.

2. I am not able to go to Portland that week, but I would be willing to pay for someone else to show my book there and make a financial contribution to cover BPNW's expenses for such things as flyers or catalogs.

3. No, I don't want the group to spend its resources on this. I'll make my own arrangements if needed. Bonus question: if you answer 3, would you be interested in working with other BPNW publishers so all your displays are located in the same area?


More details about the Fall Show in Portland can be found at www.pnba.org.

Your thoughts appreciated. If the majority of members do not respond to this request, we'll take it as a sign that the interest in this show is not there. Please send your response to bpnwnews@aol.com.

The results of this survey will be posted on the website and in the May newsletter.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

April 20 Meeting: Changing Distribution Needs

Gary Lothian, Northwest sales manager for Ingram Book Company, discusses the changing distribution and tracking models for books and how these changes impact a small publisher’s sales to the traditional bookstore market. He will be joined by Kent Sturgis, board president of PMA, the Independent Book Publishers Association. PMA and Ingram have created a new distribution program for small publishers who normally might not qualify for distribution by a larger firm like Ingram.


Ingram Book Company is the leading wholesale distributor of books to independent and chain bookstores. The Ingram Book Group also includes Ingram Library Services Inc., America’s largest and fastest-growing distributor of books, audiobooks and videos to libraries; Ingram International Inc., the leading U.S. distributor of books and audiobooks to the world; and Ingram Fulfillment Services, which ships books directly to consumers.


PMA Board President Kent Sturgis is co-founder and president of Epicenter Press Inc., a regional trade publisher with 120 nonfiction titles focusing on Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.


The meeting takes place on April 20 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Good Shepherd Center, 4649 Sunnyside N., Room 221. For more information, click on the link for directions (right side of this page).

Monday, April 03, 2006

Benjamin Franklin Finalists Announced

The Benjamin Franklin Awards finalists were announced this month. The awards will be given during BEA in May.


Two titles published by BPNW members have been named. The titles are:
Am I A Color Too? Illumination Arts (Multicultural)
Cayman, Second Edition, Eaglemont Press (Travel/Essay)


If we have missed any BPNW members or their titles, please e-mail bpnwnews@aol.com.