I belong to a book promotion group with fiction writer Midge Raymond, author of the short story collection Forgetting English. When she shared the link to a promotional video she and her husband, novelist John Yunker (The Tourist Trail), created, I clicked right over to their YouTube video called “Love in the Time of Amazon.” I very much enjoyed the writing couple’s sense of humor. It wasn’t long before Midge shared information with our group about a press she and John were starting. I sent interview questions to find out more. Their answers are informative for those of us who hope to publish in the small press world or to begin small publishing houses ourselves.

Since the two are passionate about the environment, animal protection, ecology, wildlife, and travel, their venture in Ashland Creek Press is dedicated to publishing books with compelling stories and a world view on these topics.

Sheila
Why did you two start Ashland Creek Press? Please describe the goals of your publishing venture.

Midge and John
We started ACP for a couple of reasons. For one, we’ve seen many writers unable to find homes for their work because they may not fit into the type of market a big publisher is looking for, or because of the closures of independent and university presses. As authors ourselves, we want to be able to provide an option for writers who are passionate about their work and want to see it out in the world.

Also, we want to play a role in fostering the emerging “eco-lit” genre, with an emphasis on novels and story collections. Fiction has an important role to play in raising awareness to a world at risk, and we want to do our part as publishers to help bring these issues to light.

Sheila
How do you carry out your mission in forming a catalog of books?

Midge and John
The first step, of course, is putting out a call for submissions, which we did right away. Within our first couple of months, we acquired four titles, which has been a wonderful affirmation that there is indeed a need for a small press that focuses on these issues.

Moving forward, we aim to keep our list diverse and interesting by publishing a variety of titles, both fiction and nonfiction. We’re open to all genres, as long as they fall under the themes above. For example, next spring we’ll be publishing an eco-mystery set in the Los Angeles area, as well as a literary novel set in East Africa. We’re also publishing a YA novel this fall, and while we don’t publish children’s books, we’re getting a lot of inquiries, so it’s something we’re thinking about.

Sheila
What kinds of books and projects are writers submitting and what are you telling them about the focus of their work?

 Midge and John
We’re constantly amazed by the high quality of submissions coming in — and we always regret that we can’t take on as many projects as we’d like. We’ve received essays, short stories, travel memoirs, and novels. Our main criteria are that the manuscripts adhere to our themes and, also, that the books go beyond mere personal experience and branch out into the universal. We aim to publish books that offer a wide-angle view of other worlds and cultures, and that — with books about the environment and animal protection, for example — address issues in a realistic but also a positive, encouraging light. But above all else, we’re looking for good stories, with well-developed and interesting characters, a strong sense of setting, and a great story arc.

Sheila
What else would you like writers to know when considering submitting work to Ashland Creek Press?

Midge and John
Writers should read our guidelines carefully and submit their very best work. While we do spend a lot of time working with authors on editing, a book needs to be in excellent shape before we’re able to take it on. This is not only best for us but for the authors as well — we don’t want to take on a project that requires changing it in a way that may not be a part of the author’s vision.

That said, if we both fall in love with a manuscript that needs some work, we’ll have a chat with the author to see if he or she is open to changes and what those might be. And then we move forward from there. So we’re open to taking on such projects, as long as we all share the same vision for the project and all are willing to put in the time and effort to take it where it needs to go.

We welcome writers to email us with any questions they have before submitting; we’re happy to answer them. And we are also happy to see revisions of previous submissions. Often we have to pass on projects that we really like if we feel they need the sort of attention we’re unable to give — and we’ll always let authors know when we admire their writing and would be open to seeing a revision.

Another thing writers can do is read something we’ve published, or at least familiarize themselves with our list. For instance, we recently published a stand-alone essay, Patti Marxsen’s “Archaeologies,” which is an excellent example of the sort of travel literature we’re looking for — a beautifully written story of place that broadens to a larger picture of a broken family, giving readers a taste of history while offering a universal view of the challenges of being part of a family. But while this essay is an example of a literary travel piece, we also publish YA and mysteries — so writers should keep an eye on what’s new (by joining our mailing list, for example), which will help them determine whether their books are a good fit.

Sheila
What are five more important issues for a small press editor?

Midge and John
First: taking good care of our authors. We are able to work closely with each author and find this an invaluable part of being small-press editors. As a small press, we’re also able to be more flexible and generous with our contracts, and we see the publisher-author relationship as very much a partnership.

Second: embracing new technologies and opportunities. As a small publisher, we’re uniquely positioned to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise. It’s a given that our titles will be on the Kindle, Nook, and iPad, but we’re also open to new avenues — not only in the U.S. but abroad.

Third: marketing and promotion. The authors we work with know and understand that they themselves have to play a large role in promoting their books — as all authors do, even those who publish with any one of the Big Six. So we’re fortunate that authors understand that — and, as writers ourselves, we understand what the challenges are and recognize when we need to step in to support them as publishers and editors. We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to promote books.

Fourth: building a brand that readers will come to know. One of the big advantages of being a niche publisher is that it’s easier to build a brand because we’re focused. We hope one day to be known to readers who want a good collection of travel essays, or a lively mystery with environmental themes. We also hope to be known to writers as a publisher that produces lovely books and sells them well.

Fifth: continuing to grow. We hope to publish four to six titles a year, and so growth doesn’t necessarily mean publishing more books — it also means continuing to market our authors and the press to keep the backlist strong. And of course, in the long term, we’d love one day to expand as well.

Sheila
I really like this description of the way you look at your role as publishers. I can’t help but wonder about the financial aspect of the press — there must be some up front costs. How do you handle the financial viability of the press? What is a good print run for the market you are serving — or the print runs you hope to create as the press grows?

Midge and John
Naturally, starting a new business carries some degree of risk. But we both have other sources of revenue — such as consulting, freelancing, and technical publishing — that allow us to invest in the press and to ensure that we can stay in it for the long term. And we have very low overhead, which gives us a great deal of freedom to take chances on the projects that we love.

It’s true that up-front printing costs have traditionally been a major hurdle for small presses. But print-on-demand eliminates this obstacle and allows us to print what the market demands, as it’s needed. It also fits in with our environmental viewpoint in that books will not be overprinted and later destroyed. And we can’t ignore e-books as a major portion of revenues. Just this week, BookStats reported a rise in publishing revenue over the past two years — a gain attributed almost entirely to e-book sales offsetting declines in print formats. According to BookStats, trade e-book sales rose a staggering 1,274.1 percent during the 2008–2010 period. Like most avid readers, we love printed books — but it’s impossible to ignore the fact that e-books are likely to dominate the future of bookselling. As one example, with John’s book, The Tourist Trail, e-book sales outweigh print sales by a factor of five to one.

Sheila
Thank you, Midge and John, both for creating another venue for writers to find audiences and for this interview that helps writers understand editors’ motivations and hopes. I want to add that visitors to your website will enjoy reading your blog. This week’s post, “How to Create an Inviting Writer’s Space” has photos that have me smiling. Yes, we have to give up the idea that a clean desk is the best place to write. WIR readers — you’re going to love this blog, this press!