In 1855 Nathaniel Hawthorne insisted that “America is now wholly given
over to a damned mob of scribbling women.” Dear old boy. Let’s make his vision
a reality.
Update
October 31: Inside Higher Ed published a piece I wrote on why I'm starting this press. And we're mentioned in Bitch Magazine's Feminist News Roundup. Also: nice shout-outs from The Feminist Wire and VIDA: Women in Literary Arts on their Facebook pages. : )
Introduction
My name is Rosalie Morales Kearns. I’m a writer/editor of
Puerto Rican and Pennsylvania Dutch descent, based right now in Albany, NY. I’m
starting a small book publishing company, Shade Mountain Press, which will
publish literary fiction by women authors. Two titles are scheduled to be
published in 2014: Egg Heaven, a
short story collection by Robin Parks; and Her
Own Vietnam, a novel by Lynn Kanter.
Why I'm Doing This
Women are still vastly underrepresented among authors of
literary fiction. Only about 25% to 30% of authors published in literary
journals are women. Of the authors whose books get reviewed in the major book
review outlets, again, less than a third are women. Same situation in book
publishing--and this is the case whether the publisher is a huge conglomerate
or a small, supposedly cutting-edge press. At some publishers, the percentage
of women authors of literary fiction is as small as 10%.
I noticed this trend myself as I researched publishers who
might be interested in my own novel manuscript. Time after time, the “new and
forthcoming” sections of reputable small, literary presses included only one
female author out of eight, or one out of ten. Sometimes a publisher’s entire
“new and forthcoming” list was male.
Lots of good articles are being written about this trend. The
arts organization VIDA: Women in Literary Arts (www.vidaweb.org) is always
posting links to relevant articles from places like NPR, The Atlantic, The Nation, and Salon.
I’m trying to be part of the solution.
Why This Matters
I happen to know that women are writing great things.
Besides teaching writing classes, I go to writers’ conferences, I join writers
groups. I hear women writers read from their works-in-progress, and it’s
brilliant, amazing stuff.
I want their voices to be heard. I especially want to read
more works by women from groups historically underrepresented among literary
authors: women of color; women with disabilities; women from working-class backgrounds;
lesbian/bisexual/queer women.
Obviously, one small publishing house by itself can’t solve
this problem. But it’s a step in the right direction.
How I'm Qualified to Do This
I’ve been a freelance copyeditor of book manuscripts for
twenty years, first with a research institute (where I worked with book
designers and printers and had hands-on experience with layout) and then as a
freelancer. I’ve also taught creative writing at the college level and in adult
education classes, so I’ve had a lot of experience working with authors.
What I Need
The figure of $13,000 includes general start-up costs: a website,
attorney’s fees for author contracts, ISBNs. Per-book costs include cover
design, copyediting, paper, printing, binding, shipping, and promotion.
I would like Shade Mountain books to be printed using
traditional offset printing, rather than print-on-demand (POD). Using offset printing
for my books gives me more options for type design and paper, results in a
higher-quality finished product, and gives my books a better chance of being
ordered by bookstores and libraries.
Having startup capital is crucial for book publishing. When
a customer buys a book in a bookstore or an online site like Amazon, the store
or online site keeps about 55% of the money the customer paid. The distributer
takes another 5-10%. The 35% that the publisher receives can take nine months
or more to arrive--and then part of that, of course, goes to the authors as
royalties. This process can become self-sustaining after a few years if you
have decent sales and maintain a good-quality list, but in the meantime, you
need money upfront.
Other Ways You Can Help
A great way to help (whether you can afford to donate or
not) is to let others know about this campaign, by sharing the link with your
friends. If you would like to be on the Shade
Mountain Press e-newsletter mailing list, please email me at shademountainpress@gmail.com,
and I’ll let you know when the titles will be available.
For more information about Shade Mountain Press, including
why I chose the name, please see this link on my personal website.
Thank you so much for your support!
