Francesca T. Barbini's Blog, page 16

"The Girl From The Sky" Is Coming!

As most of you know, I started as a self-published author. For years, during my undergraduate life, I worked on the first book of my dream series, Tijaran Tales, a Teen science fiction series set on a terraformed Moon. I was bringing to life the world I always wanted to live in, without giving much thought to what to do with it once the book was finished. And I can tell you that even completing that first book was one of the most satisfying experiences of my life.Then, in 2011, I took the plunge and went solo, releasing Tijaran TalesWhite Childon August 11th. By the time the third book,The Nuarn Rift, came out, I had a publishing contract with a Canadian publisher and I couldn't have been happier. In 2015, Luna came along, and bringing the series home simply made perfect sense to me.On April 14th 2017, the sixth and last book of the series will be released, and it will mark the end of an era for my personal list of accomplishments. If I thought that completing one book felt amazing, finishing a series is on a level of its own. Ultimately, writing challengesyou, your character and your perseverance. Of course I love it when the kids talk about the world I have created in excitement; of course I love 'meet the author' gigs; of course I love that someone else other than me is getting a kick out of my imagination, but I still am my own biggest critic and my own biggest fan. And I don't mean that in a proud, self-inflated way - it's not like I'm Tolkien, you know! What I mean is that I have poured so much love into these stories that they are real to me. They are alive in my mind. And that truly makes me happy.It is with immense pride that I introduce you to the last of my babies: Tijaran Tales -The Girl from the Sky.Artist Jay Johnstone has returned once again to gift us with a new, haunting cover.The official launch will be held atEastercon 2017, the annual UK Science Fiction convention. I hope some of you will be there to celebrate with me. This year we will be in Birmingham and I cannot wait to see you there!The book is in pre-order already, in both print and e-book. On the Luna website it's discounted and, if you are one of our subscribers, you will receive a further discount with the 1st of March newsletter.PRE ORDER NOW!

Publishing Routes: Traditional Publishing?

Once the writing is done, what do authors do? In these series of articles, we are exploring which path is the right one for you. In week one we gave anoverview on how the publishing business works, then we looked atself-publishing,small pressesand this week we look at traditional publishing.TRADITIONAL PUBLISHINGBrief History:A traditional publisher acquires the rights to create, produce and distribute a book, making sure that these costs are covered by the income derived from its sale. They are also in charge of the marketing and advertisement of a product.They operate at corporation level, often worldwide and are responsible for half of the output of the book industry.Reputation:Does ‘holy grail’ mean anything to you? If it doesn’t, shame on you, go read up on your Arthurian legends! Or at the very least, go watch Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Seriously though. If you land a contract with a traditional publisher, you’ll be strutting like John Travolta at the end of Staying Alive.Yes. We are not passed that stage yet. And why? Because that’s where the money, access to the bookstores, big advertising budgets and sure entry on the nomination lists for big awards lie. This is huge, especially for unknown writers – we have a book-flooded market (one of the downsides of digital printing being so easily available) and any advantage you can get to rise above the crowd, you should grab with both hands.Pros Of Traditional PublishersEase of access. A tough one. The vast majority of traditional publishers only receive submissions through agents, and it’s unlikely they will consider unsolicited manuscripts. However, some do. In fact, the Bloomsbury’s Writers and Illustrators Yearbook lists all UK (and some foreign ones too) publishers and their guidelines. If you bother reading the submission guidelines on their websites, it should be pretty straightforward.Waiting times. Take a seat, put your feet up and relax. Ok, so this isn’t necessarily a pro, but you’ve chosen this route, and you knew there would be waiting. And wait you shall. Three months is the average time to receive a reply, or letter of rejection. Don’t fret and most importantly, don’t submit mailing list-style to the other twenty publishers on your checklist. It won’t be taken kindly.The vast majority of traditional publishers only receive submissions through agents, and it’s unlikely they will consider unsolicited manuscripts. You have a 2% chance to make it out of the slush pile, so you want to go in recommended by someone, like an agent. But being chosen, makes you forget all the wait in a heart bit.On being your own boss. Forget it. The situation is similar to that of small presses, if not worst. The contract you sign (which I hope you are going to read thoroughly) will limit your freedom, especially when it comes to delivery of the manuscript, correction, cuts, sequels, etc. They are investing a considerable amount of money on you, and may have already given you a fabulous advance - the least you can do is dance to the music. Now, that doesn’t mean you have to accept everything without questions, you are still the author after all, but allow your agent to discuss details. It may not seem like it, but it’s another pro: he/she will keep you sharp and on time, and away from procrastination.On being the creator. Again, not anymore. This was a big pro for small presses, and it is a huge one at this level. So you can’t pick the artist who will illustrate your graphic novel: don’t cry about it – they will not use a six-year-old – not unless they mean it. They have not become big publishers by executing a series of suicidal purchases and appointments through the decades. They are about to pay for the biggest make-over your manuscript has ever seen. They will not keep you out of the loop, even if in the end the final say on certain matters stays with them.As owner of a small press, I know many people in the traditional publishing sector, and they are nice people. Sure, money is a big part of their business, and hello, it is a business, but in order to make the money, they need you. Never forget. The contract you sign is there to protect you as well as them, if they don’t a good job you can hold them to their word.The marketing side. Here is the biggest pro of them all. No wonder royalties for authors of traditional publishers are so low compared to the previously examined cases: what they don’t give the authors, publishers put into the marketing, advertisement, securing a prominent space inside a bookstore. Make no mistakes, even if you are traditionally published, and your book is in Waterstones, it does not mean it will be a success. It has to be seen by the customers, it has to be reviewed by the staff and left as suggested reading. Part of the money will see to that as well.There is a whole world of thing to do that you wouldn’t even be able to accomplish through a small press, let alone self-publishing. In this sense, traditional publishing still leads the way and the advantage it grants you as an author, is manifold.Traditional Publisher: Is It For Me?I’m not expecting a resounding yes, here. As with all important decisions, you must consider this carefully.Speaking from experience (self-published author, published author, owner of small press), I would argue that no matter the path you choose you will need to work hard at it. The amount of perseverance required to go after an agent, a small press or a traditional publisher is substantial, in the same way that planning a successful self-publishing project is.The key is to play to your strength and to recognise your weaknesses. A self-published author shouldn’t waste money in a flashy cover if they are going to let their book disappear in the Amazon see, without telling people, because they are not bothered with marketing, self-promotion and Co. On the other hand if writing is all you want to do, then put your efforts into finding an agent, small press or traditional publisher.If all you care for is to put your writing out there, but you are not concerned with money or exposure, then consider one of those writing sharing platform, like Wattpad, because self-publishing, even when done at a basic level, will require some effort, including the fact that you must register to your tax office and do a self-assessment every year on the money you earn.Ultimately, to become a professional writer you must wear a professional mind-set: as well as enjoying the writing process (which I assume/hope you do) you must be a business person too. Perseverance, practice and a clear goal: what do you want your writing to achieve and how hard are you prepared to work for it?Decide that, and your path will become clear.

Luna Press 2nd Birthday Dinner

What a great night we had! A huge thanks you to the authors and artists, and their partners and friends, for coming to the dinner on Saturday night and creating such an excellent atmosphere. You flew, you drove, you walked and made it there!Thanks to David S Malone, Jay Johnstone, Kat Harvey, Peter Andrews, Barbara Stevenson, Anthony Laken, Joe Degand, Simon Walpole and Nina Oram, their family and friends. We wish every one of our authors and artists could have joined us, but we know it's not always possible, therefore Robert S Malan and I made a toast just for you. We were thrilled to have you all in Edinburgh - thank you all for choosing Luna as your family.We are already planning #lunabirthdaydinner 3!

Publishing Routes: Small Press?

Once the writing is done, what do authors do? In these series of articles, we are exploring which path is the right one for you. In week one we gave anoverview on how the publishing business works, then we looked atself-publishing, and this week we look at small presses.SMALL PRESSESBrief History:Small presses began to rise towards the end of the nineteenth century and saw a recent increase in presence with the advent of digital printing.For the sake of definition, a small press or indie press, is not a printer, but an actual publisher with a turn around below a certain level, and that publishes an average of ten titles a year. Small presses do not belong to large conglomerates or multinational corporations, but are run by one, two individuals, or small teams. They also make up half of the publishing market. They are business, to all effects and purposes. And most importantly, they are NOT vanity publishers.As founder and owner of Luna Press Publishing, I don’t particularly like to consider small presses as the bridge between self-publishing and traditional publishing, but it is fair to say that the presence of serious, hard working small presses has relieved the pressure that was building under the traditional publishers’ feet: there are a lot of writers out there who are very good, but not marketable enough to take a risk – small presses have that freedom, and their trust in unknown authors have contribute to the world being a far more culturally richer place.Reputation:If self-publishing is only now, slowly shaking off the stigma of not being the “real deal” in the eyes of some, it is fair to say that small presses have never really suffered from it. They are not vanity presses, they do not ask the author to pay the costs of publishing a book and they will support their authors just like a mainstream publisher, only on a lower scale, because of the smaller budget available. That isn’t to say that some people haven’t jumped on the ‘small presses’ bandwagon and created a press that all but in appearance was in fact a vanity press.Also, and this is true of small and traditional publishers, in the eyes of many people they provide a filter of sorts: someone other than you and your blind cat has read your book and helped you make it better. The fact that you wrote something which has won the trust of a third party who doesn’t know you, is confirmation that you are doing something right.Agents and mainstream publishers, regularly keep an eye out for the writers coming through the small presses, because they might spot the next big thing and swoop down to make an offer. In this sense, although it is very good for the author, it leaves the small press to fulfil a sort of first step on the property ladder – you know, like buying a flat, let it grow in value and then moving on to the bigger house.Does it hurt business being seen as stepping stone? Not necessarily (though is not pleasant), and actually, it is an acknowledged truth that a mainstream publisher may very well pass a book to a small press if they feel it’s not right for them, but could do well at another level.Pros Of Small PressesEase of access. The vast majority of traditional publishers only receive submissions through agents, and it’s unlikely they will consider unsolicited manuscripts. A small press, especially if dealing with niche topics, is more likely to have an open submission policy, and if you have been doing some research, you will know what projects are on the go at any given time. Find the presses that deal with your genres, bookmark them, subscribe to their mailing list and check them regularly.Chances of success are slightly higher. Assuming you have done your homework and are submitting to the right people, following the required procedure, a small publisher will have a higher degree of freedom when selecting the manuscripts, as it will not be bound by the rules and laws of the mega-bosses driving the whole shebang.If you are writing for a niche audience, then small presses are definitely more likely to listen, as a low print run will not be an issue at all. Don’t forget that every book means a slot in the calendar, a slot that comes with organising and costing editors, marketing, advertising, etc. Traditional publishers do print runs in the thousands: it is only normal that they will commit to that level if they believe a product can make them money, but if the topic is too niche, they know it would be a waste of money.Waiting times. Once you submit your work to a small press, it is very likely that you will hear back way sooner than the customary three months (if not longer) of a traditional publisher. This is very helpful, especially if your story is rejected and you need to move on that list of publishers/agents you made: etiquette dictates that publishers don’t like it when a story is submitted to fifty different places at once.A word to the wise, submitting a novel when a publisher’s website clearly states ‘no unsolicited manuscripts’ will likely result in a no reply, so do read those instructions – if the press has taken the bother to write submission guidelines, it is in your own interest to read them and follow them.On being your own boss. Not anymore. A contract is a legally binding document – if you sign it, you better highlight your timescale and stick to it. A small press is still a business, regardless of the fact that it publishes an average of ten titles a year, instead of twenty or more. They will have a queuing system for their publications, and they will require you to deliver your work by a certain date or in some cases to commit to a series. Either way, you are no longer in charge of your timetable.On being the creator. Again, not anymore. This is however, a very big PRO. The press will cover all the costs involved in the process of creating a book, saving you thousands of pounds. One of the biggest critiques to self-publishing is the lack of editing in published books: a small press will see to that on your behalf. If your day job barely covers your bills, the last thing you need is to pay editors, proof-readers, purchase ISBNs, print free copies to distribute to the legal deposit libraries, set up printing and distribution, start and keep up a marketing campaign, travel to conventions, etc. Often titles, even those released by traditional publishers, don’t always cover all costs, so the fact that a small press is taking the financial risk on your behalf, is simply beneficial to you. This of course means that they will take joint decisions with the author, and retain final say on any particular aspect – a small price to pay for hassle reduction. Besides, it is unlikely that a publisher would do something to hurt your book! It is in their interest to create a great product, a business success.The marketing side. Marketing is a bit of a nightmare for everyone, and if you can leave it to someone else, you should. Now, in today’s book industry, authors are expected to do their own networking and self-promotion to various degrees. However, if you work with a publisher you can count on their network as well as yours. Advertising costs money, and with the quick turn around of books these days, the product must really be exceptional to warrant a high budget for ads. Still, even a small press has a budget for that and will gladly use it, relieving you of that financial burden.You will still run your own website and one or two social sites, but your publisher’s site will make sure your name and books are there for all to see. After all, people forget quickly, therefore reminding them (not harassing them) of your book will keep your existence in their consciousness.Small Press: Is It For Me?Sure, you lose a bit of independence, but you gain in money, time and sanity. You are a writer, not a designer or market researcher. You were never asked to write the Christmas card for you boss, on account of your intermittent tense-sense. You want to write and let someone else carry you forward. Let your editor have those nightmares! And why the hell not?So go to your closest bookstore or public library and buy yourself a copy of the Bloomsbury's Writers and Illustrators Yearbook, or The Red Bible as I call it. Read the chapters that pertain to you, scour the listings of agents and publishers, make your list, go through it checking each website and submission guidelines, and contact them, one at the time. Prepare for rejections and don’t give up.As soon as you begin looking for a publisher, big or small, the whole game changes: you will have competition, and it will be fierce. Don’t go in unprepared, but submit to the right people, and only the best possible version of your work, as opposed to your first draft.Next week: Traditional Publishers.

The Sub-Genres of British Fantasy Literature - Giveaway!

14/2/17 is the release date of "The Sub-Genres of British Fantasy Literature", an easy to read exegesis that will shed some light on the many genres and sub-genres of fantasy. In preparation for the book release, Adam has been interviewed by the Scifi Fantasy Network!Check it out and enter the prize draw to win your very own signed copy!Click here to win it!

Publishing Routes: Self-Publishing?

Once the writing is done, what do authors do? In these series of articles, we are exploring which path is the right one for you. In week one we gave a very brief overview onhow the publishing business worksand this week we look at self-publishing.SELF-PUBLISHINGBrief History:Self-publishing is not a new form of publication. The last 500 years have seen the mass production and spread of printed books and, for whatever reason, not all of them were commissioned by a publisher or a religious organisation. Many people have undertaken the self-publishing route at some point or other, and some of them are still remembered today: D.H. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, Mark Twain, Byron, Ezra Pound, James Joyce, Beatrix Potter, Rudyard Kipling, William Blake, Alexander Pope, Balzac, Horace Walpole, etc. You would be in good company.The cost on the author’s part was, however, considerable and became even more so with the increase of the so-called vanity publishing enterprises that sprung in the 1940s. Established in pre-digital printing, these companies would essentially do a print run for you for a hefty cost, deliver hundred of books to your living room and leave you alone to sell them. The vast majority of authors were often not able to shift the stock, perhaps through lack of marketing skills or funds, ending up with a substantial loss and a diminished living space.Then the digital revolution took place, introducing the POD (print on demand) system: orders were placed and books were printed and shipped once the money had already been cashed, removing the problems of up-front costs and storage. This gave birth to companies such as Authors Online, Lulu, etc. and gave the upper hand to the biggest daddy of all, Amazon, who joined the frenzy with Create Space.Reputation:It is only in the last few years or so that “self-publishing” is not muttered whilst coughing and covering one’s mouth. And I mean to say that is the self-pub author that does that!“What do you do?”“Me? I am a writer!”“Oh great! And who’s your publisher?”“*pretended cough* Myself *more cough*”“Who?”“*deflated* Myself…”“Ah, so not a real published author, then…”Some of you may well be familiar with that sort of dialogues, and even if that other person wasn’t so mean and quick to put you down, you still felt a nagging suspicion that they thought it. Alas, we live in the midst of a transition of feelings towards self-publishing, from shame to perfectly acceptable, and we are reaping the benefits.For better and for worst, Amazon did that, it has raised the ante in the publishing world going head-first against the dam that was the monopoly of traditional publishers, and blasted a hole through it, to the benefit (and the detriment) of many. Today, writers are not just making money with self-publishing, but some are selling movie rights, they are landing script-writing jobs and they are finally able to hold their heads up high when they answer the question: “Who’s your publisher?”.PROs OF SELF-PUBLISHINGEase of access. Virtually anyone with internet and an email address is able to write to their heart’s content and upload their story for the whole world to read. You’d think that among the several billion people on the planet, an author can find at least some enthusiastic readers!And when folks says, ‘Yes, yes, but there is a lot of rubbish out there too. No one wants to read someone’s pointless idea of the best way to trim an alpaca’s genitals. Especially not with spelling mistakes in it.’ Fair enough, but never fear: readers are not shy when it comes to let their opinion be known. If they don’t like a book they will either leave it alone, condemning it to the eternal oblivion of unacknowledged limbo, or rate it down to hell. That’s what digital page previews are there for, and most readers used them as they would a book in a bookstore, just as you and I would – read the blurb, check the first few lines, maybe the whole first page. We can tell pretty quickly if we are hooked or not.Waiting times. With small presses and traditional publishers there is a more or less long waiting time for most aspects of the publication – with self-publishing you can decided how long the whole process takes, because you will be completely in charge.On being your own boss. No one will press you to write more or faster. You set the pace, and when you want a break or you decide that actually this was your last book for a while, you don’t have to justify yourself to anyone.On being the creator. You are in complete control of the entire process - everything - from first draft to bound book. You decide who edits it, you decide what stays and what goes, you decides who designs the cover or interior, you decide the fonts, the trim, the size, the layout and the pictures. You decide what the e-book looks like. You decide what price to charge and when to release the book. You decide EVERYTHING, I tell you. And in the end, all the profits are yours to keep. You become your own business, a sole trader.The marketing side. What events are worth attending? One, five, none? All that time spent researching the right cons and fairs where your book would be well received, are now coming to fruition: you know you have an audience, go get them! Your friends are calling you “Social media Joe” and for good reason: there is no Twitter or blog in the verse that can stop you – your ten sets of hands are multi purposely sharing your latest to the four corners of the social globe. The Inuit call you, ‘Jfsdhgvierushgserk’ which means, ‘Author who rides the Northern Lights of The Net’. And remember those days spent networking at those tedious business meetings for sole traders? Well, they will pay off. The guy with the encrusted moustache who did websites for fun is now your number one friend, eager to revamp your tired looking page every month at the price of a muffin. I kid you not.SELF-PUBLISHING: IS IT FOR ME?You have to be honest here: see all the Pros I listed under points 4 and 5? They require an incredible amount of determination, business sense, attention to details, time and a substantial investment of money for editing and proof-reading, professional cover designs, marketing and advertising. It’s easy to upload a book, but if no one knows about it … Besides, I’m hoping you’d like your readers to immerse themselves in the story, rather than leaving them confused because they lost the subject/object of the sentence or there is a verb missing. You’ll have to tattoo the verb ‘networking’ on your forehead, and make it part of your daily routine.If all you are interested in, is the writing part, then I would strongly suggest you approach a small publisher or a traditional publisher, as they will take care of those other aspects for you and at no cost to you. Still, publishers expects their authors to do a minimum of self-promotion these days, and if you are keen for your own book to do well, why wouldn’t you?On the other hand, if you are simply and truly contented to create a story and make it available to chance readers as a way of passing time – writing is incredibly cathartic – then by all means go self-publishing. Places like Create Space or Lulu make it incredibly easy to do it, helping you all the steps of the way, for free. You will surely make some money, feel happy with yourself and most certainly not be out of pocket.And since you are doing it for yourself, rather than the money, you could try your hand on platforms likeWattpad, a writing community website for people of all abilities, where others can read chapters of your book for free: the more they read them, the higher the score/popularity.  Many writers have been discovered there, so you never know!As a last thought, self-publishing is a profession and a business: you need the right attitude to succeed and take it seriously.Next week: Small Presses.

Peter Garrett joins the Luna family alongside resident artist Simon Walpole

Artist Simon Walpole came to our attention after winning the Beyond Realities 2015 contest. His artwork became the cover for Luna's first ever anthology and we sensed that our collaboration would continue beyond this. Simon then went on to provide the cover art for Mark Egginton's parody, 'The Lord of the Rings', which was released last September.When writer Peter Garrett approached us with his SF-noir novelette, "Final Diagnosis", we knew that Simon was the man for the job.Peter Garrett is a physician with Medecins Sans Frontieres, a Visiting Lecturer in Nephrology at the University of Ulster, and a writer of both fact and fiction. He is a graduate of the Lancaster University School of Creative Writing and has been shortlisted and longlisted, respectively, for the Fish Flash Fiction and Fish Short Story awards.Peter's story, "Final Diagnosis" will be fully illustrated by Simon Walpole for our series, "A Thousand Word Picture".In this series, a writer and an artist work together to create a somewhat unconventional illustrated story.The series was inaugurated by "Quest and the Sign of the Shining Beast", created by writer Robert S Malan and artist John Cockshaw."Final Diagnosis" will be released in 2018.

Publishing Routes: Which Is For Me?

In the course of the next three weeks, I will explore the different path to publishing: self-publishing, small presses, and traditional publishing. But first, let's see where we are at.Over the course of the centuries, the propagation of written sources has seen many forms, from drawings on ancient cave walls to hand written parchment; from block printing of Buddhist scriptures in 888CE, to Gutenberg’s first printing press of 1440. To this, we can also add digital to the list, and who knows what new techniques we will be using in 50 or 100 years from now.The people who create the raw material for all of the above have also changed their methodology over time: from verbal story-telling, to writing, singing and back again to story-telling by means of audio-books.What hasn’t changed is the very human, very innate, natural passion and need to tell a story; to preserve a memory, honour the fallen, explore present and future possibilities, re-invent history and even to create the future, in order to fulfill ourselves and make other peoples’ lives richer.In 2016, writers still write and stories are still getting told. In this series of articles, I look at the three most common ways of publishing stories to earn money: self-publishing, small presses and traditional publishing. Beginning next week, I will explore all three; their ups and downs, warts and all, to ultimately help you decide which of them is best for you.But before we get there, it is important for an author to know something of how the publishing business works, and to keep this in mind when making that future decision.Will I earn enough?There is always a certain romanticism about the glamorous life of a writer, full of coffee shops and laptops on the go. However, my earliest memories of this are based on people like Edgar Allan Poe or Jack Kerouac, dying of drug and alcohol abuse, and in extreme poverty. So where does the truth lie? Is it the publishers’ fault, because perhaps they are greedy bastards who leave nothing for the author, or is it just another market reality preventing authors from making a living out of their books? (And let us forget for a moment that one in a trillion chance of selling your movie rights to Steven Spielberg...)The truth is that publishing is a business and, like any business, it has costs to meet. When you consider who pays the best royalties, you can probably say that self-publishing comes first, followed by small presses and, finally, by traditional publishers. The reasons lie in the sheer size of the enterprise: the bigger the publishers, the bigger the possibilities, the bigger the costs.Let me give you an example, based on traditional publishing:8-15% goes to the author in royalties.45-55% goes to the publisher for editing, design, marketing, manufacturing and printing.35-55% is the average wholesaler/retailer discount.Amazon allows a self-published author to take up to 70% of the royalties. That’s all very good and well, but then the author needs to spend on marketing, recovering the costs of editing, professional covers, etc. if they want to stand a chance.Small presses won’t always be able to give advances on royalties, like traditional publishers, but as their marketing budget is generally smaller, they are often able to give up to 40% of royalties to the author. If you consider that said author doesn’t have an outlay in the same way as the above example, that’s pretty good.Traditional publishers pay smaller royalties, BUT they have access to shelves space in bookstores, which per se costs a LOT of money; money which has to come from somewhere.Professional author Ian Irvinewrote:“Publishing is a competitive and low-profit business, and no publisher can afford to pay people to read manuscripts.[…]Where they do look at manuscripts, it will only be the professionally presented ones – perhaps half the total. Of that 2,500, say, 90% will be rejected on the first page and 98% by the end of the first chapter. That leaves 30-50 manuscripts, and they’re the only ones which will get any kind of serious consideration. In a good year, ten of those might be published. In a bad year, less than five.”Writing is an art; it takes years to become proficient at it. More, if you want to reach inspirational levels. No one, not even professional authors, ever stop learning. If this is truly your path, then you must keep at it, and think carefully about the route that best suits you, the time and resources you have, and the expectations you want to fulfill.Oh. Don’t go quitting your day-job just yet.Next week: Self-Publishing.

Tolkien Society Awards Nominations

A few days ago, we created a new page to show you which of our books are elegible to be nominated for awards. It is a great way for readers to reward their favourite authors.The Tolkien Society has just opened the nominations for the TS Awards and as you know Tolkien is very dear to Academia Lunare.The Awards recognise excellence in Tolkien scholarship and fandom, furthering the Society’s long-standing charitable objective to “seek to educate the public in, and promote research into, the life and works of Professor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE".The first round is open to anyone, and will close on the 24th of February. The second round is for TS members only (if you want to join the TS, which is a registered educational charity, you can do it here).The nominations from Luna Press Publishing which you can vote for are:Best Article: Any of the papers from "The Return of the Ring" proceedings; any of the papers from Anna Thayer's "On Eagle's Wings".Best Book: "The Return of the Ring" Proceedings; "On Eagle's Wings" by Anna ThayerOutstanding Contribution Award: Anna Thayer; any author from "The Return of the Ring" proceedings.VOTE NOW!

The Sub-Genres of British Fantasy Literature: Pre-Order Now!

In November, we announced that A J Dalton would be releasing an exegesis titled "The Sub-Genres of British Fantasy Literature" for Academia Lunare. The moment has arrived and the launch date is set for the 14th of February 2017. And what a marvellous Valentine's gift it would make!The official retail price is £9.99 for the paperback and £3.99 for the e-book.If you pre-order from Luna Press directly you can get the paperback at the discounted price of £7.99.E-book pre-orders can be made through the usual Kindle, Nook, iBook channels.The book is accessible, informative and challenging, regardless of whether you explore it as a reader or as a writer.Fantasy author Juliet E. McKenna said: “Thoughtful, insightful, while sure to prompt debate, and that can only benefit all facets of the fantasy genre.”"The PhD was fundamentally written to show how meaningful the genre of fantasy literature is," explaines Adam. "Each sub-genre (e.g. high fantasy, epic fantasy, urban fantasy, grimdark fantasy, etc) reflects or reacts against the dominant social and political values of its time (often a decade or so). Implicitly, each distinct sub-genre is also an exploration of a distinct philosophy. Finally, such terms and concepts are used to site and describe the sub-genre of 'metaphysical fantasy', which I coined back in 2008 when launching the novel Necromancer's Gambit and the Metaphysical Fantasy website, a sub-genre which is now one of the standard categories in Amazon."PRE-ORDER NOW!