How A Publisher Should Never Treat A Writer, Or What The F***k Is Wrong With Coffee House Press?

Patricia with her National Book Award finalist medal.

You are Coffee House Press, and you have the privilege of publishing Patricia Smith, one of the most honored American poets of this century.

Her first book for you was a prestigious National Poetry Series selection. The second was a finalist for the National Book Award. The third won last year’s Lenore Marshall Prize, given by the Academy of American Poets in recognition of the most outstanding book of poetry published in the United States. Her books sell better than any other poet you publish. And she is a dynamic performer of her work.

This writer you have every reason to treasure is appearing at the AWP Conference in Seattle this week. She is doing seven public readings there, and appearing on two panels. And twelve thousand people are registered. So how many of her books did you bring to sell at the event?

Her first book for you, Teahouse of the Almighty?

Zero.

Her second, Blood Dazzler?

Zero.

Her latest, Shoulda Been Jimi Savannah?

Five.

Patricia sells more books than that when she visits a high school English class. At this week’s conference, she could have sold a couple of hundred without half trying.

Meanwhile, little Tia Chucha Press brought a whole carton of Patricia’s first book, Life According to Motown, which it published TWENTY FOUR YEARS AGO.

So tell me, Coffee House. You do understand that the whole point of publishing a book is to sell it to readers, right?

Or am I’m giving you too much credit?

Five books. Not cool. But at least you did something to promote your author, right?  Say, a little sign in your booth that mentions her awards?

No.

Did you maybe put a sticker on those five books to identify them as the Lenore Marshall winner?

Not that either.

You publish some handsome volumes, Coffee House, but when it comes to marketing them, you’re incompetent.

And Patricia Smith should start looking for another publisher.

Full discosure: Patricia Smith is my wife.