Task #21: Read a book published by a micropress

[Brandyn]

I think I'm going with "Set the Night on Fire" by Libby Fischer Hellmann published by Allium Press of Chicago. It's so hard to figure out what's "Micro", but they publish 1-5 books a year so that seems pretty tiny to me and is the smallest range I see when browsing http://www.pw.org/small_presses.

[Bill]

I was worrying about this prompt, until I realized I had a book by a Micropress! Year's Best Fiction, volume 2 published by Undertown Presses.

I go to check it out on Goodreads and the first comment is from....Book Riot Community.

I smell collusion! Or at least some great networking....

[Alexandra]

For any Australian readers this is a great list of smaller Aussie publishers: http://smallpressnetwork.com.au/regio...

I'm planning on reading The Floating Garden by Emma Ashmere, set around the time the Sydney Harbour Bridge was going up. Looks sweet!

[Claire]

I'm thinking about going with one of the Noir Series books from Akashic Press which I think qualifies...

[[deleted user]]

I guess I'll wander over to Book People in Austin for suggestions. What could possibly go wrong if I wander into a bookstore?

[[deleted user]]

Margaret wrote: "I guess I'll wander over to Book People in Austin for suggestions. What could possibly go wrong if I wander into a bookstore?"
Hey wait, a young friend of mine just published a poetry book with Verbalyze (http://verbaleyze.org/about-us/). Her name is Miriam Elizabeth Moore and her book is called Seeds.

What a lovely opportunity to support a young author. If you want to do so, you can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Seeds-Miriam-E...

[Kate]

Do we think Ocean Breeze Press counts? My mom ran into one of their authors at an event and bought a book to be supportive, so I have it sitting here... Looks pretty small!

[HeatherLynn]

MacKenzie wrote: "For those of you in Canada, I definitely recommend checking out Caitlin Press (http://caitlin-press.com/about-caitlin/), or the small press I work for, Coteau Books (http://coteaubooks.com/index.ph..."

Thank you for the links, MacKenzie. I recently read Scattered Bones and I did not realize it was published by a micropress. Will be looking for more.

[Cheri]

Mona wrote: "Melissa from Feminist Texan Reads has written a post of feminist suggestions for each of the Read Harder 2017 tasks. She has suggestions for micropress books and one of them is available via free d..."

Thank you so much for this! She has interesting choices, and I'm especially grateful for the micropress one. :)

[Cheri]

Micropress publications are not always on Goodreads. Is there a GR librarian who can help us get our choices entered? Thanks!

[[deleted user]]

I believe this press should count: https://where-are-you-press.myshopify...

[Courtney]

I found one near me in Oregon called Future Tense Press (http://futuretensebooks.com). I'm thinking of reading either Sing the Song or The Folly of Loving Life, and using the other for Task #22, read a collection of stories by a woman.

[Ann]

I'm going to read Leave Luck to Heaven by Brian Oliu. The book is published by Uncanny Valley Press, a husband and wife editorial duo.

[Bonnie G.]

Margaret wrote: "I guess I'll wander over to Book People in Austin for suggestions. What could possibly go wrong if I wander into a bookstore?"

LOL, I need a self-imposed restraining order. I cannot stop myself in a good bookstore!

[Alana]

I am having a really hard time identifying a micropress.

I am wondering if Unnamed Press considered a micropress?

[Sam]

Retrofit Comics is a great micropress for anyone looking for a small comic to fulfill this task. I read Gray is Not a Color by Sally Madden, about a woman who works at the Mutter Museum, and I loved the art and story. It's available in PDF form for you e-reader-only folks.

I don't personally have anything in mind for this year, but wandering around some of my local indie shops should cure that!

[Monica]

Pretty sure I'm reading this book this year The Summer We Got Free published by black girl dangerous press.

[Teresa]

Here's a definition of a Micropress from Wikipedia 'There is now also a distinction made between small presses and micro-presses. A micro-press can be defined as a publisher that produces chapbooks and other small books on a very small scale (e.g. 50 copies of one book per year). It can also be defined in terms of revenue. Micro-presses often are run as a hobby or part-time job because of their low profits. They may not produce enough profit to support their owners.[2]'

[Stephen]

One way to find a micropress might be to find a subject with a very small niche. The less demand for a type of book, the smaller a press it's likely to come. You might consider looking for books related to a hobby and see if any of the presses qualify.

I realized this yesterday because I just got a book a local hiking guidebook that is from a micropress. It's not really the kind of book one reads straight through, so I'll probably read something else for this challenge, but it opened up an avenue to explore.

[Shaun P.]

Found this one, Publication Studio in an article about micropresses

http://www.publicationstudio.biz/books/

For anyone interested here is the article

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by...

[Tynisha]

Hi - new to the read harder challenge. Would a a small press at a local university be considered a micropress?

[Emma]

If Unnamed Press is considered a micro-press, then my book of choice will be Neon Green by Margaret Wappler.

If it doesn't fit the bill, then hopefully Lazy Fascist Press will. In that case, my book of choice would be The Last Horror Novel in the History of the World by Brian Allen Carr.

[Arlene]

Going to a local performance poetry or spoken word event is a good way to find micropresses, they'll almost certainly be selling books published from someone's living room. I'm gonna read something from Flapjack Press. http://www.flapjackpress.co.uk

[Jo]

I'm a GoodReads librarian and I'm happy to help, as long as people are patient - I've got an eleven week old baby and I don't get a great deal of computer time :)

[Sandra]

I found this list of Canadian micro-presses that might be helpful: http://www.brickbooks.ca/week-50-micr...

[Kirsten]

I found a micropress which publishes beautiful reprints. It is Centipede Press, and here is a link to an interview for anyone interested: http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/blo.... I also plan to read more of Archer Mayor's Joe Gunther police procedural series this year, and I think his early books were self published (AMPress out of Newfane, VT).

[Kate]

Dallyce wrote: "Does Two Dollar Radio count?"

Cindy wrote: "I totally have one! Future Worlds: A Science Fiction Anthology It's got a local author in it too!"

I was hoping Two Dollar would count too since I picked up a few from them at a festival over the summer. I took a look at their website and it looks like they have 10 staff plus interns so probably not considered a micro press of one or two people.

[Laura]

The Goodbyes is a debut novel [Task #2] set outside Pittsburgh [for those looking to triple-dip from micropress Blue Moon Publishers in Toronto! It's also an easy, fun read with great characters.

[Liz]

I bought Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls for my daughter for Christmas. It was published through crowdfunding on Kickstarter and is the only book the company prints.

I also bought a book published by City Lights in San Francisco. They put out great reads for children and adults.

[Ashley]

Ok, so I'm really struggling with this task. I am desperately trying to use books on my already-enormous TBR list, but sadly none of them seen to come from "micro press" operations. Can I use a book published by a house that puts out ~100 books per year (hardback and trade paper)? Please say yes - my TBR list needs the relief :-(

[[deleted user]]

I'm going with Sky Ranger from Book Smugglers, which seems to be a two person operation. (And hey, if you want to go the self publishing route, why not try nameless: a novel by Matthew Rossi? The fact that I am currently working on the audiobook for this should in no way influence your decision.)

[Tamsin]

Lindsey wrote: "Any Australian recommendations??"

Found this list of publishers on Small Press Network website - maybe some of these?

http://smallpressnetwork.com.au/members/

[Crystal]

I think Six One Seven Books may qualify for this. Two people, only a few books so far. http://sixonesevenbooks.com/ I recently read Fill the Sky and loved it.

[Crystal]

Rachel wrote: "I bought a book by a local author earlier this year, publisher information says "CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform". Does this count as a micropress or is it just a fancy term for self-pu..."

Createspace is Amazon self-publishing. Definitely not the same as a micro-press.

[Madison E.]

Thank you to those that suggested chatting with my local library. I'll definitely do that.

Follow-up question, does anyone know of any micropresses in the San Francisco Bay Area or the Los Angeles area?

[Jessica]

Madison E. wrote: "Thank you to those that suggested chatting with my local library. I'll definitely do that.

Follow-up question, does anyone know of any micropresses in the San Francisco Bay Area or the Los Angeles..."

The book I'm reading is by a publisher called Asahina and Wallace, based in LA. It was started by two people and still seems pretty small, so I am fairly sure it's a micro press.

[Elizabeth]

Comic books still count for this, right? If so, I'm set. One of the managers at my local comic store runs his own micropress with his wife. I've actually read a couple things from them already, one of his own works, and two of their anthologies featuring local writers/artists, and it has all been great so far. I would absolutely have no problem picking up more releases from them. They also distribute out of the comic shop he works at and at local comic-cons so they are easy to get a hold of.

That said, if comic books are no good, I would be totally fine just dropping by my local library. The downtown branch has a pretty broad selection of small press and self-published books in a local authors section. I am sure that micropresses are in that mix somewhere.

[Bec]

Lindsey wrote: "Any Australian recommendations??"

I'm probably going to be reading The Island Will Sink, published by http://theliftedbrow.com/books

[Rachel]

Ashley wrote: "Ok, so I'm really struggling with this task. I am desperately trying to use books on my already-enormous TBR list, but sadly none of them seen to come from "micro press" operations. Can I use a boo..."

Sadly, I don't think that counts. ~100 books is a big press.

[Rachel]

Elizabeth wrote: "Comic books still count for this, right? If so, I'm set. One of the managers at my local comic store runs his own micropress with his wife. I've actually read a couple things from them already, one..."

Comics definitely count!

[Ashley]

Rachel wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Ok, so I'm really struggling with this task. I am desperately trying to use books on my already-enormous TBR list, but sadly none of them seen to come from "micro press" operations. ..."

Bummer! Thanks for the feedback, Rachel :)

Back to the drawing board I go!

[Jackie]

I found a lovely woman on etsy who self-publishes zines about cemeteries, food, cats, and mental illness. Less than $5 including shipping. https://www.etsy.com/shop/missmuffcake

[Bonnie G.]

Ashley wrote: "Ok, so I'm really struggling with this task. I am desperately trying to use books on my already-enormous TBR list, but sadly none of them seen to come from "micro press" operations. Can I use a boo..."

That is a macro press. Very few houses put out that many.

[Teresa]

I'm probably going with a historic chapbook, The Demon Ship, published in the mid 1800's. It's scanned online at the National Library of Scotland.

[Rokkan]

Having looked through links offered in this thread, I found Under An Emerald Sky, which looks like it could also fit task #5

[Cheryl]

This has got to be the hardest (read--worst) challenge task ever. I feel the same as some of the others about wanting to find the books in my library system or at least on kindle (low cost). Even if I wanted to buy one, the search is overwhelming and tedious, and honestly most sound awful. I did find a book now in the public domain that was reissued by a micropress---Black Scat Books--and free on kindle!

[Kathryn]

Sara wrote: "I'm not sure if all of these listed count as micro presses, but I think it's a good launching point!

http://www.pw.org/small_presses"

Thanks Sara! This is very helpful; I'm checking some of my upcoming NetGalley ARCs and I found one that could be considered a micropress!

[Rebecca]

my friend Jack runs a micropress called pleasure boat studio. The "about" section lists a lot of helpers, but I think these are his friends and relatives, not paid staff. Here is the website: http://www.pleasureboatstudio.com/Boo...

[Rebecca]

Dallyce wrote: "Does Two Dollar Radio count?" I don't know, but those are some cool books. I just bought some from their Santa fucked up sale.

[Lisa]

For those that like sci-fi/fantasy it looks like there's a few selections here and they're available on Amazon.

http://www.thecreativealchemy.com/books/