Task #21: Read a book published by a micropress

[Bonnie G.]

Don wrote: "My firm Publerati is a micropress. We keep overheads very low and only publish literary fiction. We pay our authors the majority of royalties and also donate a portion of all sales to Worldreader. ..."

Thanks for letting us know, and for all the good you are doing.

[Anne]

Amanda wrote: "Still struggling to figure out exactly what constitutes a micropress. Would When It Counts (published by Gymternet Productions) be considered a micropress?"

I would say it is not because I think, based on what I have read about micropresses (see numerous links above in this thread), that a micropress is a very small (tiny, some might say) press that publishes other people's books, i.e. not books written by the publishers. It appears that the author of When It Counts is Lauren Hopkins, who owns Gymternet Productions, so in this case, it's a self-published book rather than a micropress book. I'd be open to counterarguments, but as I look for a micropress book for my list, I am steering myself away from anything self-published.

[Jessica]

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the book I'm currently reading might be published by a micropress - the name is Locked Room International, and they are very specialized, printing locked room mysteries and translations of locked room mysteries that have not previously been available in English.

[Bonnie G.]

Per Wikipedia:

Micro-presses[edit]
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]

In Canada, these are considered Small Press publishers but the standard Small Press book run is accepted at 300 copies of a Chapbook and 500 or more copies of a Spine Bound book. In doing this, Small Press publishers are eligible for Grants from the Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council.

[Bobby]

I have Kaddish and Other Poems by Allen Ginsberg on my TBR pile, but is City Lights a micropress? It seems a little like cheating to use such a well-known author.

I also just finished reading Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. for the sports challenge. It was originally published by Cedarwinds, a company the author started by himself when no one else would publish his book. Is that considered self-publishing or a micropress if the company has published books by other authors in later years, but at the time this book came out had no other titles in its catalog?

I may just go to the local used bookstore and ask for a recommendation or select something at random.

[Henriette]

I just remembered that Nobel Prize winning Svetlana Aleksijevitj has only been published in Danish by a micropress (score!). War's Unwomanly Face has been on my TBR since they published it.

[Renee]

Please more titles and authors

[Diana]

I've been agonizing over this prompt because I truly want to honor the spirit of the challenge. Leave it to a brilliant mind like Roxane Gay to help all of us stretch.

I'm so grateful for all the resources that have been shared in this thread. As of right now I'm planning to read Promising Young Women by Suzanne Scanlon from Dorothy.

http://dorothyproject.com/?book=suzan...

I'm comfortable choosing a title from the Dorothy imprint. It's true to the spirit of the challenge from my perspective and absolutely something I likely never would've known about, let alone read, if not for the research inspired by this challenge.

[Elizabeth]

I just read The Trials of Apex #2 by Owen Boyd and Christopher Runciman. It's published by Runciman Press, owned/operated by a local husband and wife team. I have enjoyed everything I have read from this press thus far, including this. If anyone in London, ON is looking to read it, they sell their work at Heroes and at least one of the local comic-cons. Last I heard, they had not yet set up with other distributors, physical or digital

[Kate]

I'm reading Tonight We Fuck the Trailer Park Out of Each Other by C. Russell Price. Love the poet and excited to read more of their work. More on the chapbook is also on Goodreads; it's from Sibling Rivalry Press, which I am counting as still a micropress, though it's possible they may have slightly outgrown that distinction.

[Teresa]

Henriette, I'm happy for you and disappointed for myself. I really want to read War's Unwomanly Face.

[Bonnie G.]

Does McSweeney's count as a micropress?

[Kirsten]

Just heard about a prize for small press imprints:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

[Cindy]

I finished mine! Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

By Future House Publishing.

[Krisha]

Once again the Book Riot challenge wins favorite challenge for pushing me outside my comfort zone to discover something wonderful.

For this challenge I read Strong. Female. Character. by Rose McAleese published by local micropress Litsam. It was absolutely fantastic and I'm a little obsessed with this artist now.

[Maggie]

I was thinking of reading Recurrence Plot: And Other Time Travel Tales which was written by my co-worker and published by the afrofuturist affair. I've been meaning to read for some time. I think it would also count for another task, a collection of stories by a woman.

[Lianne]

I'm trying to figure out if PM Press counts as a micropress. They publish a series of volumes that combines short stories by an author, combined with a profile. Mammoths of the Great Plains by Eleanor Arnason is sitting on my kindle book shelf.

[Jen]

Julia wrote: "Only thing I could come up with was Twelfth Planet Press from Australia but I think they may be considered too big now... http://www.twelfthplanetpress.com/"

I'm going to go with this one because they also try to advocate for both women and Australian fiction. They're pretty small so I'm just going to roll with it :)

[Barbara (The Bibliophage)]

Krisha wrote: "Once again the Book Riot challenge wins favorite challenge for pushing me outside my comfort zone to discover something wonderful.

For this challenge I read [book:Strong. Female. Character.|16187..."

Thanks! I downloaded the Kindle sample to check it out and immediately bought to book at the end of reading the sample. I love her writing!

[Rachel]

Great article about micro presses on Book Riot today. I just ordered a comic from Yeti Press based on this article. Looking forward to something new. :)

[Janice]

Does The Little Free Library Book
by Margret Aldrich published by Coffee House Press qualify as a book published by a micropress?

[emily delikat]

I think that a book that was a Kickstarter would count... not micro-press but self published.
What do you think about Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls?

[Book Riot]

A few more ideas for this list (& maybe some helpful definitions on what micropresses are and what chapbooks are):

http://bookriot.com/2017/01/19/read-h...

[Joellen]

I came across micropressbooks.com. They are a micro publisher. They have a nice website with books categorized by topic. They sell books and link to Amazon when a book is available there.

[Bobby]

Janice wrote: "Does The Little Free Library Book
by Margret Aldrich published by Coffee House Press qualify as a book published by a micropress?"

Coffee House Press is an indie press rather than a micropress (they have twenty-one directors, twelve staff, and several interns), but that book sounds perfect for the "book about books" challenge.

[Jen]

For Australians: I was going to go with Twelfth Planet Press in Australia, but it seems like they're probably too big. I did find this lengthy article about Australian micropresses though: https://cordite.org.au/essays/austral...

[Laura]

Viv wrote: "A few for UK readers:

Linen Press
Blue Moose Books
Stonewood Press
A Midsummer Night's Press (who have an imprint, Periscope, for poetry in translation - might be useful for the collection of poet..."

Thanks for sharing these! I'm going to go with Sometimes A River Song by Avril Joy... she was born fairly locally aswell! :)

[Renee]

Would a self published book. count for this?? I really need titles

[Bobby]

Renee wrote: "Would a self published book. count for this?? I really need titles"

I was wondering about this also, and came across this explanation online:

"There is a distinction between micro-publishing and self-publishing. While a micro-publisher may publish their own work (and many do), they don’t publish only their own work. Much like a typical trade publisher, they represent a number of authors."

https://thetinyreport.com/what-is-a-m...

[Kirsten]

I just read [book:33 Revolutions|29657542, published by Europa Editions.

http://www.europaeditions.com/about-us

Would this be a micropress?

[Elyse]

I'm having a hard time with this one as I don't want to spend any money. lol

[Tracy]

Thank you to whoever put up the link for Creative Alchemy, a micropress. I spent $0.99, and put on my kindle :-)

[Diane]

My local library hadLiliane's Balcony byKelcey Parker Ervick. It is published by the micropress Rose Metal Press. http://www.rosemetalpress.com

Haven't read it yet, but it has a good rating on Goodreads.

[Renee]

Finally found a book!
Journey of the North Star by Douglas Penick
Publerati is the publishing house.
Big Thank you to whoever posted that link.!
It was available for kindle, was 4.99, and I really enjoy reading about China. 6 chapters in and I'm enjoying it.
This and poetry were my hardest to fulfill.

[Renee]

THANK YOU DON TROWDEN!

[Elyse]

I found the "local author" section at my local bookstore and bought Everblade by a local author, published by Wido Publishing, a family owned and operated publishing company. I felt good helping out a local author!

[Bryony]

Would a book published by this publisher count for this category?

http://www.womancraftpublishing.com

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[Mike]

This might be useful for others struggling with this category-- My local library does a book festival each year. I am planning on finding my book for this category there. The event is free and you usually get to interact with the publisher and the author at their booth. If there is a book festival near you, this might be a good opportunity to find a micro press title and have a nice day out.

[Bonnie G.]

Bryony wrote: "Would a book published by this publisher count for this category?

http://www.womancraftpublishing.com

Thanks in advance for any advice!"

Looks like a micro to me.

[Lauren]

Just finished Safekeeping by Jessamyn Hope for this category. Fantastic read, though I suspect being Jewish and having been to Israel made it more easily accessible to me. That said? Wonderful book, definitely recommend.

[Jessica]

I just read The Secret to Not Drowning by Colette Snowden. I highly recommend this book!! It was so good!!!

[Ashley]

Just finished the short-story collection She Walks in Shadows, published by Innsmouth Free Press (a micropress in Canada). This is a completely female-written collection of Lovecraftian tales, so think "weird fiction" and "weird horror". While I didn't quite "get" every story, I enjoyed quite a few of them and would recommend for anyone who wants to check out this subgenre in small, tasty pieces :)

[Lorelei]

I was thinking about reading "The Mother of All Questions," by Rebecca Solnit, which is published by Haymarket Books. I can't tell from their website if they are truly a micropress, though. Does anyone have any more info?

[Samantha]

Book Riot basically defined a "micro press" in a post relating to this exact topic here. IT’S TIME TO TALK ABOUT MICRO PRESSES.

They also link to Roxane Gay's former micro press, Tiny Hardcore, which is not a thing anymore, but you can still find the back catalogue in places.

I just ordered Beside Myself by Ashley Farmer from that press.

[Helen | readwithneleh]

I'm currently reading Preparation for the Next Life for this challenge.

It's free on Kindle Unlimited (doing the free trial) - SCORE!

[Rebecca]

This challenge was so frustrating and made me want to slam my head repeatedly against a brick wall. I get everything from the library, so finding something from a micropress that I could check out was a horribly tedious task. I normally LOVE researching books and compiling lists, but this sucked all the fun out of it.

I ended up with Barrel of Monkeys, which is published by Rebus Books. It did some interesting things with art, and I really like how motion was conveyed in a single panel, but otherwise I thought it was awful. The reviews I found all mentioned it being darkly funny, but unless something was lost in translation, I thought it was just dark and gross.

I honestly feel like this challenge turned me off of trying things from micropresses in the future - I can totally see why no larger publisher would take this work!

[[deleted user]]

Mary Ellen wrote: "Teresa wrote: "Mary Ellen, that title is intriguing. I hope my library gets a copy of it this year."

It's a micropress from Canada, so you might want to suggest it as a purchase just to be sure!"

Technically, it's American, out of Tennessee. But, the person in charge is a Canadian expat.

I'm going to be reading their book The Museum of All Things Awesome and that Go Boom because I've been meaning to read it since last summer.

For people who missed Mary Ellen's original post, URB (http://www.upperrubberboot.com/books/) has a number of great publications already published, and at least one new one coming out this year, "Sunvault: Stories of Solarpunk & Eco-Speculation".

[Christopher]

Question for the group: I'm about to read What We Do Now: Standing Up For Your Values in Trump's America, which is published by Melville House. I saw an online article from 2012 that said Melville House is a micro press. Is Melville Hose still considered a micro press and thus, qualify for this challenge?

[Susanw]

I just finished Once We Were Brothers and the publisher was Berwick Court Publishing Company. The website says is that it's a family run business in Chicago (two brother are running it). This qualifies right? It happened to be a book club read and I randomly decided to check the publishe, and yay! Btw, the book was excellent, for anyone still deciding on what to read for this one.

[Jo]

Emma wrote: "Here's another micropress for the sci-fi inclined :-)
http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com/
I'm going to be reading She Walks in Shadows for this category!"

Lifesaver! I had no idea this was a micropress either, and I've had She Walks in Shadows on my Kindle for aaaages. Thank you!