Port Yonder Press

 

 

 

 LATE JANUARY / EARLY FEBRUARY, 2010 UPDATES

 

Needed -- a web-savvy person to design a website for a new boys and girls "club" associated with a book series being published by Port Yonder Press. We can't pay, but will promote you as the page/site designer, if desired. It may be nice to have a couple of interactive elements on the site, but we will work with you on details.  We will purchase the domain name, though the site itself needs to be virtually free. Please respond to Contact@PortYonderPress.com with ideas or to volunteer.

Changes

 

We’ve already gone through a few changes here at PYP and likely have a few more ahead of us, as with any new business venture.

 

For instance, we experimented with a YouTube video update which probably turned out to be more fun than informative.  Nevertheless, we may try such modes of expression in the future; we love variety!

 

Another change:  we’ve gone from perpetually open submissions on manuscripts, to open only in January and July of each year, to now only open in January.  Which reminds me, we have our 2010 roster of books and authors full and spilling over into 2011, but we still have a few days left in January, and would love to consider your ideas for the next bestseller.

 

You can equery or phone Maggie on Fridays (another change from Wednesdays) from 1 to 4 central standard time (Iowa).  Her number is 319-436-3015.  She enjoys helping you realize your goals and dreams, and doesn’t bite even a little bit.

 

 

Staff notes

 

We’ve taken on a couple of short-term associate editors (editors-in-training) who will be working with select manuscripts. 

 

  The first is Lorna Poston, a long-time writer who’s working on her first novel. On a personal level, she offers critiques and editing services to both established and novice writers. You can contact Lorna at lorna.poston@yahoo.com for more information and pricing.  We’re thrilled to have Lorna aboard!

 

Feel free to stop by our site,  roam around “deck”, and sign up for our occasional e-newsletter.  Leave a comment and we’ll be glad to get back to you as soon as we reasonably can!

 

 

 

 

 

Our third book, On the Road Home: Stories of Life and Love is set for a January, 2010, release.  This first Sagebrush Collection is a series of short stories and poems by literary agent and author, Terry Burns.

 

Following that, we hope to have Max Elliot Anderson's junior boys' book, Lost Island Smugglers, ready to hit store shelves in early summer.  This, the first of the Sam Butler Adventure Series, will become an immediate favorite of your 8-12 year olds, and beyond.

 

Staff Notes

 

Meet our new in-house illustrator --

 

 

See the YouTube video of this update.

Book highlights

Our second book, "What I Learned in Kansas" is set for an early February, 2010, release.  This chapbook is a collection of 26 poems from renowned Wisconsin poet, Liz Rhodebeck.

We also have an exceptional new book of "island fiction" in production.  Stay tuned for monthly updates.

As well, one other book is in production, TBA, and two others under consideration.  Exciting and busy times here at Port Yonder Press!

New imprints

 

Along with our three Port Yonder imprints: SkySail, SharksFinn, and SeaBeast Books, we've also begun the SandyBeach Books imprint, especially for sea-related, gentle, fiction.

We are currently ONLY accepting submission for our short story anthologies:  Sea Tales and Elves.  Please check it out here.

General manuscript submissions will be accepted in January and September, 2010.  See our Getting Published page to begin this journey.

Staff Notes

 

  Due to the unforeseen influx of numerous fall manuscripts, we've asked our first published author to join our team.   Meet the newest addition to our editorial staff:  C. (Chila) Maggie Woychik hails from our own state of Iowa.  She is a multi-published, award-winning, magazine author with an editing-rich background and a growing interest in the publishing world.  She has hit the ground running and is currently editing several of our fine submissions. She has been married for 27 years to her engineer-husband and they have a son attending Moody Bible Institute.  Chila (Maggie) will be responsible for editing, some marketing, and various other aspects of this business, as needed.  You can visit her at Maggie Woychik's Writing & Life.  We are thrilled to have her aboard!  (From Maggie:  "Visit me on Facebook; I love talking writing and life!")

We have opened the new Ship's Supply Shop here.  You'll find lovely, useful apparel and other items at affordable prices.  All proceeds support our effort to get great new and veteran authors the exposure their writing so richly deserves.

Even as our first book hits store shelves this month, our second is in production: a poetry chapbook from a renowned Wisconsin poet.  Others are under consideration, as well.  Stay tuned for these exciting updates and more!

New imprints

 

With the number of fine submissions we've received, we've decided to categorize the diverse material into three imprints:

Port Yonder Books is our general interest imprint.

SkySail Books publishes literary-bent manuscripts only.

[Literary:  more artistic than colloquial or common]

SharksFinn Books is our exclusive children's imprint.

SeaBeast Books is our fantasy and speculative fiction line, which will house our first of several short story anthologies, set to be released Fall, 2010.

Staff Notes

 

   Meet our bookcover designer, Tony Lavoie, who hails from New Hampshire, where he lives with his wife and two children. His interest in design began when he got his first computer: a Commodore 64. When not designing, he assures software quality for a large technology company. You can see samples of his design work here and at http://papergizmo.com. About being on staff at Port Yonder Press, Tony says, "I'm thrilled to be able to help out the folks at PYP. It's a great opportunity to provide quality books to discerning readers, and I'm blessed to be a part of it."