We've Got a New Website!

It's the first day of November, and with the new month, not only are we beginning our reading period but we're proud to announce that we have a new website! Have you seen it? It features a running slide of new and upcoming books, imprint pages, author pages, press rooms for all your media needs, and even an online store so you can buy our books directly from us. Pretty neat, huh?

When we were thinking of how to redesign our site, we wanted to make sure that the spirit of who we are as a publisher stayed intact. But we've also grown a lot in the past few years--expanding the number of books we publish and expanding into the children's and junior reader's markets--and we wanted our new website to reflect our new direction.

Another big change is that we've created new logos. We wanted to rebrand ourselves to reflect how we've changed as a publisher. And in the next few days, you'll see our social media sites change to connect them with our new look. Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, YouTube, and even this blog will use the new logos and colors to create a cohesive identity that is Scarletta.  Check 'em out:

 

So if you haven't already, go to the new and improved www.scarlettapress.com, and let us know what you think of our new look!

Are e-Readers Environmentally Friendly?

There are many reasons why someone might buy an e-reader nowadays. eBooks are cheaper than their print counterparts, travelers can carry hundreds of books with them instead of only a few, and now, a slightly controversial reason: ebooks are more environmentally friendly.
The question then is, "But are they really?" It's easy to say that ebooks use less paper than print books, but what about the materials wasted every time someone throws away their old e-reader to buy one that's newer and more exciting?
National Geographic recently ran an article on this topic, and they claimed:

"The amount of paper used for books in one year was estimated at 1.5 million metric tons, and each book produced gave off an estimated 8.85 pounds of carbon dioxide. Study groups have found that the carbon released from eBooks is offset after people read more than 14 eBooks. For the life cycle of a device for reading books, the carbon emitted is offset after the first year. The savings in carbon emitted into the air is around 168 kilograms for the following years after the first year of use."

Exciting changes at Scarletta Press

MINNEAPOLIS (December 2, 2011)—Scarletta press accepts the resignation of Ian Graham Leask as publisher and minority stockholder to pursue other publishing opportunities effective immediately. Scarletta Press thanks Ian for his writing and publishing expertise over the years. His vision and dedication has been greatly valued. We wish him the best in his new endeavors.

December marks an interim period of transition, with a new beginning for January 2012. This change has been in discussion for some time. The publishing industry continues to experience drastic transformations. Scarletta Press is in the process of reinventing itself with new ideas and new goals in order to best serve and address author’s needs and maintain the most collaborative, productive, and successful relationships with its authors, publishing partners, service providers, and media relations.

The most intriguing part of this transformation is the stronger emphasis Scarletta Press has decided to place on their children’s imprint, Scarletta JR (Junior Readers). There will also be more collaboration on foreign rights and partnering publishing opportunities, larger pushes on marketing and social media outreach, and more room for advanced ebooks and interactive ancillary product development related to Scarletta’s books.

All publicity correspondence will remain the same, and can be directed to Desiree Bussiere [desiree@scarlettapress.com]. All official business correspondence can be directed to Nancy Tuminelly, President of Scarletta Press [nancy@mightymedia.com]. All editorial correspondence, including submissions, should be directed according to information listed on the Scarletta Press website.

There are many new plans and new books in the works for the near future, so stay tuned for more news to come as the New Year approaches.

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Major changes in store for Scarletta Press

Co-founder and Publisher, Ian Graham Leask, will resign his post as Publisher of Scarletta Press as of December 31, 2011. Scarletta Press thanks Ian for his writing and publishing expertise. His vision and dedication has been greatly valued. We wish him the best in his new endeavors.

An official press release with more detailed information will be issued later this week. If you have any questions, please direct them to the Publicity Director, Desiree Bussiere [desiree @ scarlettapress.com]. 

Books, More Books, and a Twin Cities Book Festival!

This year's Twin Cities Book Festival was once again held at MCTC and the place was packed from when the doors opened at 10 am to when they closed at 5 pm. And just like previous years, this book fest did not disappoint. It was certainly the place to be in a weekend packed with other great literary events such as the launch party for Paper Darts' first book, John Jodzio's Get In If You Want To Live, Milkweed Editions' Book Lovers Ball, and FallCon 2011 with the Midwest Comic Book Association.
The Twin Cities Book Festival, like usual, offered something for everyone. Most of my day was spent upstairs in the wonderfully creative Children's Pavilion with author Penny Noyce. We set up a Lexicon Villages Event and had a blast with the kids. It was great watching them get into the activities whether they were feeding Emily the thesaurus/llama synonyms, creating flower sentences out of word petals, making tangrams of Lost in Lexicon images, and measuring EVERYTHING they could get their hands on with our non-standard measuring units of erasers, paperclips, and pennies.

MIBA & Beyond: Book Trade Shows and What They Do

As many of you faithful literature lovers may know, especially you booksellers, the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association (MIBA) Trade Show happened last Thursday and Friday, September 22-23, at The Depot in downtown Minneapolis. And what a great show, and a great venue it was! Claire Kirch, of Publisher's Weekly, reported on the conference, describing the venue as upstaging "everything and everybody at the Midwest Independent Booksellers' annual Conference..." And at Scarletta Press, we'd have to agree: This year's show was in a top-notch location, and brought some top-notch booksellers over to the Scarletta Press table!
Scarletta Press has been strongly emphasizing their new children's line, Junior Bookwormz, since early February of this year. The cornerstone books: The Lexicon Adventure Series by Pendred Noyce. The first book in the series, Lost in Lexicon: An Adventure in Words and Numbers, debuted on August 9, and has been making a splash in every aspect. The book itself has won over 8 awards, including an IBPA Ben Franklin for 1-2 Color Interior Design, and Honorable Mention from ForeWord Reviews' BOTYAs for Juvenile Fiction, and a Parents' Choice Recommended. ForeWord calls it "...an adventure story for the digital generation...," and School Library Journal says "...readers will be rewarded with a good adventure, affecting lyrical passages, and thought-provoking questions..." With all this buzz, we thought: Let's give Penny Noyce and her books the main focus at the MIBA conference this year.

What authors need to know: Submissions

Publishers get a lot of manuscripts submitted to them. Sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming for the acquisitions department. Publishers do their best to maximize an effective work flow, without overlooking great pieces of work. Authors don't necessarily care about that though; they care about getting noticed - they care about getting through the slush pile.

If it's a big publishing house, such as Random House or HarperCollins, the submission process is simple: agented or solicited submissions are the only way to get looked at. It's the easiest process for any publisher, but it also means that some really great books by unknown and unagented writers are overlooked. Thus, this process is not used by many small independent publishers.

Tasty treats & mentions

Well we couldn't be more pleased to help Linda White kick off her new series on MN Indie Publishers! This article comes at a perfect time with three books launching from our little press: Lost in Lexicon: An Adventure in Words and Numbers by Pendred Noyce, A Celtic Childhood by Bill Watkins, and Scotland Is Not for the Squeamish also by Bill Watkins.

We're making waves. Check out this article and share it everywhere!

"Though it radiates that sense of optimism and fresh outlook that only a relatively young company can, nothing about Scarletta Press is amateur. Perched in a sunny historic building on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis, the office is a beehive of activity. Their output is sleek and their leadership is made up of industry veterans...

While the publishing world may be changing, Scarletta Press looks poised to ride that change...Some may think you’d have to be crazy to start a publishing company these days. But Scarletta Press is proving that if you take your lumps, do your homework, and know the playing field, there are still many opportunities out there. And they are doing a great job of looking ahead and moving into those new realms of possibility." Read the rest!

We're definitely proud to be a moving vehicle in this publishing industry!

Choosing Lexicon

Check out these links for reviews and fun stuff about Lexicon in the news:

An article about Penny and Lost in Lexicon by Carolyn Ellis in the Wellesley Weston Magazine
http://wellesleywestonmagazine.com/spring11/dept_books.htm

Reviews for mathematics and writing on a gifted child website
http://www.icanbeanything.ca/Site/Book_Selections.html

Laurie Hertzel mentions Scarletta's contract with Penny
http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/books/115219944.html

Invitation to Moderate

Scarletta Publisher Ian Graham Leask will be at the Rain Taxi Twin Cities Book Festival on October 16 moderating a panel. You can find him and several authors in the Hennepin Room at 2:30 PM for The Great Midwest: Regional Writing panel.  (Don't forget to also check out Scarletta Press near the KFAI table!)

"Join us as authors from outside the Twin Cities talk about writing in and about the region of Minnesota and the Midwest. Moderated by Ian Graham Leask, producer and host of KFAI’s Write On Radio!  

Charlene Ann Baumbich uses humor to teach readers and listeners how to appreciate the little things. She’s the author of over a dozen books, including her newest, Divine Appointments. Though she resides in Illinois, many of her books are set in Winona, MN—find out why! 

Patrick Hicks teaches creative writing at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, and is the author of several poetry collections (most recently This London) and the editor of a brand-new anthology of South Dakota poetry, A Harvest of Words. He has recently returned to the Midwest after living in Europe. 

Mark Munger is the owner of Cloquet River Press and the author of several books, including The Legacy, Ordinary Lives, River Stories, and most recently, Mr. Environment: The Willard Munger Story. He lives in northern Minnesota. 

Kent Nerburn is the author of the loudly acclaimed Neither Wolf nor Dog and its sequel, the Minnesota Book Award winner The Wolf at Twilight, among many other books that encourage millions to “seek the unseen in life.” He lives near the Canadian border in northern Minnesota."

Adventures at MBA

Midwest Booksellers Association hosts the trade show every fall. This past Saturday, October 2, was the exhibit day, and Scarletta Press had a wonderful time.

Scarlett'as Amanda Fish & Author Leonard Borman

Are E-Books Taking Over?

It's common knowledge that society hungers for increased technology in the world of publishing. Many writers and presses are beginning to put more emphasis on e-books. Why? Well, if you consider what writer and marketing guru, Seth Godin, says, then it's quite obvious: "Paper books aren’t a particularly elegant way to spread an idea in the age of blogs, e-readers and social media."

These days, it's typical to get a glimpse of a new book electronically first. Yet true book lovers will always carry their paperbacks and hardcovers around. The feel of the pages between your fingers and the smell of ink on paper can't be replaced by LCD screens and scrolling pages. At Scarletta we aren't giving up on the process--we think it's still worth the effort to connect with our readers through traditional publishing.

But with that in mind, we do understand the perks of offering our books in electronic formats. That's why we are now utilizing PGW's Constellation services so as to offer many of our books on the Apple iPad, Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble Nook, eBrary, OverDrive, Sony Reader, Google Books and many more.

Check out these Scarletta books in their electronic formats: Our Jewish Robot Future, Yankee Invasion: A Novel of Mexico City, Israeli and Palestinian Voices, Tragedy in South Lebanon, A Beirut Heart, The Once and Future Celt, Written on the Knee, Willow in a Storm, Ultimate Breakthrough Planning, and soon The Litigators.

We also recently gained the rights to two books by Bill Watkins. We'll be putting those back into circulation through P.O.D and electronic formats. More details to come!

Ian on tpt's Almanac

Last week, Ian had the pleasure of appearing as a guest on Twin Cities Public Television's Almanac show with Cathy Wurzer. Check out the video below to see what he has to say about the state of publishing today, upcoming Scarletta Press titles, and the best writing advice he's ever received.