Just One More Book
In years gone by, so I am told, the larger presses published books they considered to have sufficient literary merit even though they knew they were unlikely to be big sellers. Nowadays, this is less likely. So where can experimentation and innovation now flourish? The answer seems to be in the small independent presses.
In some ways then, these small independent presses are essential for the literary health of society, and one of them, Salt, needs a little help. Last year they ran a campaign 'Just One Book', and this year they are appealing to the reading public again to buy 'Just One More Book'. Having read a few Salt books (Elizabeth Baines's Too Many Magpies, Balancing on the Edge, Tania Hershman's The White Road and Vanessa Gebbie's Words From A Glass Bubble) I can vouch for their excellence. So for this year's campaign I have ordered an anthology of essays on the short story called Short Circuit edited by Vanessa Gebbie.
There is more on their appeal here.
And interesting discussions and views on the subject here (Brian Clegg), here (Jane Holland) and here (Tom Vowler).
In some ways then, these small independent presses are essential for the literary health of society, and one of them, Salt, needs a little help. Last year they ran a campaign 'Just One Book', and this year they are appealing to the reading public again to buy 'Just One More Book'. Having read a few Salt books (Elizabeth Baines's Too Many Magpies, Balancing on the Edge, Tania Hershman's The White Road and Vanessa Gebbie's Words From A Glass Bubble) I can vouch for their excellence. So for this year's campaign I have ordered an anthology of essays on the short story called Short Circuit edited by Vanessa Gebbie.
There is more on their appeal here.
And interesting discussions and views on the subject here (Brian Clegg), here (Jane Holland) and here (Tom Vowler).
posted by Clare Dudman at 1:44 pm
9 Comments:
Thank you for your support for Salt, Clare, it is greatly appreciated. I am delighted you enjoyed 'Glass Bubble', and hope you find Short Circuit as useful as its meant to be! Thank you so much for buying them.
My pleasure, Vanessa - and I'm sure I shall.
I went with The White Road. It's worrying I have to say and I can see them folding. Maybe not this week but soon. If they do all we can hope is that some like-minded publisher buys them out - someone like Canongate - but, as was pointed out to me recently, it's been a long time since Canongate brought out a book of poetry.
Excellent choice, Jim. Yes, I hope they manage to keep going in some form somehow.
Thank you, Clare for your support! I think you'll find Short Circuit fascinating.
Jim, that's what they were all saying last year...and they were wrong.
Clare,
thank you so much for your supporting of all of us and of all Salt authors, it's greatly appreciated! Fingers crossed that all will be well.
Jim, thank you for buying my book, I hope you find something in there you like.
Ps Clare, just got my copy of A Place of Meadows and Tall Trees, can't wait to read it!
My pleasure, Elizabeth and Tania - thanks for your support in turn.
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