A good source for writers of all experience levels seeking to publish quality books in Canada.
Self-publishing advice for Canadian writers.
Staflund has spent a number of years as an author and a publishing employee, so she has firsthand experience with the exasperating limitations of the various Canadian publishing systems. It’s nearly impossible, she writes, to be accepted by traditional trade publishers, who often rely heavily on government grants and may not have the finances to provide certain kinds of marketing support. This creates a difficult environment for would-be authors, leaving them little choice but to publish themselves. However, Staflund points out, the quality of so-called “vanity presses” are dismal, since they are little more than overzealous printing services. After one disappointment too many, she decided to start her own publishing company, Polished Publishing Group. Drawing on her past experiences, she was able to home in on providing services that would guide authors through the overwhelming process of writing and publishing a book and also produce a more professional product. She uses 10 qualifying questions to help authors determine which type of publishing is right for them (including “Who is my target audience?” and “Do I value recognition?”). For those looking to commercially sell and earn profits from their books, she says supported self-publishing is the answer—which also happens to be Polished Publishing Group’s business model. Although this how-to book quickly turns into a marketing pitch, it does effectively outline the nuts and bolts of publishing, offer helpful writing tips and advice, and provide sales and marketing ideas, such as selling online and having bookstore readings. Overall, the book manages to provide solid, useful information and guidance on its subject.
A good source for writers of all experience levels seeking to publish quality books in Canada.Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2013
ISBN: 978-0986486968
Page Count: 178
Publisher: Polished Publishing Group
Review Posted Online: March 25, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
This is not the Nutcracker sweet, as passed on by Tchaikovsky and Marius Petipa. No, this is the original Hoffmann tale of 1816, in which the froth of Christmas revelry occasionally parts to let the dark underside of childhood fantasies and fears peek through. The boundaries between dream and reality fade, just as Godfather Drosselmeier, the Nutcracker's creator, is seen as alternately sinister and jolly. And Italian artist Roberto Innocenti gives an errily realistic air to Marie's dreams, in richly detailed illustrations touched by a mysterious light. A beautiful version of this classic tale, which will captivate adults and children alike. (Nutcracker; $35.00; Oct. 28, 1996; 136 pp.; 0-15-100227-4)
Pub Date: Oct. 28, 1996
ISBN: 0-15-100227-4
Page Count: 136
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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