Publisher/author relationships are just like any other relationships— they need care, communication, and understanding. This week on the pod, Chris Vega of Blue Cactus press talks with Joe and Elly about different ways to onboard authors and set expectations, how to resolve disagreements, and more.
Most publishers are most comfortable publishing to their own tastes. And from there, what’s popular but familiar. This week on the pod, we tackle the important but somewhat uncomfortable transition of publishing what you know to things that would resonate with your readers but are unfamiliar to you.
A Workbook to Reclaim Your Period from PMS and PMDD
Your period doesn’t have to ruin your life! Sometimes our menstrual symptoms prevent us from showing up the way we want to, and there is not a lot of information about how to feel better. You may have had trouble finding resources that explain what’s happening in your body and mind. You may have even been disbelieved or blamed.
Our Sacred Cycle was created to help. Written by a therapist who specializes in premenstrual syndrome (PMS), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), and other forms of hormone imbalance, this workbook offers accessible information and reflective exercises to help you understand the physiology of the menstrual cycle and how it affects you, harness your power, and live in harmony with your body. Whether you want to heal from patriarchal trauma or connect with yourself in a new way, this is the empowering, gender-neutral feminist resource you need to reclaim your cycle, take control of your symptoms, and achieve a transformative mind-body connection. You can feel better!
We’re all taking this election result differently here at Microcosm. Some of us are motivated, on fire, primed to rise to a crisis in proportion with its scope. Others are taking time off to cry, zone out, hold loved ones tight. Others are just getting through the days as normally as possible.
We remember eight years ago, when we didn’t see it coming: the shock, then grief, followed by focused action. We remember what hurt and what helped. One thing that helps, a lot, is to wake up knowing that our entire job is to put tools in your hands to counter the world’s bullshit. So we’ve made a new Care & Action Package of things that motivate us and help us deal and might help you too. We’ve also put together a selection of resources for all the different needs we can think of. Read on, find what you need, use the coupons you need to make it work for you.
If you’re having a hard time and need someone to talk to, write to us and one of our crew will write you back. Your voice, needs, and life matter. You matter. And together, we’ve got this.
—Elly and the MCP crew
Check out our recent toplists for other titles and resources that may be of use to you and your community right now. Read on to learn more about selected titles from our Care & Action Package.
From Conflict to Community: Transforming Conflicts Without Authoritiesby Gwendolyn Olton Experienced peacemaker Gwendolyn Olton shows you how to use your existing skills and intuition to transform a wide variety of conflicts into working relationships that meet everyone’s needs. In this practical, kind, realistic guidebook, Olton offers a variety of conflict analysis and conversation tools that you can use to navigate the most challenging interpersonal dynamics, and to better understand yourself and others along the way—all without calling HR or the cops.
The Courage Party: Helping Our Resilient Children Understand and Survive Sexual Assaultby Joyce Brabner and Gerta Oparaku Egy After escaping a playground predator, Danielle learns to understand what happened and how to carry herself with pride and conviction after five older women organize a “Courage Party” for her, sharing stories from their own lives. With realistic interactions with police, pediatricians, prosecutors, victim advocates, a community rape crisis center, and the courthouse, Danielle learns she is a “crime fighter,” able to protect other kids in the park, with many good grownups on her side.
Surviving: Getting Through the Shit Life Throws at Youby Dr. Faith G. Harper A zine for getting through it when life is piling it higher and deeper, the political and personal and social disasters that we know always come in waves. Getting Over It was about getting past whatever happened in the past; Surviving is about making it through the present. Even if you don’t believe you can survive this, Dr. Faith believes it for you, and offers some basic tools that anyone can use to make it one more day.
How to Get Your Period: A Guide to Performing Menstrual Extractionby An Anonymous Healthcare Worker In 1971, as part of their work with a feminist reproductive collective, Lorraine Rothman and Carol Downer invented menstrual extraction (ME), a suction process to pass the entire period all at once, ending any undetected early pregnancy. An underground network of providers has kept ME alive ever since, and in a post-Roe era, demand is surging. This book provides a short history of ME and detailed instructions and diagrams explaining how to safely and effectively perform a manual exam, use a speculum, assemble a Del-Em kit, and complete a menstrual extraction procedure.
Direct Action Handbook: A Guide to Organizing & Protesting Safelyby various contributors Have you ever wondered how to protest safely and effectively? It’s not just about showing up, chanting, and holding signs. You need to know what your rights are, how to handle the police, how to dress appropriately for all situations, what to do when tensions escalate, how to be an empathetic ally, and more. Packed with infographs and invaluable tips, this handbook is a must when you’re organizing your next protest or attending a rally or march.
If YOU have an idea for a book or a zine that might support people in the years ahead, we’re always looking for submissions of most any kind (especially zines!), but particularly about:
▶Abortion, birth control, sex ed, and reproductive health ▶Herbal medicine ▶Gender medicine ▶Queer and trans health, safety, and self-defense ▶How-to projects for resilient living (eg, gardening, building, energy, food preservation, mutual aid, online safety) ▶Activism and movement-building ▶Writing, publishing, and creativity in difficult times ▶Suicide prevention
Find out more about pitching and submitting to Microcosm HERE.
Edelweiss! It’s a valuable tool for publishers, booksellers, and other industry folks. Buyers use it all the time to research and bring in books to their stores and libraries. How does a publisher break through all the noise, make their products stand out, and make sure buyers are able to easily find what they’re looking for?
This week on the pod, we’re sharing a little bit of a presentation marketing manager (and former bookseller) Abby gave this year on how booksellers and buyers use Edelweiss, and some things publishers can keep in mind as they list titles.
Portland, OR — Microcosm Publishing has launched “The Microcosm Guarantee,” for independent bookstores who place direct orders for Microcosm’s publications designed to ensure print resources swiftly and efficiently reach readers who need them most. Through the Microcosm Guarantee, orders from indie bookstores that come through Microcosm’s website, sales reps, or in-house sales team will now be shipped within 2 business days. Microcosm is so confident in the press’s processes, staff, and new custom shipping boxes that founder and CEO Joe Biel will personally apologize to any retailer who receives damaged goods.
Following discussions with independent booksellers at the 2024 Heartland Fall Forum conference, the Microcosm Guarantee was conceived to streamline the ordering and shipping process, get vital texts into readers’ hands, and strengthen partnerships with independent booksellers on the frontlines of their communities’ needs. In a move that hearkens back to a 2011 initiative offering to accept unwanted Kindles in exchange for books while the industry was spelling doom for print, the Microcosm Guarantee is another investment in the publisher’s mission of equipping readers to make positive change in their lives and in the world around them, despite trends or obstacles.
The Microcosm Guarantee is already being applied to direct orders at Microcosm’s Portland and Cleveland warehouse facilities. Learn more about the Microcosm Guarantee in this video, and in the FAQ below!
Elly and Joe discuss the Microcosm Guarantee, plus box technology
FAQ: The Microcosm Guarantee
What is the Microcosm Guarantee?
It’s simple! Orders placed for our books, zines, and sidelines by independent bookstores through our independent sales reps, our in-house sales reps, or placed on our website will be shipped out within two business days. Stores frequently comment about how well our warehouse workers (some of whom are owners) pack boxes to prevent damages, but if you receive a damaged book, Microcosm CEO Joe Biel will personally apologize for the inconvenience! (What other publishers can say that???)
Why are you doing this?
Independent Booksellers have different needs than other kinds of retailers and we’re here to help. Besides, we’ve got these awesome, cat-tastic boxes that have proven to be great at keeping orders safe. Plus, our warehouse staff rocks, and we’ve got great systems in place to make sure our bookstore customers can get the books they need, when they need them.
What types of stores and orders does the guarantee apply to?
Independent bookstores ordering directly through our sales reps or placed on our website.
Who do I contact if I have questions or an order arrives late or damaged?
If you have a problem with an order, send an email to orders(at)microcosmpublishing.com.
Want recommendations or title suggestions for your store? Contact sales(at)microcosmpublishing.com.
Who are the cats on the boxes?
The one with the dapper tie is Arthur, and the tuxedoed gentleman is Walter!
Imagine going for a walk with a knowledgeable friend who points out all the plants you see and the coolest facts about them. This practical field guide is that friend, providing a delightful introduction to 58 of the plants, trees, weeds, and herbs you’ll encounter walking around most US cities.
Accurate, charming line drawings accompany detailed yet accessible botanical information about each plant that helps you easily identify it in all seasons. You’ll also learn each plant’s backstory, including its relatives, origins, historical uses, and other fun facts. Getting to know the plants you meet every day will help you strengthen your sense of place, improve your foraging game, make new botanical and herbal friends, and marvel at the life that is all around us.
How does a publisher know if a distributor is working for them? Odds are, if you’re asking that question, they probably aren’t!
This week on the pod, Joe and Elly give you a few tips on what numbers and data points to look at, how to tell if a distributor is adding value to your enterprise, and revaluating if your contract is getting in your way.
There are a lot of publishing industry news blogs, sites, and publications out there. Which ones are worth your time? (Besides us.)
Jane Friedman of The Hot Sheet is back to chat with Joe and Elly about her favorites, and which ones are best for what publishing news you’re interested in.
We’re excited to be the new distributor of Chickasaw Press, the only publisher in the so-called United States owned and operated by an Indigenous Nation. Based in Ada, Oklahoma, the press offers a literary, scholarly, and accessible outlet for the work of Chickasaw authors, academics, and culture bearers, exercising intellectual sovereignty through ethical and culturally appropriate publication practices. Learn more about them on our site, and check out a few of their most popular titles—for both kids and grown folks—below!
Otis W. Leader: The Ideal American Doughboy by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer Amid the growing tensions of WWI, Otis W. Leader—a thirty-five-year-old widower of Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, and Irish descent—left behind three children, his job, and his home in Oklahoma to enlist in the Army. Assigned to the First Division of the American Expeditionary Forces, he was chosen to represent the “Ideal American Doughboy,” and lived up to that title, earning honors like the Croix de Guerre, two Silver Stars, a Congressional Gold Medal, and a Purple Heart. An uplifting story in Leader’s own words of endurance, bravery, and perseverance on the infamous Western Front.
Mission to Space by John Herrington First American astronaut John Herrington shares his passion for space travel and his Chickasaw heritage as he gives children a glimpse into his training at NASA and his mission to the International Space Station. Learn what it takes to train for space flight, see the tasks he completed in space, and join him on his spacewalk 220 miles above the earth. This unique children’s book is illustrated with photos from Herrington’s training and space travel and includes an English-to-Chickasaw vocabulary list with space-related terms.
Chickasaw Unconquered & Unconquerable by Amanda Cobb, with Jeannie Barbour and David Fitzgerald The first book published by Chickasaw Press, Chickasaw Unconquered and Unconquerable traces history from our historic Homeland in the Southeast to the thriving nation of today and proves why the Chickasaw people are considered to have one of the most resilient cultures in America. Images by award-winning photographer David G. Fitzgerald and insightful essays by Chickasaw writers Jeannie Barbour, Amanda Cobb-Greetham, and Linda Hogan highlight the incredible story.
Funny Fani’ by Wiley Barnes and Lokosh (Joshua D. Hinson) In this illustrated children’s book, Funny Fani’ (fuh-NEE’) is a squirrel who loves animals. When she goes on a special trip to the zoo, Fani’ imagines making friends with all of the animals, big and small! Follow Fani’ on a silly rhyming adventure and learn the Chickasaw words for every animal she encounters. For even more animal fun, explore the oversized glossary, discover dozens of interesting animal facts, and learn how certain animals relate to Chickasaw history and culture.
Little Bird by Mary Ruth Barnes This historical novel follows the journey of Esther McLish, a Choctaw-Cherokee woman, after the tragic death of her Chickasaw husband leaves her a widow, just before the birth of their son. Determined to have her son added to the Dawes Rolls, Esther is forced to relive all of her life’s tragedies, as she must repeatedly testify on his behalf before the men of the Dawes Commission, who hardly seem to believe her. Based on accounts of real people and events from the days of Indian Territory, Little Bird tells the story of one woman’s bravery in the face of heartbreak and misfortune.
Chikasha Chahta okla’at wihat tanó̲wattook (The Migration Story of the Chickasaw and Choctaw People) by Chickasaw Press and Lauren John Featuring colorful illustrations, readers of all ages will discover the journey of Chiksa’ and Chahta, while learning our sacred Migration Story in both Chickasaw and English. This book introduces The Nannanoli’ (Story) Series, a line of titles that combine the Chickasaw traditions of language and storytelling. Published in a double-sided book style, this series will allow readers to read through a traditional Chickasaw story in English, flip the book upside down, and then read it again in the Chickasaw language.
Anompolichi: The Wordmaster by Phillip Carroll Morgan When Chickasaw wordmaster Iskifa Ahalopa discovers a shipwrecked Scotsman and his cargo, the king’s goat, washed up on the eastern coast of North America in 1399, he does what any language specialist would do. He sets out in search of someone who can understand the white man’s words. But the trio are quickly plunged into a web of intrigue and danger as they find themselves pitted against a tribal leader intent on dominating the continent. Author Phillip Carroll Morgan takes readers on an adventure in this captivating piece of First American fiction.
C Is For Chickasaw by Wiley Barnes and Aaron K. Long C Is For Chickasaw walks children through the letters of the alphabet, sharing elements of Chickasaw history, language, and culture along the way. Wiley Barnes crafts rhymes to engage younger children’s imaginations and deeper explanations for older readers. Colorful illustrations by Aaron Long reflect elements of Southeastern Indian art. An activities section provides a springboard for discussion and learning.
Want to read more books that preserve, perpetuate, and provide an awareness of Chickasaw history and culture? Explore the full catalog of Chickasaw Press titles distributed by Microcosm!
