Why are we publishing fewer books? w/Daley Farr | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

June 11, 2026

You would think that if you publish more books, you’ll make more money. But that’s not always the case! While expanding your title list might feel like the easiest path to profit, you should also factor in staff time and bandwidth, resources, and retailer overwhelm.

This week on the podcast, Microcosm’s Marketing and Publicity Specialist, Daley Farr, joins Joe and Elly to talk about her suggestion for us to publish fewer books, and why the data backs it up.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

How to Sell Books to Bookstores, w/Maureen Karb | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

June 04, 2026

Sales reps are crucial pieces of the book industry puzzle. They are the the ones who help stores find the titles that would be good fits, give feedback to publishers about their title lists, and so much more!

This week on the pod, we’re back chatting with sales rep extraordinaire Maureen Karb to talk about the process of selling books to bookstores, and what makes a great rep.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

Your Book Is Your Business: Money-Making Sales Strategies

June 04, 2026

Call it a hobby, side gig, side hustle, or whatever you’d like—but treat it like a business.

Take your book from a single product you feel like you have to hustle to a foundational piece of your prospering entrepreneurial enterprise with the help of this encouraging, no-nonsense guide to promoting—and profiting from—your writing, whether or not you have a relationship with a traditional publisher.

Joylynn M. Ross is a bestselling author with decades of experience in multiple genres. She shares her insider knowledge of how to treat your writing as a business. She walks you through the nitty-gritty, behind-the-scenes details of literary finances, from finding grants to printing options to cover pricing. Ross’s straightforward, tried-and-true advice is accessible, actionable, and practical, told in brief vignettes readers can easily refer back to, or easily share with others. You don’t need to rely on fast trends, conventional wisdom, or expensive freelance support to make sure your work succeeds and your reach continues to grow.

Don’t be discouraged: Roll up your sleeves and dive in for a more successful publication, a more profitable business, and a more empowered writing community.

Read on for an excerpt from Your Book Is Your Business, shipping now from our site and available everywhere you find Microcosm titles on June 9th.

(more…)

Movie Deals, Book Clubs, & More Book Scams w/ Jane Friedman | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

May 28, 2026

You open up your inbox and—surprise!— someone wants to turn your book into a movie! Or include it in a book club! Or feature it on a recommendation list! All you have to do is pay a small fee. Oftentimes in book world, if something feels too good to be true, it often is (especially if they want you to pay).

This week on the pod, Joe, Elly, and Jane Friedman talk about the common scams authors and publishers are sent, what to look out for, and how to avoid them.

Want more publishing insights from Jane? Check out The Bottom Line at www.janefriedman.com

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

Is there a difference between gift & special sales book markets? | A People’s Guide to Publishing

May 21, 2026 — by Abby Rice

Books should be sold to book stores, right? That’s it?

Eh, not really! There are markets for books everywhere, from your local museum gift shop to the gas station around the corner. How do you find these markets, and figure out what types of books sell at what types of stores? What even IS the difference between a gift and specialty shop?

This week on the pod, Joe and Elly dive in!

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

A Pocket Guide to Pride Flags: An Illustrated History of Queer Community Symbols

May 15, 2026

Beyond the rainbow.

Find your own flavor of pride with this definitive guide to pride flags of all stripes—their history, meanings, legacies, and cultural significance around the world. A whole spectrum of stories has unfolded since the original rainbow flag debuted in the 1970s. For the first time, here are over 30 pride flags collected together, accompanied by details about their symbolism, creators, usage, and sometimes controversial histories. It’s all presented with graphic flair by Icelandic designer and comedian Sindri “Sparkle” Freyr.

If you’re LGBTQ, you’re likely familiar with your community flags, but you’re not the only ones! Kinksters, bears, sex workers, and drag performers—there’s a flag for you. If you’re nonbinary, intersex, agender, genderqueer, disabled, polyamorous, two-spirt, ace-aro, or demi—you’ve got a flag, too. These flags and the motives behind them show us that there really is room for everyone. With both queer visibility and heteronormative hatred on the rise around the world, this bold, stylish celebration of vexillology (the study of flags!) shows how these symbols can help us share who we are, how we define ourselves, and where we find community.

Keep reading to learn more about pride flag history in this first-of-its-kind guide, shipping now from our site or available June 2 at your local Microcosm dealer.

(more…)

What is some good Indigenous Punk? w/ Al Carroll | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

May 14, 2026

Al Carroll is Associate Professor of US, American Indian, and Latin American History at Northern Virginia Community College, and a former Senior Fulbright Scholar in Indonesia. His latest book is “Indigenous Punk: A Definitive Guide to the Native, Aboriginal, and Pacific Islander Metal and Rock ‘n’ Roll Musicians Who Changed Music.”

This week on the pod, Al joins Joe and Elly to talk about Native punk and metal history, his favorite bands (incredible recs galore!), and how the book came together. (and keep an eye on the background for an adorable special guest appearance)

Grab a copy of Indigenous Punk here.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!

Notable dates and celebrations for July

May 13, 2026

We like to keep track of fun little holidays, noteworthy dates, and the titles we have to match. Our smart and well-organized marketing leader Abby shares these with us every month, and we thought you might appreciate having them in your pocket, too! Here are your notable dates and celebrations for July, because somehow we’re already almost halfway through the year.

July is Disability Pride Month
All things Microcosm + Disability

4- Fourth of July
- We have a new zine about patriotism!
6- International Kissing Day
- Smoochin’ Sidelines
7- Global Forgiveness Day
- A Forgiving Search
7- National Day of Rock n Roll
- Music makes the world go round
10- Dab Day
- Weed!
11- International Essential Oils Day
- We have so many things about essential oils
14- Nonbinary Awareness Day
- Be aware!
15-National Give Something Away Day
- Life is a Group Project Toplist
- Hunker Down to Rise Up Toplist
17-World Day for International Justice
- Liberation for All People Toplist
17-National Tattoo Day
- Gay Sailor Tattoos continues to be one of our bestselling zines!
- And we have so, so much for tattoo fans

Stay tuned for our next installment, happy celebrating in the meantime!

Why did we decide to update Microcosm.Pub? | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

May 07, 2026

We’ve been honing our software behind-the-scenes for decades, but this is our first public-facing website makeover since 2012! For 30 years, we’ve had a riotously maximalist ecommerce website. And it’s worked—pretty well. But lately, you’ve been telling us what you want it to do better and we’ve been scribbling notes and making plans.

This week on the pod, Joe and Elly talk about what went into the decision to rebuild the front end of our website, the cool new search features, and how we’ve made it even easier for buyers to use.

Check out Elly’s blog post on our website! Microcosm.pub/Makeover

Are middle-aged punks still cool? w/J. Hunter Bennett | A People’s Guide to Publishing Podcast

April 30, 2026

The punks, despite all the best efforts of society and time, are still kicking around, and we love that for them/us.

This week on the pod, J. Hunter Bennett, author of “More Punk than the Public Library,” joins Joe and Elly to talk about middle-aged punk life, starting a little free punk rock library during the pandemic outside his house on a well-trafficked corner of Chevy Chase, D.C., and more.

Prefer an audio experience? Listen to the episode on your favorite podcast app.
Get the People’s Guide to Publishing here, and the workbook here!
Want to stay up to date on new podcast episodes and happenings at Microcosm? Subscribe to our newsletter!