Because
I have soooooo much free time, I often fantasize about what it might be like to
run a small press. In what I hope is the first of a new series of blog posts, I’m happy to have
the opportunity to pose a few questions for C.P. Heiser, publisher of The Unnamed Press, to get some insight into the small press world.
The
Unnamed Press publishes literature, comics and lost classics from around the
world. (It also distributes books with
publishing partners like sister nonprofit Phoneme Media.)
Based
in Los Angeles, the Unnamed Press (previously Ricochet Books) seeks
boundary-breaking, border-crossing stories. Our stories are set in places like
South Africa, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Estonia and Istanbul, to name a few places.
But they are also set right here in the U.S.A.
The
Unnamed mission is simple: to help introduce new voices and perspectives that
broaden our view of the world and the people that live in it, rather than
confirm what is already familiar and safe.
Mr.
Heiser was kind enough to answer the following questions via email; thanks to
Director of Marketing Olivia
Taylor Smith for facilitating. His
bio follows this interview.
What advice would you give
to someone pondering starting a small press?
Work
in a book store. Make zines, make a website, make an ebook. Bam.
Wake up one day and start calling yourself publisher.
How do you find the
manuscripts you choose to publish?
There
is so much good work out there, and with so much consolidation in the industry,
the cultures of many imprints in the corporate net are naturally squeezing out
diversity and unique talent whether they want to or not. Agents, in turn,
are trying to sell their clients to these behemoths and so their tastes are
narrowed or very targeted as well. That leaves us. We are open to
new ideas that may not necessarily fit the mold. We seek work from around
the world and have a couple of wonderful editors at large who bring in authors
from their networks.
What are some upcoming books
we should know about?
Our
first two books were soft released just a month or so ago and have gotten
amazing traction. Good Night, Mr. Kissinger is a set of stories
from the city, but not just any city. The author, K. Anis Ahmed, is writing
about people living in the densest place on the planet: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Nigerians in Space by Deji Olukotun is an international crime
thriller featuring a lunar rock geologist, a young South African abalone
poacher, and a supermodel. Good Night, Mr.
Kissinger and Nigerians in Space
are both available in the store and through online sales at Politics and Prose in DC and other
indie bookstores.
We
are very excited about our next title, Walker on Water, which is a
set of short stories by leading Estonian poet and writer Kristiina Ehin and
will be out in June. Ehin writes these amazing, surreal contemporary folk
tales that are really hilarious and also showcase a fascinating gender-bending
POV. Her characters eat their husband’s arms off, for example, while
remaining deeply in love. You get the idea.
What qualities does a small
press publisher need to thrive in a crowded marketplace?
An
understanding of their target audience. An understanding of the current
marketplace for books and its historical context so that you can, as wisely as
possible, buck the trends that are sinking big publishing. Plus energy.
Flexibility. Risk tolerance. Good taste. A deep love for the
product. At the end of the day, our books are products, and if we were
publishing self-help manuals or professional development pamphlets I would
rather not be in the business.
What advantages are there
for a writer who chooses to publish with a small press?
As
an author, you want to be sure you are getting complete commitment and belief
from the small press. If we’re doing our job, we are bending over
backwards to get you exposure and sell your books.
What is the best part about
running a small press? The worst?
The
people that exist around this thing we’ve created are absolutely the best part.
The authors, editors, artistic collaborators, and, of course, new fans.
That’s what’s wonderful about good books—they represent a shared
consciousness around a group of ideas. What does that result in?
You never know. That’s what’s really exciting. I don’t have a
“worst”—I can’t think like that.
More
information about the press: http://www.unnamedpress.com/
To
learn more about the books mentioned (including purchasing information): http://www.unnamedpress.com/books/organization/1
About C.P. Heiser
C.P.
Heiser is the publisher of The Unnamed Press and Executive Director of its
sister nonprofit Phoneme Media. He continues to be deeply involved at the Los
Angeles Review of Books, where he advises on marketing, communications, and
business development. Previously, he has worked in book publishing, legal
marketing, and residential construction. He was once a water polo
player. He divides his time between his home in Silver Lake and the
Unnamed Offices in Eagle Rock.