Over the past two weeks we’ve introduced many of the exhibitors who’ll be at the North Carolina Writers’ Network 2015 Fall Conference, November 20-22, in Asheville.
Here’s the third and final installment, in alphabetical order—the last, but certainly not the least, of those who’ll make the exhibit hall a truly happening place to be over the course of the weekend.
Established in 1992, Old Mountain Press (OMP) has helped hundreds of writers self-publish their work. They assist first-time authors as well as seasoned writers with several books to their credit. They have had authors as young as sixteen and as old as eighty-five. Their editors can help ready material for self-publishing or for submission to an agent, publishing house, or magazine. They edit everything from short stories and position papers to novels and doctoral dissertations. They do light or heavy editing. Please note that Old Mountain Press is not a vanity press. They specialize in low cost, short run (200 minimum), high quality perfect-bound book production.
Orison [“or-É™-sÉ™nâ€] is an archaic word that means “prayer.†At Orison Books, they believe that the best spiritual art and literature call us to meditate and contemplate, rather than asking us to adopt any ideology or set of propositions. The kind of work they seek to publish has a transcendent aesthetic effect on the reader, and reading it can itself be a spiritual experience. Orison Books seeks to be broad, inclusive, and open to perspectives spanning the spectrum of spiritual and religious thought, ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Orison Books will serve as a home for writers and readers of all backgrounds, religious or non-religious. In addition to publishing exceptional spiritually engaged poetry, fiction, and nonfiction books, they publish The Orison Anthology, an annual collection of the best spiritual writing in all genres published in periodicals during the preceding year.
Alice Osborn, MA, is the author of four books of poetry: Heroes Without Capes (2015), After the Steaming Stops (2012), and Unfinished Projects (2010), all published by Main Street Rag, and Right Lane Ends (Catawba, 2006). She is also a freelance writer and teaching artist. Write from the Inside Out believes in the holistic approach to writing and publishing, and will walk writers through all editing steps and will conduct rewrites when necessary on top of copy editing and proofreading. Services include manuscript editing services, strategic book publishing, coaching for book and memoir writing, fiction editing and writing, and speaking appearances. Alice also leads writing workshops throughout the year, throughout the state. Write from the Inside Out can help writers achieve success and confidence with editing, writing workshops, and mentoring to help writers achieve their writing goals. Visit the website to sign up for her e-newsletter or register for an upcoming workshop. Alice Osborn and Write from the Inside Out is the 2015 sponsor of Saturday night’s Happy Hour.
Press 53 was founded in October 2005 by Kevin Morgan Watson and quickly began earning a reputation as a quality publishing house of short fiction and poetry collections. Located in Winston-Salem, they publish up to five short fiction collections each year, including the winner of our Press 53 Award for Short Fiction. They publish up to to eight poetry collections each year, including one collection by the winner of our Press 53 Award for Poetry. In July 2010, Press 53 launched Prime Number Magazine, a free online quarterly publication of distinctive poetry and prose. Their authors include former NC poet laureates Joseph Bathanti and Kathryn Stripling Byer and current NC poet laureate Shelby Stephenson; poets Joseph Mills and Valerie Nieman; and fiction writers Quinn Dalton and Marjorie Hudson. Their first Press 53 Classics edition was The Land Breakers, by John Ehle, which was published by Harper & Row in 1964. They’ve just re-released Lion on the Hearth, the sixth book in Ehle’s seven-book Appalachian series.
Prospective Press is an avid independent publisher, connecting readers to great stories by great authors. They produce books in the traditional way, a commitment to quality and a keen interest for compelling content. However, they also keep an eye to the future, watching for ways to make the reading experiences even more enjoyable and satisfying. From the Piedmont region of North Carolina, they bring a world of quality genre fiction and select nonfiction. Their nonfiction imprint connects readers with a nascent collection of enjoyable and informative books on select topics involving the body, mind, and spirit. Fiction includes High Fantasy and Urban Fantasy; Young Adult and Mythological; Science Fiction and Speculative Fiction; Paranormal and PNR; Women’s Fiction; and more. For a list of their authors, click here.
A.D. Reed is the founder of Pisgah Press, an independent publishing house serving Western North Carolina writers and book lovers everywhere. Great fiction, serious nonfiction, poetry, and a reference book for writers were among their first books in print. He’ll be selling the new book, Reed’s Homophones, the “handiest reference available on homophones or homonyms—words that sound alike but are spelled differently—as well as words that are often mistyped, misspelled, misused, misunderstood, or that otherwise faze (not phase) writers and confuse readers.” For a full list of authors published by Pisgah Press, click here.
Western Carolina University’s MA in Professional Writing Program is designed for students seeking advanced preparation for entering successful, professional writing careers in fields that regularly recruit new writers, editors, publishing assistants, or promotional talents. A total of thirty-three graduate English credit hours is required: twelve-hour core, nine-hour concentration, and twelve hours in either a thesis or non-thesis option. In addition to the coursework, all MA in English students must successfully pass written comprehensive examinations based on reading lists and content knowledge, which are specific to each concentration. For those writing a thesis, a final oral defense is required. WCU’s MA in Professional Writing Program is the sponsor of the Faculty Readings on Saturday night, which will include a reading by WCU faculty member Jeremy B. Jones.
Wisdom House Books is a publishing hybrid boutique, offering all the advantages of alternative publishing while still maintaining a standard of the highest quality production and design. They make publishing one’s manuscript easy and affordable. Their mission is to produce quality books that make a positive difference in the world. Whether a writer has an inspiring personal story, a spiritual message, a key to better health and well-being, or a new method for financial success, they will personally and professionally guide a book through the publishing process with care and integrity. They provide all the services of a major publisher, but the author retains 100 percent of the royalties and 100 percent of the selling profits. There are no “Publishing Packages” or “Levels” here. They simply offer a list of services to select based on what works best for an author’s goals and budget. For a list of Wisdom House Books authors, click here.
Pre-registration for the North Carolina Writers’ Network 2015 Fall Conference ends Friday, November 13. Register now!