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First Steps Publishing

Oregon Coast Publishing : For Authors Seeking a Solid Foundation

self-publishing

FIRESIDE PRESS- Self-Publishing Division of First Steps Publishing

July 26, 2018 by SF Parrott

FIRESIDE PRESS, is the hybrid division of FSP, offering the same professional services. FIRESIDE PRESS titles are regularly reviewed by First Steps Publishing for new, talented authors. While there is no guarantee of the number of titles First Steps will sign each year, this is a way to get your foot in the door.

Fireside Press
Publishing with a Personal Touch

Publishing 12-24 titles/year.

OPEN SUBMISSIONS   FIRESIDE SUBMISSION FORM

We recognize there are talented writers who may not choose the route of traditional publishing. At FIRESIDE PRESS, we believe every author deserves professional quality services to help them reach their goal of publication – no matter the depth of their pocket book.

  1. An imprint of First Steps Publishing. When you choose FIRESIDE PRESS, you have the full First Steps Publishing family behind you. Books in the FIRESIDE PRESS division get the benefit of being included in all marketing with our parent company: catalog, newsletters, and more.
  2. First Steps Publishing regularly reviews FIRESIDE PRESS titles for new, talented authors.
  3. Receive professional services — editors, designers, formatters, marketers — to fit your budget.
  4. 50% royalties to the author. You only pay for the services you need. No hidden fees – ever.
  5. Option to pay over time. The cost of professional publishing can be a burden on pocketbooks. We offer packages to allow you to pay over 3-, 6-, and 12-month periods.
  6. One-on-one personal attention to help you wade through the publishing quagmire.
  7. Tutorials, training and workshops.
  8. FREE AGENT OPTION. For those wishing to self-publish without our imprint, we offer the same top design services to make your book a success.

Get the power of FIRESIDE publishing behind your book today.

Filed Under: Self Publishing Authors Tagged With: Fireside Press, self-publishing

Raison d’ Etre by Jeremy Soldevilla

January 14, 2018 by Jeremy Soldevilla Leave a Comment

Their Creek by Jeremy Soldevilla
Their Creek by Jeremy Soldevilla

by Jeremy Soldevilla | CMP

I’ve always loved books and I’ve always loved writing. That’s why I became an English Literature major at Boston University and why I spent the next 40+ years in the publishing industry, why I started writing novels and why I started one of the first hybrid publishing operations.

I’ve worked in senior positions for some of the largest publishers in the U.S. and England, publishing professional references, college texts, academic journals, scientific books and trade titles. In the process, I’ve come across writers good, bad and ugly. It’s the hopefuls, the wannabes, that I’ve been attracted to. Once anyone discovers you know something about publishing, the flood of questions begins. I won’t give examples here because we’ve all been inundated with them.The queries always start with “I’ve always wanted to write a book,” or “I’ve got this book I’ve been working on, and . . . ,” or “My friend/sister/neighbor/ has this book . . .”  And then the questions begin, seeking the secret to becoming that coveted honor: A Published Author.

I’ve broken the hearts of the bad and uglies by rejecting their work. But I’ve always tried to let them down gently, giving some glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel with suggestions for finding editorial help, books on writing and sometimes the stiff slap of reality that they need.

It’s the good, not great, but good writers that I am drawn to. Those people who have the basic abilities to write well, tell a compelling story, a witty story or an inspirational story that can move a reader. The writer who, though far from perfect (is there such a creature?), has some writing that deserves to be shared, to be read, to be enjoyed. It’s these writers that I want to be the champion for. Give them a chance in an industry that is too often too quick to dismiss or ignore their nascent talent. The ones who need some nurturing, a helpful hand, an encouraging word. And who, with that help, begin to blossom into not just a scribbler, but a bona fide author.

In writing my own books, I’ve experienced the soul-crushing rejection of my work by agents and publishers, as well as the insulting lack of any response at all to the scores of queries I’ve submitted. And I get it. I know personally the editor’s need to give cursory glances to submissions, eager to find the quickest reason to reject a manuscript and move on to the next one in the towering sysyphusianstack of writings on their desks or in their email.

But somewhere in that pile there is a seed that with some sunlight and watering can evolve into a beautiful plant if just given some time and healthy soil in which to grow. Okay, that analogy is a little flowery, but you get my point. And that’s where I like to step in.

Having basic writing skills is not enough to become published. One needs to learn the craft of writing, and that only comes with years of practice, learning and studying. We as publishers can facilitate that education, and it is our responsibility as the gatekeepers of literature to encourage and show the way to those who truly have the goods. The goods not necessarily to produce the next best-seller, but the goods to hone their craft to produce work that moves, educates and entertains others in a unique and/or meaningful way.

The big New York houses have to meet untenable sales goals, and for that reason, they must reject all but a minute fraction of the work sent to them. And that’s as it should be, I suppose. But in the process, many worthy manuscripts are overlooked, and the humble writer who has put his or her heart and soul into their story has their dreams and talent quashed. I, for one, am honored to ferret those hopefuls out and give them the chance they deserve.

I have a quote from Richard Bach posted above my desk that reads: “A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.”


Jeremy Soldevilla

Jeremy Soldevilla was the founder of Christopher Matthews Publishing. (1948-2018)

Filed Under: Publishing & Marketing Tagged With: getting published, hybrid publisher, hybrid publishing, Jeremy Soldevilla, self-publishing

Marketing Tip: Easy Shortened URLs for Amazon Authors

June 13, 2017 by SF Parrott Leave a Comment

Amazon has an easy and ‘short’ way to promote your Amazon products. And this isn’t new. Amazon quietly created its own URL shortener for all its products at least three years ago (2009). This move allows Amazon to take better advantage of the popular microblogging service Twitter as well as mobile texting.

How it Works

Authors can now type “amzn.com/” plus a product number (ISBN or ASIN) to create a short URL, without needing sites like tinyurl.com and bit.ly.

For example, when promoting JOOLA: Africa’s Titanic on Twitter, I took the products ASIN number (listed on the product page) and added it to the end of amzn.com. JOOLA: Africa’s Titanic ASIN number (Amazon Standard Identification Number) is B00AM0G3L8 so the shortened URL would be amzn.com/B00AM0G3L8.

I then created a Twitter post and included the shortened URL link:

LE JOOLA capsizes 17 mi. off the African coast. The harrowing true stories and shameful actions of those responsible. amzn.com/B00AM0G3L8

Amazon Wishlists

This technique also works for Amazon Wishlists. Simply type “amzn.com/w/” plus the Wishlist ID number, which is usually located at the end of a person’s Wishlist URL. [Read more…] about Marketing Tip: Easy Shortened URLs for Amazon Authors

Filed Under: Marketing & Promotion Tagged With: amazon, book marketing, marketing tip, self-publishing

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FIRST STEPS PUBLISHING is a Traditional Publisher accepting AGENTED SUBMISSIONS only.

FIRESIDE PRESS, is the Open Submission hybrid division of FSP, offering the same professional services.

First Steps Publishing regularly monitors all FIRESIDE PRESS titles, looking for new, talented authors.

While there is no guarantee of the number of titles First Steps signs each year, FIRESIDE PRESS is a way to get your foot in the door.

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