UKA Press
From Writers of the World
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[edit] General Information
UKA Press is an independent small press publisher based in the United Kingdom.Since its launch in January 2004, it has published a wide variety of poetry, full length novels, short story collections and non-fiction titles and received reviews in national newspapers, most recently the Guardian. Formerly a joint venture between the UKAuthors.com [1] writing community and Bluechrome Publishing[2], The UKA Press is independent and selects, edits and publishes their own list. UKA Press state that their approach in publishing is to focus on the appealing qualities of the writing, rather than on familiar themes and names.
The UKA Press is perhaps the most prolific new publisher in the UK today. Since its launch in January 2004, it has published a wide variety of poetry, full length novels, short story collections and non-fiction titles and received reviews in national newspapers, most recently the Guardian. Formerly a joint venture between the UKAuthors.com [3] community and Bluechrome Publishing[4], the UKA Press is independent and selects, edits and publishes their own list. This is a new approach in publishing where the rules focus on the appealing qualities of the writing ahead of a search for 'names' to provide quick market share.
[edit] UKA Press Authors
UKA Press authors include Kevin Brownlow, director of "It Happened Here", "The Parade's Gone By" and Winstanley.
Other authors include:
- Tom Saunders (Brother, What Strange Place is This) [5]
- Dr Ian Hocking (Deja Vu) [6]
- Theron Montgomery (The Procession) [7]
- Sheldon Goldfarb (Remember, Remember) [8]
- L.P Stanley (At Midnight's Horus Feast) [9]
- Mark Turley (The Rainbow Maker) [10]
[edit] UKA Press Reviews and Author Awards [11]
- Simon Leigh's [12] UKA Press book, "Wild Women" was reviewed by Paul Quarrington, Canadian writer and filmmaker, and Miles Kington of The Independent, amongst others: [13]
- Sheldon Goldfarb's "Remember, Remember" [14] has been nominated for the 2006 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Mystery in Canada and has been reviewed by, amongst others, The Grumpy Old Bookman [15] and M. Wayne Cunningham, Books in Canada [16]
- In 2006, "A Necessary Killing" [17] by Hilary Lloyd was published (described as "a gripping portrait of a modern tragedy" by Kate Long [18], 2005 The Times 'New Star of Fiction')
- Sherri Szeman, UKA Press author of "Love in the Time of Dinosaurs", and "Where Lightning Strikes: Poems of the Holocaust", will be published by UKA Press in 2006.
Ms Szeman is the author of award-winning and critically acclaimed books, such as "The Kommandant's Mistress" [19] (a novel), winner of the University of Rochester's Kafka Prize [20] for "best book of prose fiction by an American woman" (1994), and chosen as a The New York Times Book Review' "Top 100 Book of the Year".
The New York Times Book Review described her writing as "...devastating...riveting...remarkable". Ms Szeman was winner of the Centennial Review Poetry Prize.
- Theron Montgomery's "The Procession', was published by UKA Press in 2004, and was reviewed by Sena Jeter Naslund, -- author of AHAB'S WIFE [21] (finalist for the Orange Prize for Fiction).
Theron Montgomery Reviews: [22]
[edit] Aims
The aim of UKA Press [23] is to present first class writing by authors telling fascinating stories, and to introduce new authors who deserve to get noticed.
[edit] UKA Press now an indie Publisher!
UKA Press has gone independent. Its first title, A Necessary Killing by Hilary Lloyd was released in early June 2006. Erasmus Hobart and the Golden Arrow followed a few days later.
[edit] UKA Press: BRINGING THE BIG BOYS TO BOOK (Article)
A dynamic new publisher is blowing the cobwebs off Britain’s dusty bookshelves to bring fresh talent to jaded readers.
The independent UKA Press ([24]) is set to break an industry stranglehold that limits genre choice and freezes out stunning new stories.
And after just eighteen months and fewer than three dozen titles released so far, UKA Press’s bright new approach has already opened an exciting new chapter in the world of literature with major book chains, prestigious reviewers and major literary fairs enthusiastically making room for their titles alongside those of the giants.
Even The Guardian, whose reviews section seldom takes notice of small publishers, praised a recent UKA Press title and recognised UKA Press's courage in publishing a book that would not fit into a convenient 'mainstream' slot.
Jon Courtenay Grimwood's review of Ian Hocking's 'Deja Vu' said: "What makes Déjà Vu interesting is the understated, almost 1950s feeling Hocking brings to what is essentially a post-cyberpunk novel about murder and identity. His layering of the narrative is thoughtful and the way he makes events from different decades mirror each other shows quiet skill."
Alas, larger publishers are seldom in the market for gems by unknown authors. And that’s where UKA Press comes in.
UKA Press Publisher, Andrea Lowne [25], said: “It’s a brand new approach that simply means the appealing qualities of the material are put first. Whereas the current publishing establishment relies on its high-powered accounting departments to decide what the reader may buy, we are editorially driven, and trust the reader to judge for himself.”
That’s good news for the reader, who’s treated to new novels in a range of genres and styles, short-story collections, non-fiction and poetry. And it’s good news for the author, who at UKA Press is judged by the appeal of the book and not by the name.
Unlike major houses that accept only through established literary agencies, UKA Press has considered every offering that reasonably followed submission guidelines. Rather than allow a slush pile of unread material to build up, it will temporarily close to submissions until every word in house has been thoroughly assessed. But it’s no easy ride for the scribe. When the company opens to submissions again, it expects still to have to reject almost all manuscripts that arrive at the desks of its experienced editorial team - not always on grounds of lack of quality, unfortunately. Some fine manuscripts may not be suitable for Press publication. Basically, the Press is looking for highly interesting reads, with a strong theme and storyline that has wide appeal, and which will engage readers for a long time to come. On acceptance, editorial standards are high, and although some books need little or nothing done, it can take a year for a title to be polished for release.
Happily for successful [authors]], though, although UKA Press – in line with most other small independents and a growing number of large houses – doesn’t offer an advance, it pays royalties of ten percent.
The company reduces the financial risk by not speculating on mass print runs that can easily, as bigger publishers find, leave up to eighty percent of copies unsold, and destroyed. Instead, UKAP uses either short print runs, or the revolutionary new print on demand technology, that means books are printed in small batches or even singly as firm orders come in.
Some UKA Press authors hone their skills on Andrea’s long-established writers’ community website UKAuthors.com([26]), though it’s manuscript content that counts, and UKA Community members are shown no favouritism. But it was whilst compiling UKA’s annual ‘Voices from the Web’ paperback anthologies of prose and poetry contributed to the website, that Andrea had the idea of opening the door to new authors.
She said: “We were already giving fifty or sixty new writers a year a little break into print through the UKAuthors Athology, but I considered the idea of expanding on this and regularly publishing in paperback, to give deserving new work exposure, and help expand the choice for readers who see a lot of work presented, year after year, by the same names.
“It really started to take shape when we met Anthony Delgrado, whose Bluechrome Publishing ([27]) and Boho Press were already interested in experimental fiction and poetry. We decided to team up and things just took off from there with me and my crew taking over the selection, editorial and design end and Anthony and his looking after the logistics.
“We’ve become close friends; and it shows. Our authors always find everything friendly and laid back … but soundly pro!”
There were no pipedreams of fortunes to be made from this brave new company, but Andrea and her partners realised from the start that the cost of publishing a book is not counted in pennies and that the reader is the very top of the publishing food chain and must be courted. So UKA Press authors are required to promote their work … something even the Kings and Grishams of the writing world can’t escape, if they want to get publicity, and sell successfully.
One of the few other small independent publishers working along the lines of UKA Press is European-based BeWrite Books ([28]) . From her base in Germany, publisher Cait Myers said: “A publishing house like Andrea’s and the admirable people she has around her aren’t in this job for the money – it’s all work and no pay. Readers and writers should thank their lucky stars that there’s a new company like UKA Press filling in those risky, non-commercial gaps left by the major houses in their lust for a safe bet and a fast buck.”
And, as well as introducing new talent, UKA Press is dedicated to treating readers to other treasure, such as acclaimed film historian Kevin Brownlow’s book, How It Happened Here, the story of how the 60s chilling film cult classic, It Happened Here, was made. Out of print for 35 years, this book has all its freshness, relevance and power alive, along with its self-deprecating humour.
UKA Press titles can be bought from all major online stores like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, from the UKAPress.com site, and on order through brick-and-mortar book shops everywhere.
And, already, the impressive new kid on the block has cracked the tough nut of placing titles on high street bookshelves in stores like Borders, Waterstones and Ottakers. Some titles are stocked in traditional bookshops in Spain, Canada, and the USA.
[edit] External links
- UKA Press
- Bluechrome Publishing
- UKAuthors
- Orange Prize for Fiction
- Franz Kafka Prize
- Fish Publishing
- BeWrite Books [29]
[edit] List of Small Presses
Source: Wikipedia.org [31]
[edit] Categories
UKAuthors Writers' Resources[32](Special thanks go to Neil Marr, BeWrite Books, for all his help and guidance, past and present)
