Getting Ready

This week, we finally got galleys made of our first book, Kim Calder’s incredible poetry collection, Who’s to Say What’s Home. It will be going out to a handful of people so we can have reviews and blurbs in time to include them on the final book cover design.

Of course, nothing comes easy. We will ultimately be getting the final book printed through Lightning Source. We had our journal, Wednesday, done through them and they do a good job for cheap. But for these galleys…we went to the printer on the corner of our block.

The owner is a great guy who likes to talk about the Lakers (he has had season tickets for 17 years) and keeps a 24 year old Apple computer around at the store because, he says, sometimes people bring in files on a floppy. Well, he wasn’t there when I went in…but, lucky for me, a young guy was more than willing to help me, with his speed-induced teeth grind and all.

He had a hard time subtracting 63 from 70 and liked to yell out his own name as a co-worker looked on, shook his head, and whispered to me that they were going to fire the young man who was going to make our books for us. But in the end, as he handed me the copies of the book, perfectly bound, I felt myself near tears.

Another reminder: nothing comes easy.

And the beautiful struggle continues as we try to find the right spot for the launch party, for both Writ Large Press and Kim’s book. We have a couple of leads but if any of you have any suggestions (cheap place…okay free), drop us a line at contact[at]writlargepress[dot]com. Or as a note through our Sign Up page.

Is it all worth it?

Of course. We are publishing one of the best poetry books I’ve read in the past 20 years.

What’s not to love?

Post 4 by chiwan

Published on March 7, 2008 ~ 07:54 AM

Posted in Journal | 12 Comments »

~ Press Categories ~

~ Press Editors ~

~ Press Feeds ~

~ Writ Large News ~

WLP interviewed on BlogTalkRadio

Writ Large Press was interviewed by Stacey Mangiaracina and Roy Johnston of “Between the Sheets,” a show on BlogTalkRadio. They wanted to know what our process has been in launching a small literary press and we read some of the poems from Kim’s collection.

The two hosts were really great, generous and supportive, and we’re looking forward to speaking to them again.

Come on in! We’re open!

Okay. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but we have finally opened our (virtual) bookstore.

Here’s the entrance. Come on in.

Once inside, you will see our entire catalog of books. Don’t freak out when you see only one title in this catalog, because we all know that it’s going to grow into something incredible.

We have the Proof

It’s here. It’s beautiful. And we’re excited as all freakin’ hell. Yesterday, we received the proof copy of Who’s to Say What’s Home from Lightning Source.

We spent a good amount of time going through the pages, checking for errors, and mostly staring at it from all angles. To paraphrase our dear friend Michelle in New York, it is beautiful and perfect. (Okay, there was one slightly misaligned page that we instantly corrected, but still perfect!)

LAUNCH DATE SET – Friday 5/2!!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Friday, May 2nd, 7 pm on. The Writ Large Press Launch. Kim Calder book release.

We just talked to a manager at La Cita and he says it’s a go. We’re going to have our launch and release party there on May 2nd. So mark your calendars and plan on joining us.

They’re letting us have the back patio of the bar at no cost, other than all the booze that people will be buying and drinking, on a Friday night. It will start at 7 and we’ll start wrapping up around 10′ish.