Support the Small Press

It was recently brought to my attention that one of my fellow One World writers, a very talented woman, may not be able to release her second book due to economic pressure on her publisher, Salt Publishing – one of the giants of the small press in the UK.

I’d like to say that this is an isolated situation but the world of publishing and the printed word as we know it has been under fire for quite some time. Literary journals, where many household names, first got noticed and started their careers can now barely stay afloat. Many journals have been forced to go entirely online which isn’t necessarily a bad thing and offers room for a larger audience and experimentation with form that the page can’t offer but there’s something about the printed word that has a staying power and connects a reader to a story in ways that a screen cannot. 

Perhaps one day, devices like Kindle will be the norm and although I can envision stories being downloaded on ipods and thousands of writers becoming overnight hits in the way itunes did for many musicians, I can’t bring myself to read a story on anything but paper unless that story is by definition experimental (i.e. incorporating hypertext) and utilizing the internet as a medium. I still print out stories from online journals. 

The small press champions new writers, experimental writers and some of the best writing around. Unfortunately, it seems, that the majority of people that read literary journals and small press books are other writers and those in the publishing world. The rest of the reading public? Circling the front and center table at Barnes and Noble, having no clue about what to read and wholly unaware that on the bottom shelf of the magazine stand, under PC World and Good Housekeeping, behind the crossword puzzles are new stories from their favorite writer (that they think hasn’t published in years), poems and essays from new voices and discussions about why people aren’t reading “this” discussion.

Pick up “Words from a Glass Bubble” by Vanessa Gebbie (a collection of short stories) if you have the chance. You’ll be glad you did: Amazon

One World, A Global Anthology of Short Stories – Countdown

It’s been a little over a year since Ovo Adagha, an intrepid Nigerian journalist, contacted me to participate in a project that would bring together 23 writers from 14 countries to put together a collection of short stories. Since that time, the member writers have all worked closely in a virtual office at Zoetrope.com to edit the manuscript, search for a publisher and brainstorm  marketing and design. 

I’ll have to admit that when Ovo first contacted me, I was interested but uncertain that anything would actually happen as is the case with many web based projects. However, I quickly realized that the people I was working with were all driven to make this project happen, incredibly supportive and brought a diversity to the table that was in line with the project’s mission of illuminating human  universals amidst different landscapes and realities.

We have been lucky to include literary giants such as ChimamandaNgozie Adichie and Jhumpa Lahiri among our pages as well as many up and coming writers such as Zimbabwean writer, Petina Gappah and Malaysian writer, Elaine Chiew.

The book is real (birthed from a virtual mother) . . . we have already received contributor copies from our publisher, The New Internationalist (an award winning social justice/issued based magazine  based in the UK and distributed worldwide) and the anthology will be launched in April at the Oxford Literary Festival.

All author proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins Sans Frontieres

We’re working on other possible events including readings/presentations at high schools and ones hosted entirely in the virtual world of Second Life. Stay tuned.

Visit our website for more information: Oneworldstories