A Novel Direction In Publishing
Returning guest blogger Sunny Frazier, whose first novel in the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries, Fools Rush In, received the Best Novel Award from Public Safety Writers Association, explains why she became an acquisitions editor and why her publisher and employer, Oak Tree Press, is to be admired.
http://www.sunnyfrazier.com
Two years ago I made a handshake contract for my novel with Billie Johnson of Oak Tree Press while on the way to the ladies room.
Go ahead and laugh or shake your head in disbelief. It happened and it set the tone for how we would work together in the future.
When I signed on with the independent publishing house, the output was twelve titles a year. That figure doubled the second year I was on board. This year the goal is 36 titles: three a month in trade, Kindle and Nook editions. Now we’ve got our heads together wondering: Can we stretch to 48 in 2012?
While I love being an author of the Christy Bristol Astrology Mysteries (major plug here), I looked over some of the titles being published with mine. There didn’t seem to be a focus for the house. Billie loves to publish what she loves—which is everything well written. She also is a softie when it comes to unpublished writers with a yearning to see their words in print.
Because I can’t leave well enough alone, I volunteered to handle the slush pile. With relief, Billie sent two boxes of hard copy manuscripts my way as well as re-directing e-queries. What did I get myself into?
I never knew I’d be good at the business side of publishing. I found I loved communicating with aspiring authors. Even my rejection letters received thank you notes. But, I also had a firm line writers had to cross. How were their marketing skills? I Googled every author to see their website, platform, blogs and social sites. If nothing showed up, then what were they doing in preparation for a career in publishing? I was looking for race horses, not plodders. I’d rather have a good manuscript with a great marketer than a great manuscript with an author reluctant to market.
At first, Billie thought this was discriminatory. Well, yeah. However, this is also realistic. Plus, I was willing to teach potential authors how to market by creating something known as The Posse. Using their e-mail addys, when I marketed I shared the info by sending them to worthwhile sites.
Oak Tree Press is small, but growing. We are primarily a genre house: mystery, romance, paranormal and Westerns. Billie and her staff are in Illinois, I’m in central California, other employees are in Scotland, NYC, Virginia, Connecticut and Arizona. What makes us different is that we operate like a family. All of our authors know each other, we meet at conferences to plan the company’s growth. Loyalty is key. When Holli Castillo was impacted by Hurricane Katrina and then the oil spill, she wasn’t expected to make her deadline. People come first. We pull for each other. As a group we compete with the rest of the publishing world. Our authors are racking up awards.
Despite this, Oak Tree has found itself on the soiled end of Predators and Editors. The person who put us there later went to prison for threatening Microsoft. Bill Gates has more clout than we do. However, once blacklisted there is no way to remove yourself, despite class action suits. We don’t let this affect our upward path.
When I’m asked to represent Oak Tree Press at conferences and conventions, I tag us as “A new dynamic in publishing.” Billie and I don’t follow the rules, we follow our hearts. We want to give people a chance. We are willing to revive old titles, pick up a discontinued series and publish self-pubbed books. Agents don’t impress us. It’s all about the people with their manuscripts in hand just looking for a shot.
Aren’t you glad there are publishers like us? Don’t you wish there were more?
June 28, 2011
Posted in: Guest Blogs
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32 Responses
Sunny, you are so right that Billie gives people consideration as human beings, not just as authors or merchandise. When I was hit by a drunk driver in 2008 and my book had to be pushed back an entire year while I had surgeries and literally got back on my feet, she could have called the whole thing off. There is an expected deadline in the contract.
I don’t doubt another publisher might have said sorry, but we have other writers who have manuscripts ready now. I am not out to diss Predators and Editors because I’m sure their service may help some writers to avoid bad publishers and agents when there are legitimate complaints, but Oak Tree is not one of these and I think any writer looking to get published by a small press would be lucky to sign with Oak Tree. I know I was/am.
Holli Castillo
Gumbo Justice
Jambalaya Justice coming July 2011
Of course Oak Tree is one of my publishers too and I signed my contract with Billie in a motel room when I came to Illinois to speak at a conference she was putting on. I met her at the Public Safety Writers Association’s conference and soon after I lost the publisher of my Rocky Bluff P.D. series. Since then she’s published, No Sanctuary, An Axe to Grind and Angel Lost.
I love being published by someone I can actually communicate with.
Marilyn
It is definitely a brave new world in publishing, and I love being able to tell people about creative, dynamic, and with-it presses that understand the author’s dual role. Go Sunny, go Oak Tree!
I’m so happy to be with Oak Tree. They are a small publisher and, as Sunny says, they treat their authors like family members, in the best sense of family, and, unlike other small publishers, they do the work of promoting and publicizing alongside their authors. It’s a partnership that works. Both Sunny and Billie are full of creative ideas to make the business grow.
I’m so pleased to have my western suspense, TWO FEET BELOW, with OTP. I love the way the company just keeps growing and the support authors receive. Now if only the economy would improve!
Carol
I was glad to read the back story of the Preditors and Editors blacklisting. Oak Tree was recommended to me (I think it was by Jenny Milchman). After doing a google and seeing he P&E report, I decided not to submit my ms. I will now check out the submission guidelines and prepare my query letter. I went with an independent publisher for the first of my novels, Chanukah Guilt (BSP), and loved working with the publisher. Unfortunately, she is no longer accepting new mss. because of financial problems, but it was a wonderful experience to be with a publisher who cared about her writers. Sunny: I’ll get my submission to you ASAP, and hope to hear from you soon. Thank you for putting up this link on DorothyL.
Apologies to Lelia Taylor – she was the one who posted the link to this blog on DorothyL. (I should know better than to answer personal emails while at a work meeting!)
Great description of women who are in publishing for all the RIGHT reasons, Sunny!
You do great work, Sunny, and so does Billie. I’m proud to be another Oak Tree Press author. So glad we bumped into each other at Bouchercon!
As an author in waiting-with OTP that is- I cannot comment on Billie or OTP yet. What I can talk about is the relationship that has developed between Sunny and her posse of which I am proud to say I belong. If the rest of the firm is only half as good as Sunny then they are to be applauded for she is an ambassador of the first water; par excellence.
Sunny, I so enjoy your e-mails and your guidance to interesting blogs. I’m sorry that I missed the boat this year, but hope to work with you on an upcoming western novel. More power to you and Oak Tree Press; may you continue to follow your hearts. I’ve followed mine and it seldom leads me off the trail. I’m still promoting at every level I can reach.
Great comments, Sunny and right on the mark. I hope to join the Oak Tree Press family even though I might not be able to do a handshake on the way to the Ladies Room.
Your focus on Marketing is key.
My first book will be launched next month because of Billie and the people at Oak Tree. Since signing my contract in February, I have received constant e-mails from Sunny, guiding me to blogs and sites that have been beneficial in many ways. Gut-feelings and directions from the heart work. I’ve received 100% from Oak Tree, and I’m dedicated to giving back the same. You have my support and sincere appreciation.
Good stuff about Oak Tree, Sunny.
Sunny and I met on the short story panel at Killer Nashville. Even though I have not had a book published by Oak Tree Press, Sunny has been kind enough to give me feedback which I believe has helped improve my mystery.
Hi Sunny, as usual your remarks hit the spot with me. Though I’m not yet with Oak Tree Press, maybe sometime soon. I value publishers like OTP and you for your personal touch and caring for all us authors, published or unpublished. I’m looking forward to working with you.
I’m with a different publisher but I so admire Billie and Sunny for their wonderful vision discovering and promoting new authors. Oak Tree is a terrific press and I wish that old P&E rap would disappear into a cloud somewhere. As always, Sunny, thanks for helping all of us with your wonderful marketing tips.
OTP is releasing my debut mystery in August so I’ll rave. When I submitted sample chapters last year, Sunny turned it down but gave detailed feedback. I asked if I could revise and resubmit and she said yes. I hacked away on the mss. and the rewritten version was accepted for publication. No other publisher will give rejected authors a second chance like. I can’t say that will happen with every writer, but I’m glad Sunny was willing to work with me. Thanks!
Sally Carpenter
“The Baffled Beatlemaniac Caper”
Nice to know ya!
Writers who aren’t members of the Posse miss a good thing. No one can be everywhere. Sunny (and others)find and circulate a wealth of valuable information.
I’ve published one book (Fallen From Grace) with Oak Tree and hope Billie and Sunny will accept more. It’s a pleasure to work with a publisher and editor who are open to communication with their writers.
Let me join this cheerleading squad. I’m so impressed with Billie, Sunny and Oak Tree Press. I’m proud to be a member of the “family” and the posse, and excited that Oak Tree is out there constantly promoting and looking for new and unique ideas to help the authors promote. This is what the author/publisher experience is supposed to be all about.
Great info. Thanks for the tag “A New Dynamic in Publishing” this really gives me hope as a writer, that there are other avenues of getting our work out to the world. No coincidence when I met you, it is a Godsend Rescue of one writer’s drive.
Thank you, Billie and Sunny. I love the “new dynamic in publishing” and know this is the start of a beautiful relationship.
Marta ChausГ©e, author
Resort to Murder mystery series, featuring Maya French, amateur sleuth extraordinaire
All of you are generous with praise, but seriously–doesn’t the way we operate just make SENSE? It seems so easy. I never studied business or marketing (former journalist here) but it seems a no-brainer to care about authors and help them learn to navigate the maze of information and understand the industry. It seems to inspire faith and loyalty and allows for forgiveness if Billie and I slip up occasionally. We’re human and we just do our best. I know all of you are doing your best to make Oak Tree grow.
Thanks for all the good words, very appreciated. Personally I think our secret is connecting with the best people out there…the writing, yes, but also the person behind the text..OTP authors are the absolute best!
I came aboard Oak Tree Press in April. Yes sunny it does make sense!!!! I have enjoyed getting to know the authors I have worked with thus far , and look forward to working with others in the future. It is definately a family type atmosphere. Something I didn’t quite expect when joining on but very much Love !!! I firmly believe it takes EVERYONE as a whole to be successful, not just us at Oak Tree Press but the authors too ! Sunny and Billie have both taken me under their wing , as I have lots to learn !
How wonderful to hear a publisher’s authors singing such high praise. Kudus to you, Sunny and Billie!
When I queried OTP, I never expected the level of support or the personal touch that Sunny gave. With just a few emails, she managed to open my head completely to new ideas – the publishing side of things, marketing, you name it. I’m now proud to say I’m a member of her “posse” and learning more everyday!
I was happy to learn that the blacklisted paragraph on P&E was written by someone now inhabiting a jail cell. Working with someone as conscientious as Bille has been a pleasure.
I do wish that there were more publishers like Oak Tree. You’re easy to work with and friendly. It’s rare to get someone who will actually work with an author.
I submitted a novel to Oak Tree Press AFTER reading P&E, recognizing the negative comments for what they were–nothing more than sour grapes! I’m glad I did. I’ve found a publishing company that is people oriented and does what it says it will do. One that will consider new writers who have a good product and a desire and ability to assist in the process. An Acquisitions Editor who is accessible, friendly and dependable. ALL AMAZING! I hope to soon become a part of the OTP Posse and family.
Sunny, you amaze me –am so proud of you – keep on giving–it will be returned a hundredfold–talk to you later, Mary
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