Here’s the cover for Ruth’s new book ‘Across the Bridge of Ice’. Ruth was also responsible for the art work.
‘Across the Bridge of Ice’ is the sequel to ‘The City of Silver Light’, and we’re presently aiming to have it out before Christmas.
Monthly Archives: July 2014
A chock-a-block future program means we have temporarily suspended submissions
Given the number of recent signings, which include
- Cold Faith by Shaune Lafferty Webb;
- Foxing the Fandango by Lesley Truffle; and
- ON by Jon Puckeridge
as well as the remaining program for this year which includes:
- Isis, Vampires and Ghosts – Oh My by Janis Hill;
- Frontier Resistance by Leonie Rogers; and
- Across the Bridges by Ruth Fox
we have regretfully decided to temporarily close for submissions. At this stage we do not anticipate re-opening until June 2015. Please contact me to be informed by email when we re-open submissions again.
Unfortunately, given that our release schedule is now fully committed to December 2015, not to close for submissions would raise false expectations in those submitting manuscripts. In addition, keeping submissions open would require me to provide valuable time to assess submitted manuscripts, time that could be better spent editing and marketing those we are already contractually committed to.
No longer accepting submissions does leave a sour taste in my mouth, because when I established Hague Publishing one of my aims was to provide a channel for unpublished, or newly established authors to reach an audience. Now it seems I have become one of those many publishing houses (and agents) that seem intent on ignoring those many books deserving publication. Unfortunately both time, and capital prevent me from publishing all the books that do deserve and I am having to learn to say ‘no’. On the other hand, having to hang out a sign – ‘Temporarily Closed for Submissions’ – is a mark of our success in attracting the manuscripts we have.
‘Frontier Incursion’ nominated for the 2014 Barbara Jefferis Award
Just been told that our nomination of Frontier Incursion for the 2014 Barbara Jefferis Award has been accepted.
The Barbara Jefferis Award is offered for ‘the best novel written by an Australian author that depicts women and girls in a positive way or otherwise empowers the status of women and girls in society’.
Barbara Jefferis was a feminist, a founding member of the Australian Society of Authors, its first woman President and, in the words of Thomas Keneally, ‘a rare being amongst authors, being both a fine writer but also organisationally gifted. She was a professional and internationally published writer long before most of us dreamed of such things.’
The Award is paid from the Barbara Jefferis Literary Fund, which has been established as a result of a bequest from Barbara Jefferis’s husband, ABC film critic John Hinde, who died in 2006. The Australian Society of Authors is Trustee of the Fund.
In 2014 the Award is valued at $55,000, including a $50,000 prize for the winner. This year’s Award will be assessed by Margaret Barbalet, Georgia Blain and Dorothy Johnston.
Fingers crossed we make the short-listing.
Round Four: the fight between Amazon and Hachette spills over and gets bitter
In a previous post ([p2p type=”slug” value=”round-three-hachette-vs-amazon”][/p2p]) I covered the developing stoush between Amazon and Hachette which at that time, although threatening to affect both writers and readers, really seemed only to affect the companies concerned. But as the ‘negotiations’ continue to drag on the fight is starting to get bitter with writers now taking sides.
The petition
The taking of sides started with “letter to our readers” spearheaded by bestselling writer Douglas Preston and signed by 69 of Hachette’s authors. However the reaction to this ‘letter’ by many smaller authors can be best characterised by Amy Eyrie’s response on the Bookseller’s blog: “… the reaction of these rich writers protecting the status quo is deeply disappointing. A little more time acting as mentors to fledgling writers and a little less time guarding their monopoly is what I expect from artists. What I see is a bunch of shallow, cynical business people.
In response, as Barry Eisler explains (see Barry’s blog or his specific post) Hugh Howey created an alternate petition to Hachette’s CEO that as at 13 July had obtained 7,110 signatures. The petition reads: Continue reading
