Working with a Local Small Publisher

One of the most important decisions you’ll have to make when publishing your book is HOW to publish it. Should you self-publish? traditionally publish? hybrid publish? Should you establish your own publishing imprint? Should you send your manuscript across the country to a major publishing house? Or should you look a little closer to home? For many authors, local small publishers offer the best balance of support and independence, providing access to all the required services involved in the book publishing process with a collaborative approach and a face-to-face, personal relationship.

At the next St. Louis Publishers Association meeting, a panel of professionals from Amphorae Publishing (Kristy Makansi, Donna Essner, and Lisa Miller) will explain the processes, requirements, benefits, and options associated with working with a local small publisher.

If you haven’t yet decided how to publish your next book, this informative meeting is for you!

Donna Essner is the acquisitions editor for Amphorae Publishing and publisher at Treehouse Publishing Group. She has formerly served as an associate editor, assistant editor, and book production manager at Southeast Missouri State University Press. Donna has written book reviews, short stories, poetry, essays, and two novels. Currently, Donna serves as treasurer for the Missouri Writers’ Guild, is on the 2014 MWG leadership conference committee, is president of the Southeast Missouri Writers’ Guild chapter, and recently joined the Heartland Writers Guild. She is also an active member in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

Kristina Blank Makansi is a book designer for Amphorae Publishing and publisher at Blank Slate Press. She has worked as a copywriter, marketing coordinator, web and collateral designer, and editor. She is the author of Oracles of Delphi and co-author of The Sowing and The Reaping, books one and two of the SEEDS trilogy, with her two daughters. She is a reviewer for the Historical Novel Society, serves on the boards of the Missouri Center for the Book and the Missouri Writers Guild, and is a founding member of the St. Louis Literary Consortium. Learn more about the rest of the Blank Slate Press team here: http://blankslatepress.com/about_bsp/.

Lisa Miller is Amphorae Publishing’s business manager and publisher at Walrus Publishing. Lisa is a member of the Missouri Writers’ Guild and a member of the St. Louis Writers Guild. She worked as a technical writer for many years before becoming a managing editor for new media with Liguori Publications. After this, she taught composition at the University of Missouri–Saint Louis, Lindenwood University, and at Saint Louis Community College. Lisa has written an award-winning essay, “Still Falling Snow,” which appeared in Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors vol. 3, and has one book published.