NOD by Adrian Barnes

NOD by Adrian Barnes, our new book, arrives into the Bluemoose warehouse today and we're all very excited!

Ben Myers, author of PIG IRON says about NOD, 'Think WARRIORS, the film, scripted by JG Ballard with excerpts from Ray Bradbury.' KING CROW author Michael Stewart says the first chapter of NOD is one of the best openings of any book he's ever read. He went on to say he loved every single page of it. 

I know they are both Bluemoose authors, but we haven't paid them anything and they have their own minds; that's why they came to an Indy in the first place. Just think if Mr Amis hadn't pursued the dollar, he'd have won the Booker by now! Heaven forfend. 

We're flying Adrian Barnes over from Vancouver for the launch and a series of events and signings at Independent booksellers and Waterstones. Adrian will also be giving lectures at a couple of Universities too. More of that nearer the time. 

Now its time to send off review copies to the great and supposed good of what was FLEET STREET. The broadsheets in the Metropolis. Scott pack, ex chief fiction buyer at Waterstones and now publisher and blogger at meandmybigmouth, said of one of our previous titles, THE ART OF BEING DEAD, that it wouldn't get any reviews in the literary press because 'The lit editors don't look further than the ends of their noses.'  THE ART OF BEING DEAD is now a set text on the MA course in Contemporary literature at Leeds Metropolitan University.

Now that there are three books from small independents on The Man Booker shortlist, perhaps they won't bin all books from publishers whose colophon they don't recognise. Hopefully they've learned their lesson and realise that all the exciting literary fiction these days is coming from small Independents.

Tired of McEwan, Barnes, Faulks et al. and all those sixty-something males that get all the review coverage? Yep, me too. The Indies are coming "darn sarf" to rattle the cages of the literary establishment and in NOD by Adrian Barnes I really believe we have a title that will stir things up a tad.

Moose at Large

It's really important for us as a small independent publisher to get out and about as often as possible and spread the word.  We like to meet as many readers and budding writers as we can.  We do this for several reasons. Obviously, we want to make people aware of Bluemoose books and the brilliant titles we have to offer, we may also be lucky enough to find our next author, but equally we want to let people know about what we are trying to achieve with Bluemoose Books, our experience as an independent publisher and the state of the publishing industry as a whole.

We were recently invited by the Lincoln Pheonix Writers to talk about the Bluemoose "way" and had a great evening meeting enthusiastic readers and writers and sharing our experiences with them.  Thanks to everyone there for the warm welcome!

On 22nd September, Kevin is attending another event at Macclesfield Library.  This is Cheshire East Libraries' annual celebration of books and reading.  There is a full programme including talks by writers and other publishers.  Kevin will be talking about his experience as a publisher but also exploring the issues regarding new technologies versus traditional methods of publishing.  

For more information see here: Latest Library News  or follow @CEClibraries #MaccBooks

The event starts at 12.30pm on Saturday 22nd September.  Kevin will be talking from 3.30 - 4pm.  

For more information and tickets, contact Macclesfield Library on 01625 374000

Mooses and Pirates

It's Sunday, Purple Jesus looks down on me, no this isn't a new sect started by his purpleness Prince, the diminutive musician of a paisley persuasion, but the purple Jesus that resides on the top of my bookshelf and looks down on everyone at Moose Towers. It has no religious significance, its just a great statue and makes me laugh. We also have a Ganesh and a plastic Moose to cover all faiths, well two. This revisionist look at religion has started after I bought a book called'the Gospel To the Flying Spaghetti Monster by Bobby Henderson. It is a response to the propogators of Intelligent Design, those flat earthers who think that the world is only 6000 years old, creationism is a scientific hoax and the world will end in a rapture in a Macdonalds off Route 66 some time in 2020.It is hilarious and the premise is that if followers of ID can put their belief system forward with little if no scientific findings, established religions too, then why can't anyone have their own beliefs that can't be challenged either, in a scientific context. One theory that is very funny is his statement that global warming has got significantly worse sinse the demise of PIRATES. HAHAAAARGH to that.

Moose Abroad

A massive publishing house from the USA got in contact yesterday and asked if they could read two of our books, with a view, I hope, of publishing in the States. The two books in question are KING CROW by Michael Stewart and GABRIEL'S ANGEL by Mark Radcliffe. Now, it's alright to get excited , but I've been here before, and sometimes it doesn't work out as planned. However, it really is pleasing to see that stories have a resonance and can be truly international. It is one of our basic traits as humans to tell and listen to stories, wherever we are. It helps. When you realise you've just spent your last 17 trillion dollars and the credit card company have come round to seize the laptop, keys to the car and the house, its time to grab a book and head for the cave you bought on a timeshare four years ago. Books matter. They can't save lives and feed people , but they do matter, simply as a way of easing out the creases of our daily lives.

INDY SUMMER OFFENSIVE

One of the great things to come out of KING CROW's recent review in The Guardian and on their blog site is that I several indy publishers have been expressing the same views about getting their books reviewed. Or lack of it from the broadsheets. There seems to be a consensus that the smaller presses don't get a fair look in. Fortunately we have cyber allies, readers who have come across websites and bought some great books and then gone on various blogs and spread the word. Hopefully now that reviewers know who and where we are, the great stories we publish, they will give us a fair shot next time. But chickens will remain in their coops uncounted. What we have to do collectively as independetnts is to work together, signpost our readers to other publisher's websites and let them know about the great books we are publishing. BUILD A READERSHIP FANBASE. INDY POWER. THE INDY SUMMER OFFENSIVE
It's simple really, it's all about the stories and that's what readers want. Something different and they're voting with a click of their mouse.