Talking with Diana Tillison, Editor:

As book addicts, we were crazy about great fiction. We had several good manuscripts that we wanted to do, so we began the process of learning how to run a publishing business. Through our parent company, SK Publications, we already had experience in a direct mail business that provided research to very specific groups of people (debaters and genealogists). So we learned about our mystery and suspense fiction and how to market it, and began printing books, beginning with BLACK AND SECRET MIDNIGHT by Laurel Schunk, which is reminiscent of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD.

Our market tends to be mature women who are looking for great stories in the classical mystery tradition. Our stories have a strong emphasis on character as opposed to mostly plot, or heavy adolescent preoccupation with shock through extreme violence or gratuitous sex.

One thing we can afford to do that the big houses don't do as much as they used to is provide excellent editing in our books. We take pride in every single book we publish and don't rush to the printer with material that hasn't been thoroughly edited.

Did you have a mission in mind when you began producing books?

We wanted to provide a good read along with thought about deeper issues. Because we at St Kitts are Mennonite, we have a special interest in social justice issues like child abuse, racism, sexism, and agism, which we present without preachiness.

In what format are your books published?

We print about 3000 hardcover books with the intention of printing the book in paperback about a year later. We hope to also offer our books electronically in the near future.

How are your books distributed? Do you get help from Ingrams or B and T, or are you on your own?

We use Baker & Taylor, Brodart, and Ingram, as well as several smaller wholesalers.

Tell us how you advertise. Where do the dollars go, primarily?

We've advertised in various places--direct mail to libraries, bookstores, and individuals; ads in Publisher's Weekly, Forthcoming Books in Print, Rapport Magazine; a poster at BookExpo America; author booksignings; and through reviews in trade magazines, newspapers, internet publications, etc.

Who are some of the authors you've contracted with? What releases do you have out or soon out?

Our authors are Laurel Schunk (she also uses the pseudonym Kate Cameron), Sandy Dengler, N.J. Lindquist, Ralph Allen, and Ellen Edwards Kennedy. The books that we have out are BLACK AND SECRET MIDNIGHT by Laurel Schunk, HYAENAS by Sandy Dengler, DEATH IN EXILE by Laurel Schunk, UNDER THE WOLF'S HEAD by Kate Cameron, and SHADED LIGHT by N.J. Lindquist. Our next book will be THE HEART OF MATTHEW JADE by Ralph Allen, which will come out in the fall.

What is the price range for your releases?

$24.95 for hardcover. We haven't done a paper back yet, but anticipate doing trade paperback at about $11.95.

How can readers purchase your books?

At any bookstore, from Amazon.com, or from our web site (www.skpub.com/stkitts).

Do you have a website with more information?

www.skpub.com/stkitts (We plan to improve and expand our website in the near future.)

Talking with Nancy J. Lindquist, St. Kitts author:

What led you to a small press?

I was more or less open to whoever liked my book and wanted to publish it. A friend who is a writer learned about St Kitts through Dorothy L and suggested I email them, which I did.

Were you previously published by a mainstream house?

I had a teen novel published in 1991 by a fairly large US press.

What's it like writing for a small press?

St Kitts is the second small press I have worked with and I have no complaints. I mean, sure it would be nice to have 100,000 copies printed and sold in the first month, but realistically speaking, that doesn't happen.

I'm sure not every small press is going to be perfect, but I have no complaints about working with St Kitts. They are the publishers, but I had input in terms of the cover and the layout, and knew I could offer my opinion at any time. Their editing and suggestions were helpful. I felt I could rely on them to do the right things. And they have done so.

I think it is most important to be published by a press that believes in the book and doesn't just publish it to fill a slot. But the press also has to do something besides just print copies of the book. I have had many compliments on the cover and the book itself. Then there are little things like availability, shipping, getting reviews, etc. I think they have done a very good job in all areas.

Do you receive advances and royalties?

They gave me a small advance, and yes, I get royalties. My agent worked out the contract and was very pleased by the way it was handled and their very professional attitude. I am in a position of not needing money in order to write (I have a spouse with a good job!) so I didn't need a large advance.

Tell us about your experiences promoting a small-press release.

St Kitts has done a terrific job of promoting Shaded Light. They sent out a ton of galleys and books and notices. They have done some advertising. The reviews and "buzz" gives me and the book credibility. Not living in the US (I am from Toronto, Canada) has been a bit of a problem for me in terms of publicity and for them in terms of getting the book into Canada. But we are getting there. I feel they have done such a good job I have to hold up my end, so I have been making the rounds of mystery conventions. I was at Left Coast Crime in March and Bloody Words in June, and plan to attend Bouchercom in September, Malice Domestic in the spring, etc. I also have a website which I try to promote, and basically I am doing what I can to carry my weight. And of course I am hoping to write a second good book, which is the bottom line!

Nancy and Diana, thank you for joining us! Reader, we have a review of Nancy's novel, Shaded Light, here at The Mystery Reader.

August 22, 2000