The Staff of Ink Brush Press     

Katherine Hoerth, Managing Editor
Julie Wise, Acquisitions Editor

Theresa L. Ener, Editor                                      submission guidelines
Sherry Craven, Editor                                     We are currently closed
Mallory Young, Editor                                    to unsolicited submissions
Julie Chappell, Editor
Jerry Craven, Press Director

Domenic J. Scopa, Associate Editor
Sandra Chalyy, Associate Editor

Beth Hadas, Special Adviser
Robert Whitsitt, Technical Adviser 
Carroll Wilson, Editor, retired

 


History of the Press
  
Carroll Wilson and Jerry Craven, publishing writers and long-time friends, decided early in 2009 to establish a press to publish manuscripts we like by writers we respect. We knew many talented writers who struggle with the difficulties of publishing in presses driven by commercial interests. We were also aware of how small presses have for more than two decades provided the only publishing resources for what were once called "mid-list writers." And we had kept up with the recent developments in print technology that lessen the financial risks for new presses.

So we decided to set up a press in a new kind of office, one not defined by walls and windows, by rent and need for space to store boxes of books, by high distribution costs and the problems of returns, or by the nightmare of remaindering–of dumping on the market unsold books marked down to pennies. Such a press, we decided, needed the services of a printer with the latest in print-on-demand (POD) technology.  

POD, once considered by many writers as the principal domain of vanity presses, had by 2009 become the way a number of new, legitimate and innovative presses print books. The first well established press to embrace print-on-demand technology was the University of Michigan Press. Random house has recently begun making use of POD technology. Other publishers will surely follow.   

            click here for more observations concerning print on demand
            click here to watch the Espresso Book Machine print, bind, and trim a book
 

We recognized that many problems plaguing small presses had been solved by companies such as Ingram and its subsidiary Lightning Source, so we could with small financial risk begin a literary press. We could give our attention to selecting good manuscripts, editing, and designing new books.

Ours is a staff of talented editors, writers, and artists, people scattered across the country who meet in cyberspace rather than a brick and mortar office.

The staff is composed of people who love books. We value education, and many of us have accumulated numerous university degrees. We work as educators, journalists, editors, designers, and writers. All of us have expertise in various computer programs, and we spend much of our lives reading.

All of us at Ink Brush Press have day jobs. We give time to the press because we believe in its mission: getting outstanding books into print and helping with distribution. Perhaps one day the press will make a profit, but profit is far from being the driving force behind our work.

 We are also optimists, for we believe enough in the reading public to think a substantial number of readers will one day embrace some of our outstanding books.