The Ann Arbor District Library (AADL) has launched a second collection of books through Fifth Avenue Press, its publishing imprint focusing on local writers.
Released on Nov. 4, five new books join nine titles released last November in Fifth Avenue Press' debut round of books.
The 2018 offerings include three picture books: Paint the Night by Tracy Gallup, Akeina the Crocodile by Brad and Kristin Northrop, and Snail, I Love You by Tevah Platt, Willa Thiel, and Becky Grover.
The other two titles are Setting the Record Straight, a teen fantasy by V.W. Shurtliff; and We Thought We Knew You, a realistic adult fiction novel by Linda Jeffries.
Fifth Avenue Press team member Christopher Porter says the press has seen a steady number of pitches over the last two years. Fifth Avenue Press presents an attractive opportunity for authors since it provides editing assistance, layout, author photos, cover design, and sometimes original artwork, all for free.
AADL reserves the right to distribute Fifth Avenue Press books in ebook form to its cardholders in perpetuity, and it also buys multiple print editions of each Fifth Avenue Press book for the AADL collection.
Beyond that, Porter says, "all the authors have all the rights to print and sell their books, including ebooks, on whatever platforms they choose."
They also get to keep all the proceeds, but Porter says getting published is about more than just making money for the authors.
"Every author wants to sell books," Porter says. "But the validation that comes from having your creative endeavor acknowledged, appreciated, and published is important, too."
Jaishree Drepaul-Bruder is a freelance writer and editor currently based in Ann Arbor. She can be reached at jaishreeedit@gmail.com.
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