Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What types of work do you publish?
A: Our selections reflect the interests of our staff. Most of our publications are 18th- and 19th-century works that are hard to find, out of print, or available only in expensive facsimile editions. We are also beginning a line of books written by folks from Western New York, and publishing anthologies of contemporary short stories.
Q: I've written a novel. Might you be interested?
A: Sorry. Other than stories requested under the "submissions" tab, we are not accepting works of fiction or poetry.
Q: Are you looking for new editors?
A: Absolutely! But be sure to read "about us." We publish books that have an extremely small, local, or specialized market. We publish books because we want them to be available, not to make a buck. With set-up and printing costs, some of our works will be lucky to turn a profit. Our editors work with us because they love a text and want it in print, because they want a publication on their CV, and because they want to work with a small press with high standards for quality. We can't promise payment to our editors, but we can promise a beautiful book--you'll be proud to have your name on the cover.
Q: What do you look for in an editor?
A: We want grad students, faculty, or independent researchers who can write clearly and engagingly for a general audience. An average undergraduate should find our prefaces and introductions interesting and compelling. Sophisticated theory and literary jargon may be acceptable in a dissertation, but it has no place in our books.
Q: What does editing a book entail?
A: It depends. Some of our publications are simple reprints with nothing more than a 500-word foreword. Other titles will have a 10,000-word introduction, notes, and appendices.
Q: Do you offer free examination copies?
A: Sorry, but our low-volume sales make exam copies a financial impossibility. However, we'd be happy to mail a desk copy to instructors who place an order of ten or more books for a class.