After the disturbing news that my publisher, University of Missouri Press, is closing, I had an encouraging conversation today with the university’s transitional liaison to the university’s plan for a new publishing operation. They hope all UMP authors will consider making the transition so the university can continue to publish our books.
What she outlined sounded interesting and possible. I told her the two main concerns I had, which is (1) for “Anatomy of a Trial” to be marketed as both an academic and a trade publication, which is what the UMP director and acquisition editor I dealt with when negotiating my contract said would happen — then didn’t after that director retired, and (2) that it be made available in digital form, which UMP either wouldn’t or couldn’t do.
The woman with whom I spoke today sounded very enthusiastic about both of those concerns being met.
I was also encouraged to learn about the aggressive marketing stance she said the new publishing operation would take. I said I understood the time, effort, thought, innovation and work necessary for a marketing plan to be successful and was eager to be a partner in any marketing efforts for “Anatomy” including pursuing the ideas I suggested, unsuccessfully, to UMP.
Stay tuned…
Anatomy of a Trial blog 