Any effort to improve the quality of occult publishing should only discuss self-publication as something to be avoided. Putting aside Yeats and Doyle, the vast majority of self-published books are self-published for good reasons. (Believe me - I spent some time editing freelance for such a press.) Besides, there's rarely a vanity press that turns down money, which would mean the list could easily become 90% vanity.
I have doubts as to the effectiveness of this idea in transforming occult publishing, but really, someone like me who studies grimoires has some pretty low standards already for publishers (not blatantly ripping off authors, not headquartered in the "ruins of Memphis," etc.).
Dan Harms
Coordinator of Instruction Librarian
State University of New York - Cortland
Memorial Library B-110
(607) - 753-4042
________________________________
From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic on behalf of Mogg Morgan
Sent: Thu 1/12/2006 3:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Favorite Occult Publishers? (a publisher is a publisher is a publisher'
Dear all
to paraphrase gertrude stein:
'a publisher is a publisher is a publisher'
ie I'm not sure it's really legitimate to exclude some houses on the
suggested criteria -
Even the supposed stricture of being a 'tied' or 'self-publishing' private
press
doesn't seem to me to be that important -
as long as they do good books people want to read -
they are publishers as far as i'm concerned -
Afterall many distinguished authors started this way - usually because
the existing houses were too short-sighted to do it -
hence W B Yeats, Roddy Doyle etc started as self published.
And indeed many academic presses, some quite large, ask for a
large subsidy from the author -
and this is particularly common with scientific monographs.
I believe that even Charles Darwin made a large financial
contribution to the cost of first publication of 'the origin of species' -
The copyright libraries don't discriminate on this basis
so not sure why anyone else would want to?
'love and do what you will'
mogg morgan
-----Original Message-----
From: Mogg Morgan [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 11 January 2006 08:25
To: Society for The Academic Study of Magic
Subject: RE: Favorite Occult Publishers?
dear Frierich
Well Llewellyn's have their moments -
Weiser's perhaps not as it was since the change of ownership.
- there are one or two pearls among a lot of you know what ; )
Personally i think the non-corporates are the ones to watch -
Although Chicago UP has some fine books -
Amongst USA houses i think Feral House is really cool -
In UK - Capall Bann have some good ones although maybe have too much not so
good
- but perhaps thats their strategy - to give lots of new obscure writers a
chance.
'love and do what you will'
mogg
PS: I think one of the disappointing things about some of the 'pop-wiccan'
press is that it seems to be almost totally in the pocket of the
corporations - and this seems to me to be an abdication of good journalistic
standards. For example, a recent edition of a well known pop-wicca fanzine
only had reviews of corporate product - including two books by Terry
Pratchet - now he may be a wonderful author - but at a time when his books
are reviewed absolutely everywhere - due to the huge marketing clout of his
publisher - what's the point of yet another plug (same goes for Harry Potter
etc)? IMO you're letting your readers down if you just tell them about stuff
they can buy in any drug store or supermarket??
: ) .....................................: )
Mandrake.uk.net
Publishers
PO Box 250, Oxford, OX1 1AP
+44 1865 243671
homepage: <http://www.mandrake.uk.net>
Blogs =
http://mogg-morgan.blogspot.com
http://mandox.blogspot.com
secure page for credit card <http://www.mandrake.uk.net/books.htm>
-----Original Message-----
From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Johann
Friedrich Wolfgang Hasler
Sent: 11 January 2006 11:34
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Favorite Occult Publishers?
Dare I say it? In this list, in this context? Well, why not... my favourite
is Llewellyn. I also enjoy the books by Samuel Weiser
Johann Hasler
PhD candidate
International Centre for Music Studies
University of Newcastle Upon Tyne
________________________________
De: Society for The Academic Study of Magic en nombre de Caelum Rainieri
Enviado el: lun 09/01/2006 15:46
Asunto: Favorite Occult Publishers?
Hi All:
I've launched a new project entitled the 2006 Occult Authors Market, which
will feature Writers Market-type entries for U.S. and European book
publishers that offer titles in the categories of magic(k), divination,
shamanism, etc. It'll contain information that prospective authors are
concerned about, such as submission guidelines, advances & royalties (where
available), contact information, etc.
If you have any favorite publishers in this genre, including academic
publishers, please let me know. This guide will be ready by Feb 6, and I'd
like to include your recommendations in it.
Thanks,
Caelum Rainieri
-----------------------
www.nahualli.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aztec_reconstructionism/
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