Roundtable: From Manuscript to Market

Welcome back to Authors Unbound!

In our season premiere, our hosts Patrick Davis, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Unbound Edition Press, and Peter Campion, Executive Editor, pull back the curtain on the often invisible processes involved in publishing.

Joining them are three industry experts:

• Mark Young from Itasca Books
• Nicole Baxter from Bookmobile
• Mary Gannon from CLP (Community of Literary Magazines and Presses)

Mark Jung - Former Director of Itasca Books Mark Jung served as Director of Itasca Books for 20 years, retiring in August 2024. Under his leadership, Itasca provided top-notch distribution services to bookstores, wholesalers, and libraries, helping small publishers reach readers nationwide. Mark's dedication to seamless book distribution and customer service made Itasca a trusted partner for many in the literary world.

Nicole Baxter - Director of Sales and Marketing at Bookmobile Nicole Baxter is the Director of Sales, Marketing, and Publisher Services at Bookmobile, where she oversees the production of high-quality books. With a range of options from custom sizes to special finishes, Nicole ensures that each book meets the highest standards. She plays a key role in supporting publishers with Bookmobile’s exceptional print-on-demand services.

Mary Gannon - Executive Director of CLMP Mary Gannon, Executive Director of CLMP, has over 20 years of experience in the literary field. She previously led content at the Academy of American Poets and served as Editorial Director of Poets & Writers. An award-winning poet and co-author of The Poets & Writers Complete Guide to Being a Writer, Mary is a champion for small presses and literary magazines.

Episode Highlights:

• The Complex Path from Manuscript to Market: Understand the numerous steps involved in getting a book from an author's mind into the hands of readers, including production, distribution, and sales.
• Insights from the Experts: Discover key insights on distribution strategies, metadata importance, and how small presses can thrive in a competitive industry.
• Author Engagement: The vital role authors play in marketing and promoting their books post-publication.
• Challenges and Opportunities in Book Distribution: Learn about the challenges of traditional distribution and the innovative ways small presses can directly engage with their audience.
• Sustainability in Small Press Publishing: A conversation on building long-term, sustainable models in a constantly evolving literary landscape.