Bit of a short week this week, or at least one that didn’t involve getting a ton of immediately noticeable things done. Publishing in general tends to shut down for the last week or so of the year, which means that we can’t do a lot that involves other people – like sending out review copies or trying to get proofs made. Instead, we’re trying to use these two weeks (this week and next) to catch up on reading submissions and manuscripts, and get the accounting updated.

Pressing Matters: Week of December 24-28, 2012

Editing

1. Working through a few sequel submissions.
2. Editrix Sarah demands more red mammoths in The Daughter Star by Susan Jane Bigelow; they may have to stay in the Extrahumans series, though.

Production

1. New, gorgeous ARC copies of The Other Half of the Sky are in hand. They’ll go to reviewers after January 1.
2. Working on the text ornament for Other Half and have discovered how to create fonts. This could end…interestingly…
3. Spent almost 4 hours talking to Brigid Ashwood about plans for the Art & Words series. It may become its own imprint, and the first installment will be gorgeous.
4. Beginning to check specifications with printers for interesting production options for said first Art & Words installment…

Reviews, Promotions, and Buzz

1. The annual Preditors & Editors Reader’s Choice Poll/Awards is now open! Lots and lots of Candlemark & Gleam titles are up for honours. Take a few minutes and go vote, please! We truly appreciate your support (especially since the site is awful to navigate…)
2. I, Crimsonstreak by Matt Adams gets some ink – literally!
3. A new rotation of titles will be going up on NetGalley shortly. Yay!

Sundries

1. The horrible, horrible chupacabra invasion has been quelled, and the little SOBs have been sent out to all corners of the globe. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
2. Went through a whole bunch of slushpile submissions this week. Many were solid efforts, but just not right for Candlemark & Gleam. Those are always the hardest rejections to write.
3. Royalty and tax time is awful. Accounting is absolutely the worst part of this business. Even the papercuts are better.