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Boyds Mills Press / Front Street Books

Provrb1810meggy

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I was looking up small presses and found Front Street Books. They seem to be pretty legitimate. Here's their website. http://www.frontstreetbooks.com/index.htm I wanted to know what anybody knew about this press.

Also, does anyone know of any other small presses that publish young adult fiction? They're hard to find when most small presses seem to only publish literary fiction.
 

Aconite

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Provrb1810meggy said:
Also, does anyone know of any other small presses that publish young adult fiction?
I do, but I can't recommend them. The review copies I've received from small-press YA publishers have been rather awful books.
 

Jimmer

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Front Street is very legit. In year's past they published some very edgy YA novels and won a few YA book awards, as I recall. I believe one of their big authors was Brock Cole.

They were recently (2 or 3 years ago?) bought out by the Highlights for Children people and were folded in to their Boyds Mills Press publishing arm.

Stephen Roxburgh is the main guy there. He gives talks all the time at children's writing workshops and conventions.

They are small and selective about what they choose to publish. Limited budgets, as with all smallish presses.

Best of luck with them!
 

stephblake24

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Ghost Road Press is a new small press. Matt Davis is a wonderful guy to contact. They have a website.
 

joyofcooking

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Front Street Press / Boyd Mills

Don't know if this thread will need to be moved, but - I e-queryed Joy R. Neaves at Front Street Press (which is part of Boyd Mills now) - the Boyd Mills query guidelines state it takes 2-3 months for them to respond to a query - but here at AW I read that people e-queryed and got responses back in a couple of days. For me it's been a few weeks...Anyone else with any experience sending email queries to Front Street / Boyd Mills? Thanks.
 

wyntermoon

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I'll leave this for now to see if we find some answers for you but will port it soon to the Bewares and Backgrounds forum. :)

Can anyone help?
 

BrookieCookie777

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Front Street, I believe, stopped accepting email queries. I'm not sure though. Don't quote me on that.
 

frandavea

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Their guidelines are a little ambigious for some genres. I e-mailed the YA editor, J. Neaves, for clarification, and instructed me to send my entire manuscript. This was back in May. Haven't heard back since, despite 2 follow up inquiries.
 

frandavea

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To add to my last post, I find it interesting that, after 7 months and several inquiries about my ms, no one has time to reply, but each month I get news, tips and workshop info from its parent company, Highlights for Children.
 

suki

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I couldn't tell from the posts if this news had been clearly posted here, so I apologize if it is posted elsewhere. But for those who were looking to query Front Street, and specifically Joy Neaves, I thought it relevant to post here.

As of September 19, 2008, Stephen Roxburgh resigned as publisher at Boyds Mills Press and they were in the process of closing or may have already closed the Asheville, N.C., office, from which Front Street had historically been based. I couldn't find out what had happened to the three employees in that office—director of institutional marketing Nancy Hogan, editor Joy Neaves and designer Helen Robinson. One release said they weren't going to remain with the company on a full-time basis. See:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6597124.html

But others were less clear:
http://www.underdown.org/chchange.htm

Just thought I'd pass the info along.

~suki
 

stormie

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I sent a query to "Submissions Editor" at Boyds Mills Press, 815 Church Street,Honesdale, PA 18431 back in November. Recently received a form reject. No sig, nothing. I had searched for whom to send it to, and gave up, just putting Dear Editor. I hate doing that to, but there was no name. Anyone else?
 

Nandi

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From the "About Us" section of their web site:

Carolyn P. Yoder, Editor/Calkins Creek, has been a history buff for many years. Before joining Highlights magazine and Boyds Mills Press ten years ago, she was an editor and writer for the New Jersey Historical Society; the executive director of the New Hampshire Antiquarian Society;, and from 1983 to 1996 served as editor, editor in chief, and assistant publisher of Cobblestone Publishing, Inc. Currently she is also senior editor of history at Highlights.

Andy Boyles, Editor/Science and Natural History, has been translating science for lay readers for more than twenty years. He began editing science books and articles for young readers in 1994, when he became science editor at Highlights. He has edited occasional science books for Boyds Mills Press over the years and took on a formal role in 2005. He has worked with Jack Myers, Dougal Dixon, "Dino Don" Lessem, Ken Croswell, Rosanna Hansen, and others. Andy has offered many beginning science writers their first opportunity to publish for children and is always looking for scientists who want to write for kids and children's writers who want to write about science.

Joan Hyman, Editor/Wordsong, has edited Jane Yolen’s poetry books for the imprint since 1991, as well as titles by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Eileen Spinelli, and Milton Meltzer. During that time, she has also managed other editorial projects at Highlights for Children, Inc., including Hidden Picture books, puzzle books, and craft books.

Erin Garrow edits fiction, poetry, and bilingual books. He has worked with authors Doug MacLeod, Monica Roe, and Avis Harley. Erin also oversees the Lemniscaat list.
 

Lucy Joseph

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AAACK! But of all the editors listed, none work for Front Street, which is the only imprint appropriate for my manuscript. Dear Editor it is!!!!
 

stormie

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As I said, I've used Dear Editor if I just can't find an up-to-date listing. I've had acceptances--one where I even forgot the salutation. I don't recommend doing that (!), but when in serious doubt, Dear Editor is okay. Many times your ms. gets read by a first reader anyway, not the editor.
 

salamangkiro

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Front Street?

Just wanted to know if Front Street Publishing Company can be trusted.
http://www.frontstreetbooks.com/

I read their submissions guidelines and they say for YA novels to just send them the first three chapters of your work. Hm...
 

frandavea

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They're owned by Highlights for Children, so I'd say so. I subbed my ms almost a year ago but never heard back.
 

spike

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Just wanted to know if Front Street Publishing Company can be trusted.
http://www.frontstreetbooks.com/

I read their submissions guidelines and they say for YA novels to just send them the first three chapters of your work. Hm...

They are legit. As mentioned above, they are part of Highlights for Children, which many consider to be the top kids magazine. Larry Rosler is the Editorial Director. I met him at a writer's con and he was helpful and professional, even jumping in to run a session when the facilitator scheduled had an emergency.

Why do you question the "first three chapters" request. I believe that is standard for YA.