North Atlantic Books

[Susan B]

Hello,

Does anyone have experience with North Atlantic Books, a small independent publisher in the SF Bay Area?

http://www.northatlanticbooks.com/

I believe they are solid, with good distribution channels, but haven't read anything on AW or anywhere else.

Thanks,

Susan

 

[zizban]

They seem OK. They have been around since the mid 70's, have a long list of books, standard discounts, etc.

Sounds good.

 

[CaoPaux]

Most solid. This is a fun book, BTW.

 

[Susan B]

Thanks, both of you, for weighing in.

Yes, it does look solid--my agent thought so too, when I checked with her, got an okay to get a proposal to them. So I took it there yesterday. (Made a little more sense, rather than having her send it all the way from NY, when I live within walking distance! Well, a rather long walk, but a good way to settle the nerves. Nothing like a hands-on submission

Very interesting, eclectic collection of books--they have a small bookstore where you can browse. Definitely a real place, people coming and going, nice feel overall. Wish me luck....

Susan

 

[Susan B]

Well, for what it's worth: Four months later, I opened up my SASE and got one of the most generic form letter rejections I've ever seen from the people at North Atlantic Books. A copy of a "Dear Author" letter, with the date hand written in. That's the personalized part, I guess.

I'd quote, but it is too odd and dispiriting. A long list of reasons why they "might have" rejected you. And I was actually referred to these folks by a local person in the indie bookstore world who spoke well of them.

I was a little put off, I'll admit, at the beginning, when the person who answers their phone couldn't/ wouldn't give me a specific name for addressing my cover letter. Insisted "Dear Editor, Acquisitions Board, North Atlantic Books" was the best option.

Really odd! So I'd say--proceed with caution. Or at least be prepared for a long wait while you look for another "appropriate publishing solution" (as they say in their closing!)


Susan

 

[Brukaviador]

A decade since this thread was last replied to, and it looks like they almost have 1000 titles on offer now, many of which are available on amazon.
So they look like they're really getting rolling. Might give them a query.

 

[C Alberts]

A decade since this thread was last replied to, and it looks like they almost have 1000 titles on offer now, many of which are available on amazon.
So they look like they're really getting rolling. Might give them a query.

Just want to point out that they've been around since 1974, so they've been rolling for a few decades.

ETA: They're distributed by Penguin Random House, so they are very much legit, in case that's in question.