Surprise!
‘You’re always working on some new scheme,’ I was once told – though whether that was meant as an accusation or compliment, the speaker didn’t elaborate. They were right, of course, as any reader of this blog can testify; but I shall take a few paragraphs today to explain why this is the case.
I spent most of my early adulthood seeking a single, straightforward, repeatable activity that could keep me a) spiritually and intellectually engaged, b) financially solvent. What does that sound like to you: the holy grail? A basic human right? Too much to hope for? A ridiculous quest you can’t identify with at all? I’ve heard all four answers in equal measure over the years.
Publishing, as an umbrella concept, has come closer than anything to ticking both boxes – which is probably why I’ve stuck with it so long. The only issue is that it’s not a single, straightforward activity. It’s a thousand different ideas, and variations on ideas; almost too many to try in a single lifetime. (A layperson recently suggested I attempt a “pivot to ebooks”; let’s take a rain check on that one!) I never truly gave up on my quest, but I’ve ended up embracing a fifth answer: to stay both engaged and solvent, I don’t need a single repeatable activity… I need a few dozen little ones. Or if you prefer: tapas is on the menu at Valley Press.
This month’s “dishes” include our crowdfunding for The Late Crew – currently at £326, a healthy start – and the subscribers-only poetry competition, entries to which have just crept into the double figures. In the latter case, given the demanding brief and limited eligibility, I’m already pleased with the turnout; some careful judging will be required after entries close on February 5th. The traditional “huge thank you” goes out to everyone who has participated in both initiatives so far.
So… what have I got for you today?
It’s quite simple, really: there’s a new section in the Valley Press web shop, just labelled “Surprise!” In it, you can purchase brand new fiction, non-fiction, poetry or children’s books for the extraordinarily low price of £3 each. There’s just one catch: the book you receive will be selected at random – and it could be anything from our past 15 years of publishing, within your chosen category.
This idea came to me whilst doing a little early spring cleaning in my flat, and rounding up all the Valley Press books currently residing there. There are quite a lot; six shelves of stock for sale, and three for the archive, in which I keep one copy of everything I publish. I shall pick the surprise books from those six shelves, at first, but later re-supply the “surprise store” with forgotten and fantastic titles that the world has somewhat moved on from. (Most Valley Press books now live in Glasgow, at our distributor, Booksource.)
I have half a plan, once I’ve interviewed all of our 2023 writers, to work through the entire back catalogue, shining a blog-shaped spotlight on each of our 250+ titles – the majority of which are still in print, and just as engrossing and relevant as the day they were released. For now, though, the “surprise section” is your best bet to sample some of these delights.
Even more so than usual, I have no idea how successful this new initiative will be – but there’s only one way to find out! Maybe I’ll be the one surprised? In any case, have a great weekend, and thanks for reading this (uncharacteristically brief) post; more in-depth articles will be coming soon.