Thursday, December 20, 2012

Scarletta, a Minnesota Independent Publisher

Since its founding in 2005, Scarletta Press has been known for having a quality eclectic publishing collection. Recently, Scarletta Press has rebranded itself as simply "Scarletta".

The company now features four imprints: Scarletta Press, Scarletta Junior Readers, Scarletta Kids, and Red Portal Press. Scarletta Press, the original flagship, continues to feature adult titles while narrowing its genre focus to autobiographical fiction, creative nonfiction, and memoir. The Junior Readers imprint focuses on fiction and non-fiction books for middle-grade readers, while Scarletta Kids sparks imagination with engaging picture and story books for ages 0 to 8. Red Portal Press, a hybrid self-publishing imprint involving trade distribution, started this past fall with its first title Knives on the Cutting Edge by Bob Macdonald.

Scarletta started publishing children’s titles in 2011 when they acquired their first middle-grade fiction, Lost in Lexicon by Pendred Noyce. The Ice Castle, Noyce’s second book, came out in August 2012 as their second children’s title.

Besides expanding from 2–3 titles annually to 10–12 titles annually, Scarletta has also created a new online store. It has partnered with ABDO Publishing Group for various titles in each season, allowing Scarletta to redesign institutional titles and place them in the trade, special, gift, and mass merchandise markets.


Scarletta’s spring 2013 title list features six titles across three of its imprints, with the majority of authors being from Minnesota. Determined to Matter by Jen O’Hara, an adult nonfiction about facing the loss of a child to an inoperable brain tumor, will be published June 1 in the Scarletta Press imprint. Scarletta Junior Readers features The Mighty Quinn by Robyn Parnell (May 2013), a humorous fiction story about growing up in the fifth grade, and Cool World Cooking by Lisa Wagner (July 2013), a cookbook for young chefs. Their three Scarletta Kids titles Nalah and the Pink Tiger by Anne Sawyer-Aitch (March 2013), A Day at the Lake by Stephanie Wallingford and Dawn Rynders (March 2013), and Betsy’s Day at the Game by Greg Bancroft (April 2013), will all feature ancillary products and interactive activities.

The company’s fall 2013 title list features a similar mix of authors across imprints withan adult fiction title, two junior readers, and three kid’s books.

Scarletta can be thought of as a new company, one with fresh and vibrant ideas driven by consumer-dedicated market strategy. “Publishing is challenging, complex, yet exciting,” says publisher Nancy Tuminelly. “Our goal is to positively and effectively impact our readers’ lives. Our tagline sums it up for us: Publishers by trade. Readers at heart.”

Want to find out more? Check out Scarletta's website.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Stake & Eggs - Laura Childs

Stake & Eggs

by Laura Childs

New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs offers up Stake and Eggs, the 4th installment in her Cackleberry Club Mystery series.  This “Queen of the Cozy” knows how to pour on the suspense!

Ice runs in this killer’s veins!

A snowstorm rolls through the Midwest, flash-freezing everything like a package of Mrs. Paul’s fish sticks.  Tucked inside the cozy Cackleberry Club café, Suzanne and her two partners hear the crash of a snowmobile and nervously decide to investigate.  But a foray into the raging storm turns up a headless rider and a wire stretched between two stakes.

Who would murder their new bank president in such a grisly manner?  Someone gunning for his job or an unhappy customer whose property has been foreclosed on?  Suzanne and Sheriff Doogie put their heads together to investigate this murder and turn up more than a few wild card suspects – even as the temperature drops and Suzanne’s romance with the local doctor heats up.

Based on a fictional Minnesota town, Laura Childs has filled Stake and Eggs with a raft of small-town characters that make you chuckle and yearn for simpler times.  The main character (Suzanne) isn’t your basic cozy heroine either.  She’s recently widowed, just launched her café, is “mom” to her aging dog Baxter, and (good heavens!) is a little past forty.  She’s also an intelligent, focused amateur sleuth who doesn’t rely on “coincidences” or inept police work to solve crimes.  In fact, she’s buckthorn in the side of Sheriff Doogie, who does his small-town best to solve the grisly murder.

Halfway between a cozy and a thriller (a thrillsy!) Stake and Eggs offers an exciting read with tea, knitting, romance, a dash of spirituality, and good sleuthing with three women who are over forty and proud of it.  You’ll also flip over Cackleberry Club recipes such as lemon cornbread, dirty fried chicken, and red velvet chocolate chip pancakes.


BIOGRAPHY

Laura Childs is the author of the Scrapbook Mysteries, Tea Shop Mysteries and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  Her books have been named to the USA Today and New York Times Bestseller Lists, and have been featured selections in the Literary Guild’s Mystery Book Club.  She is a former Cleo Award-winning ad writer and CEO of Mission Critical Marketing.

WEBSITE
http://www.laurachilds.com

PURCHASE
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


BOOK SIGNINGS

Once Upon a Crime
604 West 26th St., Mpls. 
Phone 612-870-3785

Saturday, November 10 from Noon to 2

OTHER BOOKS PUBLISHED
Tea Shop Mysteries
Death by Darjeeling
Gunpowder Green
Shades of Earl Grey
English Breakfast Club Murder
Jasmine Moon Murder
Chamomile Mourning
Blood Orange Brewing
Dragonwell Dead
The Silver Needle Murder
Oolong Dead
The Teaberry Strangler
Scones & Bones
Agony of the Leaves


Scrapbook Mysteries
Keepsake Crimes
Photo Finished
Bound for Murder
Motif for Murder
Frill Kill
Death Swatch
Tragic Magic
Fiber & Brimstone
Skeleton Letters
Postcards from the Dead

Cackleberry Club Mysteries
Eggs in Purgatory
Eggs Benedict Arnold
Bedeviled Eggs
Stake & Eggs


PUBLISHER
Berkley Prime Crime
ISBN 978-0-425-25557-5

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Fallout - Colin Nelson

Fallout

by Colin Nelson

He’s your average, ordinary neighbor, but he’s going to kill you.  He’s the homegrown fanatic next door with a plan and a group of true believers prepared to do the unthinkable—mass murder—to bring about a new world of peace and justice.  A county prosecutor, attempting to convict a murder suspect, stumbles upon the conspiracy.  Sounding the alarm to the authorities, no one believes her.  She risks everything—even her life—to expose the plot.  Will she be able to prevent annihilation?

BIOGRAPHY

Colin T. Nelson has been a criminal defense lawyer for over thirty years.  He’s married, has two adult children, and plays saxophone in a jazz group called, Blue Mood.

WEBSITE
http://www.colintnelson.com/

PURCHASE
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


OTHER PUBLISHED WORKS

Reprisal (Thriller)

PUBLISHER
North Star Press

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Postcards from the Dead - Laura Childs

Postcards from the Dead

by Laura Childs

New York Times bestselling author Laura Childs offers up Postcards from the Dead, the 10th installment in her Scrapbook Mystery series.  This “Queen of the Cozy” knows how to pour on the suspense!

Murder, Madness, and Mardi Gras . . .

Amid gigantic floats, colorful beads, and dizzying lights, Kimber Breeze, a prominent New Orleans anchorwoman, is strangled and hung from the balcony of the Hotel Tremain.  Scrapbooking maven Carmela Bertrand was supposed to be the woman’s next big interview, but now she’s up to her eyeballs in murder!  And Carmela can’t seem to escape more strange goings-on, because someone is sending cemetery-inspired postcards to her – signed by the very dead Kimber!

A cross between a cozy and a thriller – a thrillzy! – Postcards from the Dead delivers quirky characters, lots of action, humor, and scrapbooking tips.  As an extra bonus, there are New Orleans recipes such as Chicken Jambalaya, Sweet Potato Biscuits, and Cajun Meatloaf.  If you’re looking for a delicious Halloween read this is it!


BIOGRAPHY

Laura Childs is the author of the Scrapbook Mysteries, Tea Shop Mysteries and Cackleberry Club Mysteries.  Her books have been named to the USA Today and New York Times Bestseller Lists, and have been featured selections in the Literary Guild’s Mystery Book Club.  She is a former Cleo Award-winning ad writer and CEO of Mission Critical Marketing.

WEBSITE
http://www.laurachilds.com

PURCHASE
Amazon
Barnes and Noble


OTHER BOOKS PUBLISHED
Tea Shop Mysteries
Death by Darjeeling
Gunpowder Green
Shades of Earl Grey
English Breakfast Club Murder
Jasmine Moon Murder
Chamomile Mourning
Blood Orange Brewing
Dragonwell Dead
The Silver Needle Murder
Oolong Dead
The Teaberry Strangler
Scones & Bones
Agony of the Leaves


Scrapbook Mysteries
Keepsake Crimes
Photo Finished
Bound for Murder
Motif for Murder
Frill Kill
Death Swatch
Tragic Magic
Fiber & Brimstone
Skeleton Letters
Postcards from the Dead

Cackleberry Club Mysteries
Eggs in Purgatory
Eggs Benedict Arnold
Bedeviled Eggs
Stake & Eggs
(December 2012)

PUBLISHER
Berkley Prime Crime
ISBN 978-0-425-25275-8

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Beagle Books & Bindery

Beagle Books & Bindery
112 - 3rd St W
Park Rapids, MN 56470

Owners: Bob and Sally Wills
Managed by: Jennifer Wills Geraedts

Book discussion groups are an important part of Beagle Books. The Women's Book Club meets once a month on the third Thursday at 6:00 PM, the Men’s Group meets the third Tuesday of every month at 8:00 AM.

Special events from book signings to celebrations and book-related adventures are announced here and in the e-Newsletter we share with Sister Wolf Books.

Beagle also carries beautiful, unique Inuit art pieces, and Scandinavian books, music, and maps.

Our July events include the Sunday Classic Series at the Y-Steak House (a collaboration between a local restaurant & Beagle Books) - ticketed event which includes a full supper & talk by an author (or performance by a musician). Our July guest authors will include:

7/8 - Paul Sailer

7/15 - Douglas Wood

7/22 - Jim Proebstle

During the month of July, Beagle Books participating in the Where's Waldo Find. If you're unfamiliar with this promotion, 250 indie bookstores were chosen across the U.S. to participate. Those 250 bookstores are coordinating with 19 (or more) other businesses in their communities to do a scavenger hunt for Waldo in the participating businesses. There will be prizes and of course, a party.

Check out  Beagle Books & Bindery today!