Errol Sharpe, Fernwood Publishing
Among the many publisher-to-publisher deals happening at the Havana Book Fair, Canada’s Fernwood Publishing was on hand to negotiate two way exchanges with Canadian publishers. When CaribLit caught up with Fernwood CEO, Errol Sharpe, he was in close discussions with Agencia Literatura – the agency responsible for negotiating Cuban rights sales and authors’ royalties. Fernwood is looking for Cuban books to publish in Canada as well as opportunities to get the books it has published about Cuba into the Cuban market. CaribLit asked Sharpe about the opportunities for Caribbean publishers to sell books in Canada.
“Fernwood is one small company and one of very few publishing critical, and in some cases, revolutionary books,” says Sharpe. “The idea is to publish books that stimulate debate and discussion on critical social and political issues, like class and class analysis, criminology, development and international studies, race relations, social movements and politics.” The company also has a small fiction programme; all of the books deal with social issues.
“Fernwood is one small company and one of very few publishing critical, and in some cases, revolutionary books,” says Sharpe. “The idea is to publish books that stimulate debate and discussion on critical social and political issues, like class and class analysis, criminology, development and international studies, race relations, social movements and politics.” The company also has a small fiction programme; all of the books deal with social issues.
In 2012, Fernwood published Jamaica in the Canadian Experience, an edited volume of essays by Jamaicans living and working in Canada, released to commemorate the island’s 50th anniversary of independence. The book was well received in the Canadian market. While the company has not published many titles from or about the English-speaking Caribbean, Sharpe notes that there’s strong interest in Caribbean content in Canada, particularly at universities with Caribbean studies programmes. The company is open to exploring co-publishing arrangements with Caribbean publishers, particularly for titles related to critical analysis of Caribbean politics. For example, Sharpe is interested in publishing a book on ALBA – the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas, the trading bloc launched by the governments of Cuba and Venezuela in 2004 in response to the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Authors who wish to propose book ideas to Fernwood can make submissions directly on the Fernwood website.
For Caribbean publishers trying to sell books in Canada, Sharpe says that distribution and gaining retail presence can be a challenge. He estimates that 75% of the Canadian retail trade is dominated by one bookstore chain, Chapters. “It can be quite difficult for small publishers to get in.” He notes that electronic books are gaining ground but market penetration is still quite low, especially in the academic market.
For authors and publishers interested in breaking into the Canadian market, Sharpe recommends studying the market closely. “Get online and look at the Canadian publishers. See what they publish. Find a publisher that’s working with material similar to yours. Many Canadian publishers are interested in Caribbean fiction.” Sharpe also recommends that interested authors follow each publishing house’s submissions guidelines closely. “Be sure to give the publisher exactly what they ask for. For example, if the publisher requests a book proposal, don’t send a manuscript.”
Authors who wish to propose book ideas to Fernwood can make submissions directly on the Fernwood website.
For Caribbean publishers trying to sell books in Canada, Sharpe says that distribution and gaining retail presence can be a challenge. He estimates that 75% of the Canadian retail trade is dominated by one bookstore chain, Chapters. “It can be quite difficult for small publishers to get in.” He notes that electronic books are gaining ground but market penetration is still quite low, especially in the academic market.
For authors and publishers interested in breaking into the Canadian market, Sharpe recommends studying the market closely. “Get online and look at the Canadian publishers. See what they publish. Find a publisher that’s working with material similar to yours. Many Canadian publishers are interested in Caribbean fiction.” Sharpe also recommends that interested authors follow each publishing house’s submissions guidelines closely. “Be sure to give the publisher exactly what they ask for. For example, if the publisher requests a book proposal, don’t send a manuscript.”
To learn more about Fernwood Publishing, visit fernwoodpublishing.ca.
RSS Feed
