$15.00 OCTOBER 2024
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
FRANCESCO COSCARELLA
PUBLISHING
Since 2009, the FriesenPress publishing team has helped thousands of writers tell their stories. And now, we’re delighted to offer our expertise to your writing group or literary organization’s next event – in-person or online, and completely free of charge!
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Visit FRIESENPRESS.COM/SPEAKING-ENGAGEMENTS or email BOOKING@FRIESENPRESS.COM to learn more about our amazing speakers and book us for your next event!
CAN-CON COMING TO OTTAWA
Whenever I hear about an interesting event for authors, I feel the need to share it with the writing community. When that event takes place in my favourite old stompin’ ground of Ottawa, then that’s a huge bonus! Science fiction and fantasy authors, agents, artists and publishers will be headed to Ottawa for Can-Con 2024, taking place from November
1 to 3 at the Sheraton Ottawa Hotel.
Organized by The Rocket Words Society, Ottawa’s sci-fi, fantasy, and horror literature convention offers tools and resources to a diverse range of emerging and established speculative fiction authors to help them advance their fiction writing careers.
Founded in 1991 by James Botte and Farrell McGovern, the event focuses on showcasing Canadian content and creators.
It has played host to prestigious events such as the Aurora Awards and the Boréal Congress, and has received eight Aurora Awards nominations and three wins. After a hiatus from 2002 to 2009, it was re-launched in 2010 by local science fiction writer Derek Künsken and has been offering a wide variety of programming for writers and artists ever since.
worked as co-chair with Künsken starting in 2014.
While based in the Ottawa area, the event attracts authors, editors, artists and publishers from other major urban centres such as Toronto, Montreal and New York. The convention attracts upwards of 500 people.
“Our hope is that Can-Con is useful and accessible for writers at any level of their career,” Crilly said. “We try to offer panels, talks, presentations, and networking opportunities for writers who are just starting out, who are looking to find somewhere to sell their very first short story or novel. They want to see what the industry is all about.”
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Brandon Crilly, vice-chair of Can-Con, to learn more about the event.
“Derek stepped into the chair role and formed the event into his vision for a convention for Ottawa authors of science fiction and fantasy to network, meet publishers, agents, and colleagues, because we didn’t really have that in Ottawa for those genres,” Crilly explained.
Can-Con has been chaired by acclaimed SFF author Marie Bilodeau since 2023, after she
While the convention is for writers of all levels, most of the programming at Can-Con is a little more advanced than what some other conventions offer.
“We try to offer what we call ‘201 Level’ programming,” Crilly says. “We go a little bit deeper in terms of the panel topics that we present, so that we’re offering something for experienced authors. These conversations are useful for new authors as well.”
This year’s edition will feature five guests of honour, including editor and author Jennifer Brozek; horror and speculative fiction author Sarah Gailey; Indigenous author and journalist Waubgeshig Rice; Diana M. Pho, editor at Erewhon Books; and Arley Sorg, literary agent for kt literary and editor for Locus Magazine.
While Can-Con offers many educational opportunities through its sessions, the focus of the event is on networking and building a community for science fiction and fantasy writers.
“We’re genuinely here to connect people with other folks in the industry for whatever they might need,” Crilly says. “Whether you’re look-
ing for a critique group, or just people that are into the same sort of fiction that you’re into; or you’re looking to pitch your novel in a formal pitch session.”
The event also offers a variety of vendors including small independent presses from across North America.
“We try to offer everything and really bring people together and make a safe, welcoming place that a con should be for writers and readers from any background,” Crilly said.
Can-Con will also feature the launch of short story collection, Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction: Volume Two, with editor Stephen Kotowych, and 14 of the publication’s contributors as guests.
Other unique panels and guests include three “Augur Presents” panels featuring authors and editors from Augur Magazine; Neon Hemlock publisher dave ring; science fiction and fantasy author Julie E. Czerneda; horror novelist David Demchuk; and C.S.E. Cooney running her Infernal Salon brainstorming and fiction writing workshop.
“There’s a lot we’re able to celebrate and spotlight from publications, presses, and people doing cool stuff,” Crilly says.
To learn more about the agenda or to register, visit: www.can-con.org.
Andrew Snook, Editor and Publisher
Afamily-owned bookstore in Stittsville, Ont. is giving tens of thousands of used books a second life. Re-Read Used Books offers its customers a wide variety of used books to peruse, as well as creative creations from local artists and artisans. The owners, Ray and Trisha Tropiano, got the idea to run a used bookstore during the early stages of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in spring of 2020.
“Everything was shut down, and what you could do was very limited. You couldn’t travel. You couldn’t go on a date night,” Ray recalls. “Trisha is an avid reader, and I’m a scientist, so I read a lot for work, but I hadn’t been reading a lot of fiction at that time. I was quarantined at home, and she said I should start. So, she gave me a bunch of material, and I got right back into it. Then I decided I wanted to build my book collection up again, because I got rid of a lot of the stuff every time I moved. So, that became
our date night. We’d go out to used bookstores and hunt for treasures.”
The couple quickly became regular customers at Re-Read Used Books.
“It was one of our favorite stops. We always found something we liked, and it was always reasonably priced,” Ray says.
(Top left) Re-Read Used Books owners Ray and Trisha Tropiano got the idea to run a used bookstore during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in spring of 2020.
GIVING BOOKS A SECOND LIFE RE-READ USED Books IS PASSIONATE ABOUT SUPPORTING
OTTAWA’S INDIE AUTHORS
A few years later, while the couple was scrolling their Facebook pages, they read a post stating that Re-Read Used Books was up for sale.
“The owner was going to retire. So, I asked Trisha, ‘You want to buy a bookstore?’ I was joking, but she looked at me very seriously and said, ‘Oh my God, yes! That would be so cool,’” Ray recalls.
After meeting with the former owner in 2023, Ray and Trisha decided to purchase the store.
The couple’s favourite aspect of running the bookstore is digging through all the donations that regularly come pouring into the store, thanks to the generosity of Ottawa area bookworms. The bookstore’s stock is almost entirely comprised of donations.
“There are so many donations every day. The table for donations is always piled high,” Trisha says. “It’s like Christmas every day.”
While the store sells a wide variety of books, the most popular genres are mystery/thrillers and romance. Re-Read Used Books is also one of a handful of independent
bookstores in the area that have a comprehensive horror section.
“Horror isn’t the most popular, but people are really happy that we made a horror section, because the store didn’t have one before,” Trisha says. “It was the first thing we did, because that’s my favorite genre.”
While some readers may prefer to dig through the shelves for a
By Andrew Snook
fun scavenger hunt, others have the option of searching the store’s digital inventory system for specific titles. People can also sign up to a “watch” feature for books, where they will be notified if a book they’re looking for gets logged into the store’s inventory.
Moving challenges
When the bookstore’s lease came
INDIE BOOKSTORE
In addition to displaying the works of indie authors, the bookstore showcases the work of local artists and artisans.
up at the end of 2023, the couple had to find a new location. Ray and Trisha looked for a more ideal spot that would offer enhanced foot traffic. They found their spot at 1626 Stittsville Main Street, adjacent to a local diner and a Service Ontario branch.
“We see increased foot traffic now. I think it was a smart move, one of the best decisions we made when we took over the store,” Ray says.
“It’s a used bookstore, so you really have to think outside the box.”
While the spot was ideal, the timing was not. It was late December, and Ray had fallen seriously ill.
The couple needed to lean hard on their manager, Fran, to run the shop while they looked after Ray’s health.
“Fran took care of everything when we were out of commission,” Trisha says.
“We had such good employees taking care of everything. It was all good,” Ray adds.
To help the couple move 20,000 books through the Christmas holidays and perform some needed renovations, they leaned on family and friends who happily came to their aid.
“The location had to be refitted because it was an old chiropractor’s office. We knocked out some walls to open up the space,” Ray says.
Testing out ideas
Owning a used bookstore and having it stand out against the crowd requires a great deal of planning and trying out new concepts to enhance customers’ shopping experiences. Ray and Trisha are always looking for new opportunities to improve the store. They set it up with comfortable sitting areas for people to enjoy a beverage and read their latest purchase. They’ve also set up a new attraction called, “Blind date with a book.”
“It’s a random, good quality used book, wrapped up it and pitched like a blind date. People don’t
CBC Radio’s Alan Neal shares a laugh with Ray and Trisha Tropiano during an interview.
know what they’re getting, and they think it’s a great idea. People are all asking for specific ones, like a horror or a mystery. There’s a demand for it,” Ray says. “It’s all about thinking up new ideas, looking for them online, or seeing what other people are doing.”
“I get a lot of ideas from Instagram,” Trisha adds. “I saw the blind date with a book thing was super big, and we had some extra books at home, so we wrapped them up, stuck in a few goodies –a bag of tea, bookmarks. The first day, a couple of them sold.”
Another idea that has garnered a lot of interest is a book-filled Advent calendar that is offered through the store.
“We do Christmas Advent calendars with 24 wrapped books. We make hundreds of Advent calendars, so it takes up a lot of time. We start making them in January for the next year,” Ray says. “It’s a big revenue stream for us, and
people love it.”
Hiring misconceptions
While many retail stores are having difficulty finding people to work their shops, Re-Read Used Books is not one of those stores, although getting large amounts of resumes doesn’t necessarily mean the right fit. Ray says people that apply for a job often have misconceptions about what it takes to run a bookstore.
“People who love books are like, ‘I’d like to get a job here.’ But then there’s a misconception that if they get a job here, that they’re reading books all day,” he says.
“There may only be 10 customers in the store at a time, but there’s a lot of other stuff that goes on behind the scenes that has to happen to keep this place running smoothly. There’s a misconception that when you own a bookstore that there’s nothing to do. You just put books on the shelf,
and you can spend the rest of the day having a tea and reading a book until somebody comes in to buy something.”
Supporting local authors and artists
Ray and Trisha have started hosting regular events for local authors to help them spread the word about their latest books.
“I feel like the authors that come are just happy to come out, even if they saw five people. It has been great. They always come out of these things saying they loved the opportunity to have some exposure,” Ray says. “We had eight romance authors come and share the space next door with the cafe. They close at around 2:30 p.m., and so we kind of negotiated with them to keep their restaurant open for the authors at 1 p.m. and stay open until about 5 p.m. The feedback was fantastic from the people that attended, and the
Romance authors gather for a photo alongside Main Street Cafe owner Johnny Monk (left) during Re-Read Used Book’s recent romance author showcase held at the diner next to the bookstore. Photos courtesy of Re-Read Used Books.
INDIE BOOKSTORE
At the end of 2023, Ray and Trisha had to move 20,000 books to their new locations at 1626 Stittsville Main Street.
The new location was previously a chiropractor’s office. Ray and
knocked out some walls and opened up the space.
authors.”
For October, Trisha reached out to the Ottawa horror author community and is setting up a special event with 10 authors coming out to showcase their books.
“It’s going to be a busy spot, but it’s going to be fun,” she says.
Trisha and Ray have also planned a Christmas-themed event for December with book-related crafts and other gifts available.
“People are approaching us saying, ‘Oh, we heard you’re doing a Christmas market. Is there any room left?’ So, word is getting out. It’s good,” Trisha says.
In addition to displaying the works of indie authors, the bookstore showcases the work of local artists and artisans.
“We brought in local artists’ works so they can showcase their art and sell it,” Trisha says.
“We also sell other locally made, book-related items like bookmarks, book jacket covers, and greeting cards that people have handmade to offer people when they come in to get their used books,” Ray adds.
Future goals
While most of the future plans for the store involve improving the organization of the store, Ray and Trisha are considering some additional fun ideas for their customers.
“We’re talking about doing a subscription box, because the advent calendars do so well. We want to try something we can do all year,” Trisha says.
To learn more about Re-Read Used Books, visit: www.rereadusedbooks.com.
Trisha
Pen name: Francesco A. Coscarella
Recently published books:
· Of Myth and Men: The White Night
(Digital Providence Publications)
Place of residence: Aurora, Ont.
Website: https://ofmythandmen.com
Follow on social media:
Instagram: @ofmythandmen_thewhitenight
Facebook: facebook.com/ofmythandmen
A chat with
Canadian indie authors are always looking for different ways to make their books stand out against the sea of options that readers are inundated with on a daily basis. During a book signing, unique and engaging artwork is often a focus for drawing book lovers to an artist’s table. Francesco Coscarella, an indie author based in Aurora, Ont., has found his own unique way to bring his characters to life to draw people to his debut dark fantasy novel, Of Myth and Men: The White Night. Using the timeless art of photography with the help of renown photographer Richard Sibbald, Francesco financed a major photoshoot where he hired models to don the costumes of his book’s cast of characters, which includes vampires, demons, angels, dragons, a minotaur, and more.
Here is a brief synopsis of the story, which is based in the Greater Toronto Area:
Long ago, Mortals and Mystics lived together in harmony in the City of Peace, Los Paché. But on a fateful eve, all that was would no longer be. A malevolent soul fathered the Cult of the Nosferatu — vampires — the vilest of beasts to devour the Mortal breed. His treachery inflamed the ire of men, and hellish wars ensued. Defeated, Mystics were forced into a life of solitude.
It is now 2020. The world is in grave peril. Veiled by shadow, the Nosferatu prey upon Mortals once again. Sunlight is the only force that can destroy the Nosferatu.
Elijah Ra, the Ikon of Light, is like a sun that walks in the night. He is a being that wields sunlight who has set out on a secret quest to eradicate the living dead. United with Elijah are Seth the Sun Demon, Damon the Dread, and Kaji Imitsu, who share a singular hope: to raise Los Paché from the dead.
Yet the Father of the Nosferatu has returned. The tyrant has set his dark eyes upon the greatest evil ever known. And should it be freed, it will mark the end of history.
Amidst the impending gloom there remains
Francesco Coscarella
By Andrew Snook
a spark of hope. For the fate of all creation may rest upon the shoulders of a little boy.
Canadian Independent Publishers recently sat down with Francesco to learn all about his love of writing and his unique book production.
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of an indie author putting together a production of this size to organize a photoshoot promoting their characters. Can you share a little about this process?
The fundamental idea was to bring the characters to life through photography. I worked with Richard and special effects makeup artists like Sandra Wheatle, Matthew Dewilde, and Sheilagh McGrory, that have worked on motion pictures and TV shows. Sandra has recently worked on Suits and The Boys, for example. They are are all amazing, talented artists. Then I hired between 30 and 40 actors, and handmade many of the costumes. My dad is a tailor, so I was able to
get him to stitch some of the costumes for me, and then went and ravaged the Goodwill to try to find different items to put the costumes together, sometimes using old hockey equipment, and all sorts of other stuff to bring all of these fantastical creatures to life. It pushed me to figure out how to do all of this because I had no experience in this sort of artistic space. Then I directed the photoshoots with Richard at his studio, he was phenomenal. Sometimes there would be upwards of 10 people on set, it was massive. Finally, I taught myself how to use photoshop and put together all the artwork.
With all the interesting photography and the book being a dark fantasy novel, I imagine it’s quite effective at getting the attention of readers at book signings. Yes. I’ve primarily exhibited at comicons and similar conventions because my book is a modern-day fantasy epic, and I have all this artwork, as well as trading cards. I can fit within that world. In fact, this world is made for that world.
Very few people can say their characters have been brought to life. You can literally see my characters, it’s just different. When I’m at the events, people walk by my booth, and I get a lot of different looks. I get people approaching, wondering what it’s all about, and that pulls people in. I come from a comic book background, so I’m familiar with how artists display their works, and how interested people are in their artwork, and how it tells a story. I can literally show people what these fantastical, magical characters look like, and then I give them my elevator pitch.
What would you say growing up were some of your bigger inspirations?
There were certain shows that were broadcast prior to school at eight o’clock in the morning, Japanese anime cartoons like Space Battleship Yamato/Star Blazers. This was in this early 1980s, and the animation and story just drew me in. It’s not your typical cartoon that you would expect for children. There was so much drama
During the production of Of Myth and Men: The White Night, Francesco organized a massive photo shoot, created custom costumes, and hired a professional photographer and models so he could showcase real people as the characters from his books.
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
and tension that I was compelled to watch it every morning. It was one of my favorites as a kid, but also the superhero shows and comic books. I just loved the ideas of superheroes. It drew me in and sparked my own creativity. I started creating my own characters and my own stories. From that point on, I always wanted to create and draw. It made me appreciate the artists, illustrators, and writers, and pushed me to want to create and develop those skills.
Throughout my teens, university, and law school, I’ve always written and created. In 2001, Of Myth and Men: The White Night came to me. I had a “Big Bang” moment, and everything flowed from that point on. Visualizing it influenced my writing style. I literally saw the characters coming to life in my mind. In 2003, I started to put ideas to paper and typing out the manuscript. But I was working full time, so all of this was being done on the side. From 2003 to 2018, I was piecemealing it all together. In 2012, I completed the first draft and had all the photography done. There has been so many wonderful things and bad things that have happened along the way, but I’m at a point now where I have a tangible item that I can show people – here’s my story, my novel, and here’s my artwork, and here’s what I’ve accomplished.
This book was a project many years in the making with a significant amount of time and resources dedicated to the artwork and creation of the draft. I imagine you placed similar efforts into the editing phases of the book. I would not have attached my name to the novel unless I had worked with amazing editors. I had three. First, I had my substantive editor, Monica Kuebler. Monica was simply phenomenal. The process to complete the substantive edit took years. Then I hired a copy editor, Allister Thompson, copy editor and former senior editor of Dundurn Press. He was great to work with. Then I hired a proofreader, Britainie Wilson, to go through it one more time. When I’m attending events and speaking to people, I make it abundantly clear I’m not some guy who went on ChatGPT, typed in a prompt, and then spat out a book. I worked with professional artists and editors to craft this tale, because I’m attaching my name to it. I’m not going to attach my name unless I think it’s quality work. Whenever I speak to someone that is interested in publishing, I tell them they need to find an editor. You need fresh eyes to look at your work and critique it. Another lesson that I share with new authors is to “embrace the bloodbath,” meaning, when you get your edits, there are going to be changes. When I first started and saw that Monica used track changes and red slashes throughout my pages, I was excited and happy to
Francesco chatting with a fan during a recent book signing event.
see that. She was improving my work. I can’t thank Monica enough for the work that she did, because it was just tremendous.
Do you have a particular goal you’re hoping to achieve with this novel?
My dream is to see this book become a movie, to have my photos move. When writing this book, thinking about the characters and the story itself, how it flowed, it felt like it was made to become a motion picture.
Do you have any advice you would like to share with new authors?
One piece of advice I share with young and new authors is that you have to distinguish yourself. You need to set yourself apart somehow.
To learn more about Francesco Coscarella and Of Myth and Men: The White Night, visit: https://ofmythandmen.com.
CANADIAN INDEPENDENT PUBLISHERS
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By Astra Crompton
Not long ago, the following Facebook message landed in our inbox:
Hi FriesenPress — I’m wondering if you have any tips or advice on accessible ways to write a book. I recently had an accident that broke both of my arms; I have an urge to write, but I’m having trouble finding tools that might help me.
We responded with as much detail as we could, but this great question was worthy of further inquiry and could have wider application beyond a oneto-one conversation.
For folks living with temporary or permanent disabilities, writing and reading books can be a significant hurdle to tackle. In one outstanding example near and dear to us, “the man in the iron lung” and FriesenPress author Paul Alexander typed his entire manuscript one letter at a time with a pen in his mouth. Talk about perseverance!
While there are plenty of authors who still draft their novels with notebook and pen, we’d like to highlight some tools that can make drafting your
novel easier if handwriting or typing may not be accessible. And once the book is written, we also want to touch on things all authors can do to make sure readers of all kinds can engage with your text.
Accessibility writing tools
While data entry services (such as those offered by FriesenPress) can support authors who have hand-written or old typewritten hard copies that they need transcribed into a live digital format, other aspiring authors need help getting the words on the page in the first place.
Customized software and hardware is available, from “dark mode” or large font settings that make screen reading easier on the eyes to braille keyboards and dyslexia-friendly fonts. Depending on your needs, there is likely an assistive tool out there that can make your drafting experience more accessible.
Here we’ll focus on a few that can be useful to all authors.
Dictation software
For authors who want to literally “tell”
their story, writers who struggle with typing, those with visual disabilities. Using any kind of keyboard may be a significant challenge for some authors. Dictation or speech-totext software may provide a useful solution. Options like Windows Speech, Microsoft Word’s Dictate feature, or the Dictation tool on Apple devices are available by default on all newer computer models. These enable you to click the record button and start speaking; the software then uses your computer’s microphone to transcribe your spoken words in real time.
You’ll need to be able to speak clearly and to verbally organize your thoughts to make the most of these tools. As far as this technology has come, they may still stumble over homophones, colloquialisms, or conlang (created language) names or terms. You’ll need to review what it has typed on your behalf to make corrections as needed, but these reviews should limit the amount of use needed on a mouse or keyboard. Depending on the nature of your project, you might consider recording each chapter in a separate document to more easily organize your content later. You can also consider recording a spelling guide for names that the software misspells to aid your editor in correcting.
Read aloud software
For authors who want to hear how their text sounds, writers with visual impairments, those with attention deficit disorders.
Conversely, if you have difficulty reviewing what’s on the screen, text-to-speech or “read aloud” software reads what’s on the page to you through your computer’s speakers. Both Microsoft Word and Apple’s Pages include this feature as a default. Like the dictation equivalents, they are generally reliable, but they may struggle with the pronunciation of certain words or formatting choices. Poetry, for instance, is likely to sound very disjointed when read aloud through this software.
However, the fact that the machine is not human can provide invaluable clues to places where your writing may need some revision. Overly long sentences will wind up with awkward reading breaks. Repetition of the same sentence structure or length or even of close-repetition of the same word will jump out auditorily when your tired eyes may not have noticed.
You’ll be able to adjust the reading voice, accent, and speed to suit your audio-processing preferences. For those who are able to see the screen but find “subtitles” helpful for comprehension, playing the read aloud while visually reading along with the text can also help you catch errors like homophones, duplicated words, or missing letters or words. Scan-
ning along in this way also enables you to make edits as you go. Simply click to other sections of the document for further review (such as for citations or footnotes).
Cloud-based word processors
For authors on the go, writers squeezing drafting into busy schedules, middle-of-the-night ideas, and those working from their phones or tablets.
Software like Dabble Writer or Google Docs enable authors to have easy access to a live document that they can add to, edit, and export to Word’s docx format when ready. These cloud-based word processors can be accessed from any computer or smartphone with an Internet connection, which prevents a writer from needing to copy a document between machines — and worse, possibly overwrite the wrong copy of the file in the process. By logging into your working document, you can jot down ideas as they strike. These services also provide offline modes for when you don’t have an active Internet connection and sync once you’re again online. And if you’re working with a co-author, these softwares also provide the option to invite your fellow writer (or reviewer) to the document to either draft together or leave notes that you can review and implement as you see fit.
Keep in mind, these word processors are stripped back compared to Microsoft’s Word or Apple’s Pages and lack the features necessary for complex formatting, citations, and cross-referencing. For those who are less familiar with traditional word processors or less confident with computers, their simplicity can be easier to learn how to use. If using them on a smartphone, you can even use a stylus to tap the keys rather than needing to use a full keyboard.
Accessibility for readers
While print trade books are still the most popular reading format, you can broaden your book’s reach by offering additional formats or special editions that make your text more accessible to readers who, for various reasons, don’t engage well with traditional print formats. Here we’ll cover the alternate ways readers can engage with books. Not all of these formats may feel suitable, depending on your subject matter and intended readers, but we hope you’ll think more broadly about your design and promotions choices to see if there might be a segment of your audience who is currently underserved.
Audiobooks
Audiobooks are the fastest growing segment of the book industry for a reason. They make books accessible to people who struggle with print reading, including those with dyslexia, visual impairments, memory issues, or who cannot hold the book in their hands
WRITING TOOLS
when they have reading time. This enables some readers to engage with your book while multitasking (such as helping them get through their chores or commute). For others, it engages different areas of the brain, which can improve comprehension and retention. Not every subject will work well as an audiobook—a math textbook full of complex equations, for instance—but most general audience books make the transition very well. The oldest storytelling tradition is an oral one, after all. Difficult vocabulary is often easier to parse when spoken aloud, emotional inflection in the voice connects more deeply to the listener, and many audiobooks can incorporate song, verse, or sound effects to create fully immersive experiences. Readers can also adjust the reading speed to customize this format to their auditory processing needs.
The narrator plays a big part, of course. Memoirs, self-help, and expert nonfiction have more weight with readers when read by their authors. A human connection is made between the author and reader. For fiction, voice talent can bring to life characters, drama, and suspense in ways that provide a richer experience than simply reading the words on the page. In both cases, real human performances are more engaging than read aloud or AI-narration as they are able to properly use inflection, rises and falls in volume, and proper pronunciation.
Flowable eBooks
While e-readers strive to mimic the physical book equivalent as much as possible, the digital nature of these devices provides unique advantages for readers who struggle with print books. Aside from the devices typically being more compact and lighter than print books (especially hardcovers), they can also allow readers to customize their reading experience. However, this is only possible with flowable eBook formats. Books that rely on a strict layout, like cookbooks, textbooks, or children’s picture books, won’t work in this format. Their fixed eBook formats are much less flexible, but they still offer the benefit of allowing authors to zoom into pages to better see details or read the text. However, readers who use screen reader software may find this experience jumbled and overwhelming.
Setting up eBooks with a flowable format allows the text to “flow” to fit any screen size—such as the difference between a smartphone and tablet—rather than using strict page sizes. Readers can then adjust settings for their personal needs. This includes being able to increase the font size, change the screen brightness or background colour, and sometimes even replace fonts with easier-to-read alternatives. These devices can also be navigated with a stylus or one or two fingers, which may be easier for those
with limited mobility. Today’s readers expect book releases to also offer an eBook version, so talk with your designer about ways to set up your eBook file for maximum reader accessibility.
Plain language
The plain language movement is an effort to use simpler language to ensure that reader comprehension is optimized, especially for those individuals with a lower level of reading comprehension due to a variety of socioeconomic factors. Using a smaller vocabulary and simpler sentence structure alongside sparser design choices and easy-to-read (or dyslexic-friendly) fonts make a book easier to read — not only for those with disabilities but also for everyone else, too. While it may not be suitable for all books to be presented in plain language format, consider your audience. If you aim to attract readers with less formal education, English as an additional language, younger or much older readers, or those with disabilities, consider ways to simplify the information you’re presenting to make your book more inviting and easier to follow.
One place plain language has been gaining steam is in government and administrative writing. People of all categories are much better able to absorb information and follow instructions when plain language has been used. So, if you’re working on a nonfiction, self-help, how-to, workbook, or a memoir for marginalized communities, using plain language might be a smart choice.
Large-print formats
For readers with visual or cognitive impairments, large-print format books lower the visual load by having more negative space on the page, such as wider margins, larger font sizes, and simpler page designs. Generally, any text set at a 14 pt or larger is considered a large-print format. Some distributors allow these editions to be flagged as large-print format books, which can help bring your book up in search results for readers looking for more accessible books.
Unless your target audience is primarily those who need large-print formats, it’s unlikely this design style will be your primary edition. However, if your book covers topics like disabilities, education, aging, or impairments to vision, cognition, or memory — you might want to take these readers’ needs into consideration.
You can always release a custom edition of your book (with its own ISBN) in a large-print format alongside your standard edition. With the majority of books not offering this format, you’ll stand out from competitors by making your work more accessible to a wider cross-section of readers.
Translations
While all of this advice has been specific to English-language books, there are many reasons to consider including multiple languages in your book or producing a translation of your English-language book in other languages. The specific language(s) you select will depend on your subject matter and region. If you’re a Canadian author, consider a French edition; if American, consider a Spanish edition. Each language offered potentially opens your book up to wider — and international — markets. If you’re a bilingual author, you can translate your own work into the next language. If you’re not fluent, however, it’s crucial to work with a professional translator to ensure your text makes sense in its new language. Colloquial phrases, formality levels, and regional dialects make online translation services (like Google Translate) unreliable. For example, try translating “it’s raining cats and dogs” into another language; you’re probably going to wind up with a literal translation that makes no sense to native speakers of that language! Or, your book might include multiple languages in order to teach readers vocabulary in other languages. Multi-language books are most common in education, where English words, phrases, or even full narratives are presented alongside their coun-
terpart in another language. Here, font choices will be crucial, especially in languages that use accented characters not present in English. Not all fonts support these characters, so you’ll want to work with your designer to ensure all the script appears correctly. Other options, like colour-coding each language presented, might be a good option — but colour interior books have higher production costs to take into account.
In short, there are plenty of options to improve both your writing and reading experiences. Consider which options might make the most sense for your book and its readers. By making books accessible for those with different reading needs, you make them more accessible to everyone. And that’s the best way to reach a broader audience.
Astra Crompton is a writer and illustrator with 20 years of experience in self-publishing. Her short stories have been published in magazines, anthologies, and used in school curriculums. She has taught courses and written articles on creative writing for five years. As Editing & Illustrations Coordinator, Astra also manages, coordinates, and vets FriesenPress’s industry-leading editing and illustrations teams.
SPOOKY STORIES SHOWCASE a LOOK AT SOME SCARY
NEW
TALES
One Hand Screaming
Author: Mark Leslie
“Silent screams bounce around my head like an impending storm, brewing into a force that will escape in a wild dance of chaos and be lost forever if I don’t stop to write them down.”
For centuries, philosophers have pondered the Zen Buddhist koan: “What is the sound of one hand clapping?” What, then, is the sound of one hand screaming? Within this book you will find . . . a bookstore that keeps more than dusty old tomes on its shelves . . . a phantom limb that can reach into the next world . . . the exquisite taste of a book-aged skull . . . a comic that colors people’s lives with terror . . . graves unable to hold their wares . . . a collector of haunted artifacts who gets more than he bargains for . . . a deserted northern highway that brings back a man’s worst childhood fears . . . bogeymen, anthropomorphic terrors, and more . . .
In 2004 Mark Leslie released his first collection of chilling fiction and disturbing poetry and bound them in a volume called One Hand Screaming. Twenty years later, a special anniversary edition that is more than twice the size of the first edition includes all the original tales plus new ones along with all original stories crafted specifically for this volume. Includes previously published award nominees alongside all new original and never-before published works. This haunting collection of tales is sure to bring a delicious shiver to any fan of The Twilight Zone, Amazing Stories, and Black Mirror.
For more information: https://onehandscreaming.com
THE BONE KEY
Author: Mary Rajotte
THE BONE KEY by Mary Rajotte tells the story of shape-shifting witches and the hunters who desire the power of the coven. Valeria wishes only to hone her craft and shift like her fellow witches, but foreboding omens and the death of her best friend have her seeking refuge away from her mother’s coven. As she delves into darker magic, she finds her strength, but the hunters who killed her father have returned to finish what they began long ago, seeking the Elixir that gives the witches their transformative power.
For more information: https://thecrowshoppe.com/products/the-bone-key
Island of the Unclaimed
Author: Alyson Hasson
Sybil never imagined leaving her home in London. Her entire life was spent scraping the bottom of the barrel, sneaking scraps and making do with what little money her brother Walter could smuggle back to them from Nassau. But as time passes and the last delivery from her brother becomes more distant, she soon realizes that she might finally be on her own. Left with nothing but a heading and a broken compass, she ventures into unknown waters. The book is a gothic historical horror story.
For more information: www.hedonebooks.com
Dead Men’s Chests
Author: William Sterling
It is a favorite pastime in Southern Louisiana taverns to speak of the Dread Pirate LaBelle and his cursed treasure. In hushed tones and careful whispers, drunken storytellers regale the interested with descriptions of a sinking ship and LaBelle’s cursed treasures lost among the marshes.
For Trevor, these stories are more than just rumors. Trevor thinks that he’s tracked down the map to LaBelle’s final resting place, and a guide who is brazen enough to take them there. With the first puzzle piece to a centuries-long riddle is in his grasp, Trevor and his friends expect the adventure of a lifetime.
But there’s a reason that LaBelle’s treasure has never been found. And old, dead pirates don’t like to tell their tales.
For more information: www.hedonebooks.com
Sunbathers
Author: Lindz McLeod
Sin is hot but purity is blistering. Hordes of cannibalistic sun-vampires rule the daylight hours, forcing the remaining humans to adapt to a grubby, nocturnal existence. When she sacrifices everything to become a Sunbather, queer Soph discovers that the heterosexual commune is not the glowing paradise she’d hoped for, and her new immortal body still yearns for womanflesh. After discovering that the Sunbathers are building a solar lamp that will enable them to walk in permanent light, Soph must decide if she’s willing to doom what’s left of humanity just to finally fit in.
For more information: www.hedonebooks.com
The Flesh of the Sea
Author: Lor Gislason and Shelley Lavigne
June 25th, 1760
Jean-Baptiste,
Before I begin, I want to assure you that I am fine—in fact, you could say I am in quite good spirits considering recent events! I’m afraid I found myself in quite the predicament—but it’s been sorted out now. My ship was boarded by a group of what I soon learned were pirates…
After Wilford Bowen is denied entry into the Royal Society of London, he sets off on a mission to discover natural marvels and earn his place in the scientific community. But his mission is off to a rocky start when he’s kidnapped by pirates, encounters parasitic wasps, and a host of other incredible Eldritch creatures. On the high seas, Wilford will need to find support within his new crew, survive dangerous encounters, collect scientific evidence of impossible beasts, all while tangling with his own complicated feelings for the friend he left behind: Jean Baptiste de Beaupré. With every new discovery, a new mystery is unveiled and Wilford is left wondering if the greatest secret is perhaps what is hiding in the treasure room.
For more information: www.hedonebooks.com
Skin Thief
Author: Suzan Palumbo
The stories in this collection of dark fantasy and horror short stories grapple with the complexities of identity, racism, homophobia, immigration, oppression and patriarchy through nature, gothic hauntings, Trinidadian folklore and shape shifting. At the heart of the collection lie the questions: how do we learn to accept ourselves? How do we live in our own skin?
For more information: www.neonhemlock.com/books/skin-thief-suzan-palumbo
WRITING COMPETITIONS
CIP FLASH FICTION CONTEST
Deadline TO SUBMIT: OCTOBER 31, 2024
https://canadianindependentpublishers.ca/the-cip-flashfiction-contest-is-open-for-submissions/
WRITER’S DIGEST POETRY Competition
Deadline TO SUBMIT: NOVEMBER 1, 2024 www.writersdigest.com
WRITER’S DIGEST SHORT STORY Competition
Deadline TO SUBMIT: NOVEMBER 15, 2024 www.writersdigest.com
NEXT GENERATION INDIE BOOK AWARDS
Deadline TO SUBMIT: FEBRUARY 13, 2025
www.indiebookawards.com
NEXT GENERATION SHORT STORY AWARDS
Deadline TO SUBMIT: FEBRUARY 27, 2025
www.shortstoryawards.com
