A People's Guide to Publishing

The punks, despite all the best efforts of society and time, are still kicking around, and we love that for them/us. 

This week on the pod, J. Hunter Bennett, author of "More Punk than the Public Library," joins Joe and Elly to talk about middle-aged punk life, starting a little free punk rock library during the pandemic outside his house on a well-trafficked corner of Chevy Chase, D.C., and more.

Get J. Hunter Bennett's book and zines here: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/artist/j-hunter-bennett

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Where would we be without our lovely warehouse staff? (Lost, confused, bookless, most likely.)

This week on the pod, join Joe and Elly as they talk about our warehouses, how they work, and the hardworking systems nerds that keep it going. 

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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If you're keeping up with publishing news at all, you've undoubtedly heard about the "Shy Girl" controversy, where Mia Ballard's book was pulled by the publisher after claims it was written by AI.

More and more stories like this are hitting the feeds all the time, from authors to book reviewers. What does this mean for the industry, and are AI detectors even reliable? 

Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back on the pod this week with Joe and Elly to talk about the AI buzz!

Want more industry insights from Jane? Check out The Bottom Line at https://janefriedman.com/

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Throwback time! This week on the pod, we're revisiting an old-school episode, where Joe and Elly report back after helping out on the shipping floor. 

Did our systems hold up? What did they learn in the process? (Spoiler alert: A bit!)

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Maureen Karb is a field sales rep and with Como Sales, a rep group that focuses on indie publishers selling to indie bookstores. Because of what she does, Maureen has a great knowledge and perspective on what's new and trending at bookstores.

From romantasy and horror to new types of bookstores opening all over the country, this week on the pod, join Maureen, Joe, and Elly to talk about what's hot (and what's not) in book world.

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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It's been said more and more frequently that reviews from trade publications don't sell books the way they used to. Why is that, and what DOES sell books? 

This week on the pod, Jane Friedman of the Bottom Line is back to talk with Joe and Elly about the movement away from book critique to book content, what book reviews are good for, and what, if anything, they can do to help sell books.

For more valuable insights about the book industry from Jane, check out The Bottom Line: https://janefriedman.com/about-the-bottom-line-by-jane-friedman/

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Danny Caine, author of "How to Resist Amazon and Why", "How to Protect Bookstores and Why", and the new "How to Defend Books and Why" is a writer, speaker, and former bookstore owner. 

This week on the podcast, join Danny, Elly, and Joe as they talk about the interplay of book bans and freedom movements the world over, how you can defend books, and the work and the conversations and interviews that shaped "How to Defend Books."

Get Danny's books on the Microcosm website, or your local indie bookstore!
https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/artist/danny-caine

To find out more about book bans and challenges, visit https://www.ala.org/bbooks

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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At this point, most of us are familiar with checking the air quality when we go outside during certain times of the year, or ventilating when using chemicals or it's the flu season. But how familiar are you with the air in your home on a day to day basis? From radon, ozone, particulate matter, and more, there's a lot you can do to keep breathing easy, and we've got a book to help!

This week on the podcast, "Air Self-Care Handbook" author Melissa Wrolstad joins Joe & Elly to talk about development of the book and how to take care of your air.

Get "The Air Self-Care Handbook" here: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/987

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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For over 10 years, Elly has been publishing a series called "Bikes in Space," full of joyfully feminist (and often queer) genre short stories ON BIKES.

One of our longest term contributors is Summer Jewel Keown, who also edited the most recent edition, "What Rides at Night"

This week on the pod, Elly and Summer have a chat about bikes, the Bikes in Space selection process, and queer Halloween.

Check out all the Bikes in Space books Summer has contributed to! 
https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/artist/summer-jewel-keown/

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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Book awards! There are a lot of them out there. Our books have even won a couple!

But are they success indicators? Does a book or author winning an award mean anything for the publisher? How can a publisher use an award in their marketing?

Jane Friedman of The Bottom Line is back to chat with Elly and Joe about awards, cash grabs, and the array of experiences out there.

Check out "The Bottom Line" here: https://janefriedman.com/the-bottom-line-janes-publishing-industry-newsletter/

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Thank you for catching the People's Guide to Publishing vlogcast!  We post new episodes every Thursday about publishing, authors, and the book industry. You can also listen via your preferred podcast app, or by visiting linktree.com/microcosm

Get the book: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/books/3663
Get the workbook: https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/10031

More from Microcosm: http://microcosmpublishing.com
More by Joe Biel: http://joebiel.net
More by Elly Blue: http://takingthelane.com

Subscribe to our monthly email newsletter: http://eepurl.com/gIXT6v

Find us on social media:
Facebook: http://facebook.com/microcosmpublishing
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/microcosm.bsky.social
Instagram: http://instagram.com/microcosm_pub
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