Hawaii Writer’s Guide
Summer Books 2011 / The Weekly appreciates local wordsmiths and those who publish them. Here’s a guide to many of the presses who encourage and foster local talent.
Bess Press Bess Press does it all–the publishing, distributing and book packaging company is currently celebrating 30 years of publishing. Bess Press releases books, maps, CD’s and pocket guides on and about Hawaii and the Pacific. Bess Press specializes in a variety of areas including non-fiction, children’s, travel, cookbooks and textbooks. Manuscript submissions should be sent to [email: submission] and include a brief cover letter about the work, title, genre, target audience, author name and contact information.
Bamboo Ridge Press Founded in 1978, Bamboo Ridge is an independent and non-profit literary press that expresses a deep appreciation for the people of Hawaii through literary arts. Bamboo Ridge considers prose and poetry for their regular issues once a year and accepts no more than 10 pages of poetry and 30 pages of prose at one time. Manuscripts should be submitted by mail.
Watermark Publishing Watermark publishes high-quality books that encapsulate Hawaii’s mixed-plate culture and island sensibility with wide-ranging genres such as travel, history, sports, music, children literature, biographical, inspirational and educational. Until further notice, Watermark is not currently accepting unsolicited manuscripts.
University of Hawaii Press Founded in 1947, University of Hawaii Press is an internationally recognized publisher for books on Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific. UH Press currently distributes 16 different journals and offers distribution for other publishers worldwide. The UH Press publishes 80 new books a year; editors accept any queries in the development and creation of a manuscript submission. The first step is to send a cover letter with a concise description of your work with a statement about your target audience.
Mutual Publishing From gardening, to lei-making, to guidebooks, to literature–Mutual Publishing produces a wide range of books on and about Hawaii. Mutual is the largest trade publisher of Hawaiiana and local interest books. Manuscript submissions must have relevance to the Hawaiian Islands, include an author bio and not exceed over 50 pages for the first submission.
Calabash Books Calabash is an imprint of Belknap Publishing & Design founded in 2007. Their focus is to publish illustrated children’s books on endangered animals, environments and cultures that fall within the Pacific Rim. Belknap Publishing & Design, established in 1987, provides co-publishing to individual authors, illustrators, private companies and non-profits. Other services include e-book production, book website development and private publishing.
Bishop Museum Press Bishop Museum Press, established as long ago as 1892, remains a leading publisher for scholarly works on Hawaii and the Pacific. Bishop Museum Press specializes in developing and producing works that celebrate Hawaii’s rich cultural history.
Tinfish Press Tinfish began in 1995 with the motivation to bridge a gap between experimental writing in the rest of the United States, with the local writing being done here in Hawaii. Tinfish Press’ refreshingly non-standard approach to writing stirs up interesting works about the Pacific Region while touching on issues like colonialism and language. Tinfish is currently on sabbatical for the year 2011 is not accepting any submissions at this time.
‘Oiwi is the first Native Hawaiian journal to be strictly dedicated to the thoughts and works of kanaka maoli (Native Hawaiians). Everyone on staff is kanaka maoli. This press’ unique dedication to preserving Hawaiian culture is exhibited by their use of including mele, oli, moolelo and reprints from Hawaiian-language newspapers.
Hawaii Review The Hawaii Review, founded in 1973, is a University of Hawaii student run publication that features fiction, poetry, interviews and essays. The publication comes out twice a year. All Manuscript submissions must be typed, double-spaced, include name, contact information, and number of words (prose) or lines (poetry) at the top right-hand corner of the first page; numbered pages; and a self-addressed, stamped envelope for reply.
Island Paradise Publishing Island Paradise Publishing caters to local illustrators and authors in the picture book genre for children. The company, established in 2000, offers publishing consultation and aims for realistic fiction told with an island-style narrative. Any picture-book manuscripts submitted must be 12–14pt. font, double spaced and sent in a business sized envelope.
Kamehameha Publishing Their mission supports Kamehameha Schools by publishing and distributing Hawaiian language, culture and community-based materials that engage learners as well as reinforce and invigorate Hawaiian cultural vitality. Tracing its roots to the schools’ very beginning, Kamehameha Publishing has produced newspapers and manuals, books and learning guides and now issues five new, revised, or reprinted publications annually. These include reference books on Hawaiian history, adult-and student-level biographies of key figures in Hawaiian history, collections of Hawaiian folklore, and curriculum materials which support the revitalizations of Hawaiian as a living spoken language.
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