Publishing Australian Authors

We publish some unusual and out-of-the-way books, and publishing can involve anything from little more than registering an ISBN etc, setting up and printing, with the output delivered wholly to the author who pays the whole bill there and then, to the full range of editing, layout, printing, with us taking the risk and paying royalties to an author. In general terms, a first-time author goes down the first path, but IB Publications' other divisions will usually take on the marketing, purchase back from the author the large part of the output, and in all respects act like any other distributor. For an established author, we act like any other publisher, accepting one in every dozen or so MSS(!) and generally making the authors' lives a misery.
We like to have unsolicited MSS to look over, but we say that guardedly! We like them to fit the following broad specifications:
1 - they should be aimed mainly at Waldorf school children or their parents, and written in English (and we emphasize: correct spelling, careful grammar, excellent syntax are all-important), although we do not refuse material written in other languages with an English translation - not necessarily for publication;
2 - they should have illustrations ready where suitable, or if the author wants us to arrange for illustrator services, then the author must be prepared to pay up front for these;
3 - the author should preferably send us 2/3 chapters only to start with, and also a brief synopsis of the remainder of the work - its length (nn,000 words) should be quoted;
4 - the author should not send originals, only copies, because we won't send them back unless you enclose a stamped and addressed package,
5 - and do, please, PLEASE, send them to us in MS Word, or Nisus Express, with full styling - anything less can be accepted, BUT the author will be charged conversion costs if we decide to publish. MSS sent on floppy discs will NOT, under any circumstances, be accepted, but works sent on CD will, subject to virus clearance.
6 - You can send material to us for inspection on immortal@airwebconnect.com.au. Send it already cleared for virus protection: if it isn't so cleared it will be rejected before we get it. But please be aware that we have a long backlog of work now, and it is not likely that we can accept anything for publishing prior to 2007.
Should you or we consider that the work will be advantaged by illustrations, our illustrators will also consider the work, and make contact with the author. Or the author may have an illustrator. Either way, we do not get involved in the financial arrangements: they are between author and illustrator.

The first read-through, and the notes that result from it which are sent to the author, are free of charge, if the submitted book or part-book meets the broad specifications.

The books we have presently published, and are available on this website, are
1 - Land Behind the World by Anne Spencer Parry, illustrated by Kim Gamble
2 - Poems of the Spirit by David Cowen
3 - Mists of the Magic Cauldron by Lancia Hutchinson, self-illustrated
4 - Garden of Light by Susan Perrow, illustrated by Eleni Mann
5 - Etats d'Ame by Irina Spinadel, illustrated
6 - Zarathustra by Averil Fink and Elizabeth Baxendale
7 - Knocking Door Tree Forest and Other Bangalow Tales by Susan Perrow, illustrated by Eleni Mann
8 - Gifts from the Sea by Susan Perrow - the long awaited second edition of this acclaimed children's book, illustrated
9 - Natasha and the Golden Ball: Stories from the Riverbed by Esther Theiler. This is copiously illustrated by Jenny Nestor and is well worth the wait.
10 - Winter Crow by Jeremy Nelson - heart-rending poetry about the Shoah illustrated by John Walker
..... and work in progress at various stages includes
11 - Under the Ghost Gum Tree by Pam Whitehead (for early 2008) possibly illus
12 - Runes of the Cosmic Tree by Adeshua David, another book to be illustrated by Jenny Nestor (probably ready late 2007 or early 2008) possibly illus
13 - Pillar of Salt - David Wansbrough's tour de force to be reprinted in 2007.
14 - Spontaneous Acts of Love (working title) by Jane Hanckel (probably ready by late 2007) possibly illus
15 - Timelands Chronicles by Debra Simpson ready by late 2007
16 - The Fairy Dragons of Rainbow Mountain by Margaret Wylie (probably ready by late 2007 or early 2008) self-illus
17 - Lost Souls of the Twilight, Crown of Darkness, and Crown of Light by Anne Spencer Parry, to be published in 2008/09 possibly as an omnibus edition
..... and we are considering publication probably but not necessarily in that order!