Small Press Seeks Support
Donation protected
You can make all the difference.
Independent publishing ensures that you can select books from a wide range of authors - new, emerging, regional, and so many more. Amphorae is proud to be part of this great work bringing these books to you so you can buy them at your local bookstore or retailer. Like so many small businesses though, we are struggling. Your donation today will help to keep a diversity of books available. Your donation today supports not just one small publisher, but independent publishing and independent bookstores. Your donation today will make all difference.
Thank you for your help and your support.
Lisa, Kristy, and Laura
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About Amphorae: Small Press | Big Books
a veteran- and women-owned business
In 2014, Kristina Blank Makansi and Lisa Miller embarked on a publishing journey together. Forging a new company— Amphorae Publishing Group —from Kristina's already established Blank Slate Press and Treehouse imprints and Lisa's Walrus Publishing, St. Louis's first multi-genre literary publishing house was formed.
From its beginning, Blank Slate Press (BSP)—and now Amphorae—has been dedicated to putting authors first and has consistently been recognized for the care and quality of editing, interior layout, and cover design. BSP's very first book won the prestigious Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book: Fiction. Since that first award, multiple titles from Amphorae have been recognized for excellence every single year.
From local to regional to national
With early assistance from St. Louis's local writing community (big shout-out to Brad Cook!) and amazing regional authors, and with the acquisition of Goldminds Publishing, Amphorae has now grown to almost 200 titles from authors across the country. From experts in education and autism to retired foreign service officers, journalists, travel and science writers, and amazing memoirists and novelists, Amphorae's authors are second to none.
Now, in 2021, Kristy and Lisa, joined by publishing veteran Laura Robinson, continue to work hard to put authors first—even as we continue to work full-time day jobs.
But now, we need your help
Like many small businesses, Amphorae is in trouble. The publishing market was already vulnerable, and the current crisis has amplified existing problems for booksellers, distributors, and small publishers like us.
Returns are as high as 40% even as our distributor reports that sales are down roughly 70%. Overall sales forecasts have been lowered to reflect a further predicted drop of 50% in the second quarter, 25% in the third quarter, and 10% in the fourth.
Because we don't draw salaries, we can't furlough ourselves or cut our pay to save money. The bottom line is that we are no longer selling enough books to meet our obligations—even with our continuing personal financial contributions to the business.
That's why we're turning to you
Ideally, Amphorae would be able to weather the pandemic storm by selling more books to the millions of readers sheltering at home. Almost all our titles are available in ebook format and we're actively moving toward making audio our primary format focus. But we're not there yet. So with printing bills unpaid and unsold (or returned) books sitting on warehouse shelves, we're turning to you for help.
To maintain viability going forward, we're asking for $10,000 from the community of authors and readers and friends who support small presses, independent publishing, and amazingly talented authors.
We have a plan
We have a business model in place that positions us well for the future of publishing. Emphasizing ebooks and audio books, we believe we can continue to excel as a small press that publishes big books. Your donation to this campaign will enable us to implement that plan.
We have faith in the community of writers and readers and know that there will always be a great yearning for stories well told. With your help, we hope to continue telling them.
Stay home. Stay safe. Stay well.
Lisa, Kristina, Laura
Independent publishing ensures that you can select books from a wide range of authors - new, emerging, regional, and so many more. Amphorae is proud to be part of this great work bringing these books to you so you can buy them at your local bookstore or retailer. Like so many small businesses though, we are struggling. Your donation today will help to keep a diversity of books available. Your donation today supports not just one small publisher, but independent publishing and independent bookstores. Your donation today will make all difference.
Thank you for your help and your support.
Lisa, Kristy, and Laura
-----
About Amphorae: Small Press | Big Books
a veteran- and women-owned business
In 2014, Kristina Blank Makansi and Lisa Miller embarked on a publishing journey together. Forging a new company— Amphorae Publishing Group —from Kristina's already established Blank Slate Press and Treehouse imprints and Lisa's Walrus Publishing, St. Louis's first multi-genre literary publishing house was formed.
From its beginning, Blank Slate Press (BSP)—and now Amphorae—has been dedicated to putting authors first and has consistently been recognized for the care and quality of editing, interior layout, and cover design. BSP's very first book won the prestigious Bill Fisher Award for Best First Book: Fiction. Since that first award, multiple titles from Amphorae have been recognized for excellence every single year.
From local to regional to national
With early assistance from St. Louis's local writing community (big shout-out to Brad Cook!) and amazing regional authors, and with the acquisition of Goldminds Publishing, Amphorae has now grown to almost 200 titles from authors across the country. From experts in education and autism to retired foreign service officers, journalists, travel and science writers, and amazing memoirists and novelists, Amphorae's authors are second to none.
Now, in 2021, Kristy and Lisa, joined by publishing veteran Laura Robinson, continue to work hard to put authors first—even as we continue to work full-time day jobs.
But now, we need your help
Like many small businesses, Amphorae is in trouble. The publishing market was already vulnerable, and the current crisis has amplified existing problems for booksellers, distributors, and small publishers like us.
Returns are as high as 40% even as our distributor reports that sales are down roughly 70%. Overall sales forecasts have been lowered to reflect a further predicted drop of 50% in the second quarter, 25% in the third quarter, and 10% in the fourth.
Because we don't draw salaries, we can't furlough ourselves or cut our pay to save money. The bottom line is that we are no longer selling enough books to meet our obligations—even with our continuing personal financial contributions to the business.
That's why we're turning to you
Ideally, Amphorae would be able to weather the pandemic storm by selling more books to the millions of readers sheltering at home. Almost all our titles are available in ebook format and we're actively moving toward making audio our primary format focus. But we're not there yet. So with printing bills unpaid and unsold (or returned) books sitting on warehouse shelves, we're turning to you for help.
To maintain viability going forward, we're asking for $10,000 from the community of authors and readers and friends who support small presses, independent publishing, and amazingly talented authors.
We have a plan
We have a business model in place that positions us well for the future of publishing. Emphasizing ebooks and audio books, we believe we can continue to excel as a small press that publishes big books. Your donation to this campaign will enable us to implement that plan.
We have faith in the community of writers and readers and know that there will always be a great yearning for stories well told. With your help, we hope to continue telling them.
Stay home. Stay safe. Stay well.
Lisa, Kristina, Laura
Fundraising team: Amphorae Publishing Group (2)
Lisa Miller
Organizer
St Louis, MO
Laura Robinson
Team member