Ooligan Press exists in two worlds: the world of independent presses, and the world of student presses. As an independent press, Ooligan strives to bring the stories of authors to the public, whether they are stories of imagination or stories of realities both everyday and incredible. As a student press, Ooligan has an obligation to another kind of author and another kind of story. The authors here are a group of motivated individuals and their story is one of collaboration and growth as they learn to operate in the world of publishing. Below is the blog roll where project managers tell the story of each work in progress from “Start to Finish.” You can see how the press is involved in bringing an author’s work to life, and be present for every step—every twist and turn—in the incredible journey of a published work.
Note: The project has also been featured in Publisher’s Weekly.
The Excitement and Stress of Launching Odsburg - The excitement of a book launch is a motivator for a lot of us in the publishing industry. Often years of work go into a book, and the high of finally seeing it out in the world is tough to match in one's professional life. Yes, there's a lot of stress that comes with such an occasion, but it's so very worth it.
Know Better, Do Better: Editing for Authenticity in Our Spring YA Title - Our May 2020 title faces down its darker elements—including violence, bigotry, and abuse—with both unflinching realism and hope. Importantly, it portrays the struggles of two main characters who fall under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. Because these identities do not exist as a monolith, and also because this is a book intended for a YA audience, Ooligan chose to incorporate authenticity readers (sometimes called sensitivity readers) into the editorial process.
A Worthwhile Visit from the Author of Elephant Speak - Fresh advance reader copies had their spines stretched one by one as Melissa signed first pages and gave copies away with her thanks to all the attendees, many of whom shared connections with the Asian elephants of Portland.
Odsburg: A Community Collaboration - From the beginning, the goal for Odsburg was to make this book unique, successful, and as beautifully odd as the story it contained. We all had similar ideas about where this book should end up; getting there, however, was an entirely different matter.
Announcing Elephant Speak: A Devoted Keeper’s Life Among the Herd - I'm thrilled to announce Ooligan's winter 2020 title, Elephant Speak: A Devoted Keeper's Life Among the Herd by Melissa Crandall. Scheduled for publication in March, this biography details the life of award-winning, nationally renowned elephant keeper Roger Henneous. A historical accounting of the world-famous Oregon Zoo elephants and the deep bond they developed over several decades with Roger, Elephant Speak: A Devoted Keeper's Life Among the Herd illustrates the evolution of elephant captivity, care, and conservation over the last forty years, filtered through the perspective of a keeper who grew and matured alongside these beautiful giants.