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.
Start to Finish
Know Better, Do Better: Editing for Authenticity in Our Spring YA Title
By Hazel Wright
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
By Julie Collins
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
By Marina Garcia
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
By Monique Vieu
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.
Introducing Odsburg: Finding the Surreal amongst the Everyday
By Marina Garcia
Ooligan Press is proud to announce our upcoming title: the thought-provoking, skin-crawl-inducing, non-cannibalism-condoning novel Odsburg by Matt Tompkins, to be released October 29th.