East Sierra (In-Person): The Birth of a Book

RIDGE WRITERS PRESENT THE BIRTH OF A BOOK – MAY 5

Author Danny Nielsen and publisher/editor Jennifer Crittenden will discuss the origin and process of their collaboration to bring Straight Flossin’ and Other Stories of the American West into the world, at the Ridge Writers May 5 meeting, starting 6:30 pm in the meeting room of Ridgecrest Presbyterian Church, 633 W. Las Flores. Masks requested. Public welcome. Admission free.

Straight Flossin’ is a collection of creative nonfiction essays about Niesen’s experiences working in desert landscapes, both for pleasure and for his doctoral work in Environmental Science. The essays range from hair-raising stories about skunks and fires to philosophical musings about the American Dream, water, and environmental damage. The lovely illustrations in the book were drawn by Nielsen’s wife, Sunny Noel Sawyer.

Straight Flossin’ is Nielsen’s first book and the eighth book published by Whistling Rabbit Press, Crittenden’s boutique publishing company. After publishing her own books, Crittenden wanted to use Whistling Rabbit Press to produce other worthy books by shepherding them through the same process and using some of the same vendors she had used.

It was important to her personally to protect the authors from some of the predatory or flawed practices she had seen from other publishers or author service companies. Whistling Rabbit Press uses a “traditional publishing” model in that all financial risk is assumed by the publisher, and the author is not expected to pay to be published. Other financial details will be reviewed during this evening conversation.

Crittenden and Nielsen will share their discoveries from working under this model and offer takeaways for audience members about writing, editing, publishing, and how they can have a positive experience publishing their own book.

Ridge Writers (ridgewriters@yahoo.com) is the East Sierra Branch of the 113-year-old California Writers Club (calwriters.org). The CWC traces its roots back to Jack London in the Bay Area and how has 22 branches throughout the state.