As as small book publisher, I’ve watched the transition in book production from pasteup to pdfs, book sales from independent stores to Amazon, and the trends in how people, particularly those under 40, get information these days.  It’s not often the printed book.

So the sales of the last few books we’ve published have languished -- not because the books were not well-done and packed with good information -- but because much of the information was available online.  So, our traveling lifestyle for the last few months has given me pause to think through where Vitesse Press is going as a business.  First of all, we are going to publish our first “memoir” style book this spring and focus on author promotion and sales.  Secondly, we are going to continue to convert our backlist to eBook format through Amazon and MindsetSports and use those venues as a conduit for many future sales.  And we’ll focus on guidebooks or local/regional guides that do not face as much online competition.

Of course, Mary and I in our travels have joined the electronic book wave.  She has a Kindle and has bought a number of new fiction releases from Amazon.  I use my iPhone as a Kindle and being thrifty (cheap?), have downloaded a number of free classics that I read before -- such books as White Fang, Last of the Mohicans, The Last Trail (Zane Grey), and Treasure Island.  Presently I’m scrolling through Twain’s Life on the Mississippi.

It’s not easy to find books while traveling as we do.  Hardly any towns have independent bookstores and if they do, where do you park a travel trailer?  You can’t order online and have book shipped because you never have a mailing address other than general delivery.

I’ve bought two real books this trip.  One is a history of Big Bend which I should have passed on -- it was pretty dry and hadn’t been updated in decades.  But the other, a “Where to Find Birds in the Rio Grande Valley” title, has been invaluable.  I’ve gone to it many times, underlined, notated - done all the things you can do to a good reference book.  Try that with an eBook!  So I’m convinced that there is, and will be, a place for books like this that contain information that is current, helpful, and not available elsewhere.

Got such a book in your computer?  We might be interested.

Have you got - or are you getting - a Kindle?  We have some of our titles available as eBooks through Amazon.com.  There's a money-back guarantee so take a look.  We'll be putting some of our vintage cycling titles up soon.

Save 30% off suggested retail price.

 

 

 

  Fit & Pregnant - Kindle ebook

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

Fit Family - Kindle ebook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cycling Along the Canals of New York State - Kindle ebook

 

 

 

 

 

 

Canoe Racing - Kindle ebook

 

 

 

 

We are always looking for new book projects which fit into our niche.  Particularly, we are interested in regional cycling or hiking titles which will have the potential for ongoing sales.  We do not publish fiction, children's books, or travel stories -- our focus is on how-to fitness books.  We like to work with authors early in the process so that not only do we start off with clear expectations (no, you’re not probably getting on Oprah) but also jointly develop a product that will be commercially successful. We look at publishing as a partnership involving ourselves and the author.  Although it states in our publishing contract that we reserve the right to make the final decision on the selling price, cover design, etc, we always work closely with authors throughout the project.

Basic Material
Tell us what the book is about in a few paragraphs. Why is it important that such a book be published?  When you submit a proposal, it should not only have a summary of the work, a table of contents, and perhaps a sample chapter, but you should outline your qualifications and knowledge of the market.  What’s the audience?  What’s the competition?  What do you plan to do as an author to promote the book.  It’s essential that authors recognize that their role in marketing, along with excellent writing and content, is the key to successful book projects.

Existing Books
If you are the author of a fitness book that’s finished its publication run and your publisher has no plans to go back to print, run it by us if you feel it still has commercial appeal.  We sometimes revive dormant books that have a market -- as a small publisher we can live with small steady sales if the book is still viable.

The Package
I recommend email queries to dick@vitessepress.com with enough information to make a decision on whether to explore the project in more detail.  There’s no need to send the whole book but err on the side of too much rather than too little.  Anything additional you can tell such as whether you have maps or photos, how far the manuscript is along, what the page count is, helps us get a sense of how ready to go you are.

So, look over our short list of titles.  Do you have a book that might fit?  Let us know.