On Support for Independent Presses
Books from the big publishing companies might be dominating the bookstores these days, but we are happy to report that Nonna’s Book of Mysteries is receiving more than its share of press. With the ink barely dry, Mary Osborne’s Renaissance historical won two awards—grand prize at the Paris Book Festival and best teen book at the San Francisco Book Festival. http://www.parisbookfestival.com/winners_2009.html
http://sanfranciscobookfestival.com/winners_2010.htm
Another pleasant surprise was inclusion of Nonna’s Book of Mysteries in the Chicago Sun-Times book critic’s list of summer reading recommendations.  Read “One Summer One Chicago” to see the complete list of 12 books selected by Teresa Budasi. http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/2329738,summer-reading-preview-053010.article
Amazon has also been friendly to the book. Harriet Klausner and other top reviewers handed out 5 out of 5 stars. The Midwest Book Review, which makes an effort to notice independent presses, gave Nonna’s Book a five star rating.
http://genregoroundreviews.blogspot.com/2010/05/nonnas-book-of-mysteries-mary-osborne.html
http://www.midwestbookreview.com/sbw/jun_10.htm#Fiction
Look for a review of Osborne’s book in the September/October issue of ForeWord Reviews by Alicia Sondhi and numerous blogs including
http://historyandwomen.blogspot.com/2010/05/book-review-nonnas-book-of-mysteries-by.html
Not a bad start for a first time author and Chicago’s newest independent press. Nonna’s Book of Mysteries is available at Barnes & Noble, local bookstores, and on Amazon.
To show your support for Nonna’s Book of Mysteries and independent publishers everywhere, please consider rating the book on Goodreads.com or Amazon.com:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7951985-nonna-s-book-of-mysteries
Lake Street Press News
Welcome to Lake Street Press, “Voices and Light from the City.” Located in Chicago, our independent press is committed to publishing beautiful and inspiring books by Midwestern authors. We are a boutique publisher, each of our books is a work of art—hand-crafted, thoughtfully designed, written to delight and inform you, our readers!
We live in an era of mass production, where fewer and fewer produce more and more. In this environment, choices dwindle, and an atmosphere of “sameness” prevails. Travel the country, and you can easily eat at the same restaurants and shop at the same stores from coast to coast. You can also read the same books—which are sold by one of the big publishing houses who strive to discern what is “hot” and what will sell. In our opinion, the big houses fail to offer readers the variety of choices they deserve. In the tradition of Ben Franklin, who opened his own print shop at the age of 22, Lake Street Press is determined to publish what is true, heartfelt, and uplifting.
There are no packaged titles, no books created by committees, here. There are just a few really good books written by individuals who have spent years and years crafting their tales, honing their message, and who speak to you from the heart.
You will not find one of the usual vampire stories on our list—rather you will find NONNA’S BOOK OF MYSTERIES. This is the story of fourteen year-old Emilia Serafini whose quest to become a painter in Renaissance Italy is guided by her grandmother’s book of alchemy. Our enthusiasm for this magical book is shared by Newberry Award winner Karen Cushman, bestselling author Sonia Choquette, and many others reviewers.
You can pre-order NONNA’S BOOK OF MYSTERIES at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com, or on our website. In June, the book will be available at your local bookstore. You can read excerpts from the book and learn more about Mary Osborne’s Alchemy Series at http://www.mysticfiction.com.
For those who seek balance in their busy, often stressful lives, Jillian Maas Backman’s book, BEYOND THE PEWS, will offer insight and practical guidance. An intuitive and award winning radio personality, Maas Backman offers a fresh, uplifting, and powerful message. BEYOND THE PEWS will be released next spring. TIME’S UP author and violence expert Susan Murphy Milano calls it an “astounding book” which is “destined to transform countless lives.” Learn more about Jillian at http://www.jillianmaasbackman.com.
Also on our list is a fascinating book about director John Ford. Author and iconographer Joseph Malham tells the story of the “Poet in the Desert,” who brought John Wayne and the wonders of Monument Valley to the cinema. Malham presents an uncommon biography of the great director, weaving careful analysis of the director’s personal life and spiritual faith with details of his famous films.
Learn more about our highly original list and dynamic authors at http://www.lakestreetpress.com. We look forward to bringing you a few extraordinary and uplifting reads!
