Indigo is a firm of publishing professionals dedicated to strengthening the voice and presentation o
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Indigo has been providing the best in publication services for traditional publishers and independent authors since 2006. Our services include:
Developmental Editing
Line Editing
Proofreading
Reader's Responses
Writing Consultations
Proposal Development
Publication Management
Cover Design
Interior Book Design
Ebook Conversion
Marketing Materials
Operating as usual
Save the Date: The Rose City Book & Paper Fair () is on June 16-17 in Portland, OR. Admission is $5 and is available at the door.
Rose City Book & Paper Fair The 17th annual Rose City Book & Paper Fair! June 16-17, 20231000 NE MultnomahPortland, Oregon Friday 2-8 pm & Saturday 10 am-5 pm Admission $5 at the door.Advance tickets may be purchased through Eventbrite. Follow on Facebook and Instagram for previews...
Books, books, books! đź“š
[PD: A four panel, black and white comic from https://buff.ly/3MWZcuw. Panel descriptions from upper left to bottom right corner. 1. A bug creature stands proudly in front of a bookshelf filled with books. A voice bubble from their figure reads, "Oh wow, I have so many new books. 2. The bug creature looks down at a book they're holding. Voice bubbles from their figure read, "I don't need to buy books for a long time I will just read the ones I have. Yes I will read this now. Any moment. No need for new books. 3. The bug creature hesitates and looks pensive as they hold the book. 4. The bug creature is dressed in aristocratic-style clothes with a monocle and top hat. Stars appear around them. They hold up shopping bags filled with books with words on them: "More Books" and "Even More Books." They wear a sash reading "Mayor of Failure.]
"We all know how powerful language can be. WorÂÂds can hurt or help, clarify or confuse, illuminate or invalidate. They can perpetuate oppressive structures or imagine a better world. Writers, editors, and other wordsmiths need to be particularly conscious of this power. While some style guides promote neutrality in language as a way to mitigate potential harm, the truth is that language is not neutral—every term is a choice, and every phrase has an impact.
It’s important, of course, to make sure that our writing is clear, consistent, and comprehensible, but it’s also important to..."
Collaborative Editor Sarah Currin unpacks the advantages of using the online Conscious Style Guide in "Conscious Style Guide and You: How One Website Can Help You Strengthen Your Writing and Empower Others" from our blog archives.
Read the full article here: https://buff.ly/4279UTB
Visit the Conscious Style Guide here: https://buff.ly/2MFYErU
[PD: A green and blue graphic showcasing the aforementioned blog post "Conscious Style Guide and You: How One Website Can Help You Strengthen Your Writing and Empower Others." A stock photo of a notebook and coffee mug is in center. A headshot of the writer Sarah Currin appears next to their byline at the bottom of the graphic.]
TONIGHT: Join Ali Shaw for a monthly Q&A about the publishing process, the business of writing, and the book world in general. If you have urgent questions about how your book is progressing through the publishing path, bring them!
If you've always wondered about something more obscure, like how to tell if an antique book is a first edition or what librarians do at trade shows, bring those too!
This month's session is TONIGHT, May 23, 5:30–6:30 p.m Pacific. Note the new time! Open to everyone. FREE for current Indigo clients. $10 suggested contribution for all others.
Register as a client (https://buff.ly/3EcsjEp) or a guest (https://buff.ly/3Ai1gqn) on Calendly.
Future sessions will be on Zoom on the fourth Tuesday, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Pacific. Mark your calendar:
June 27, 2023
July 25, 2023
August 22, 2023
[PD: A pastel promo graphic for the monthly publishing Q&A with the info listinged above. Ali Shaw's headshot appears in the upper left with an illustration of books below it.]
Thanks so much to Indigo client Christy Smith for the thoughtful words. We appreciate it!
Learn more about Christy's projects here: https://buff.ly/3KITYl9
[PD: An indigo and white gradient graphic with text from Christy Smith's five-star review of Indigo Editing. Text reads: "It's been an honor to work with Ali and Indigo Editing on the developmental and line edits of my book. I love how she spent equal time letting me know what resonated with her as where she found opportunities to improve. —Christy Smith, Google Review."]
Congratulations to all the winners of the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Winners. The awards honor independently published books with a copyright of 2022.
View the full list of winners here: https://buff.ly/3NDewNH
Scroll down for a list of the 35th annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award program finalists. One Gold winner was named in each category during a LIVE awards ceremony on the evening of May 5, 2023 at the Coronado Island Marriott Resort and Spa in San Diego, CA.
There aren't enough shopping totes in the world!
[PD: A meme style image with text on top and an animation screenshot on bottom. The image features Lisa Simpson on the righthand size pushing a massive cart of books toward the lefthand side of the frame. Text reads," Me: oh look a bookstore, I'll just pop in for a second, and just have a look but I can't buy anything. [bold] Me coming out of the bookstore.]
Join Ali Shaw for a monthly Q&A about the publishing process, the business of writing, and the book world in general. If you have urgent questions about how your book is progressing through the publishing path, bring them! If you've always wondered about something more obscure, like how to tell if an antique book is a first edition or what librarians do at trade shows, bring those too!
This month's session is on Zoom on May 23, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Pacific. Note the new time! Open to everyone.
FREE for current Indigo clients.
$10 suggested contribution for all others.
Register as a client (https://buff.ly/3GZUitl) or a guest (https://buff.ly/3AfnWab ) on Calendly.
Future sessions will be on Zoom on the fourth Tuesday, 5:30–6:30 p.m. Pacific. Mark your calendar:
June 27, 2023
July 25, 2023
August 22, 2023
[PD: A purple, orange, and pink promo graphic for the monthly publishing Q&A on 5/23 containing the info above. An illustration of a pen is in the upper/center righthand corner. A headshot of Ali Shaw is in the bottom lefthand corner.]
"Dystechnica," a collection of short stories by Benjamin Hermel, was published in 2020.
"Discover worlds where the wealthy travel near light speed to retain their youth, a man trades a time traveler's memories for freedom, and the joy of uncertainty is crushed by an app that monitors expressions. In these stories, disruptive technologies collide with human fallibility, and the future they create isn't the one we were promised...."
Purchase "Dystechnica" via Bookshop here: https://buff.ly/3McLhz2
[PD: An indigo graphic with large white quills on either side. In the center is cover of the aforementioned title "Dystechnica" by Benjamin Hermel.]
Imprint Bookstore and The Writers' Workshoppe in Port Townsend, WA has a tower of delights on display for this week!
[PD: A gradient graphic with a post from Imprint Bookstore in center. A photo of books stacked on a stool towers in front of more books lining shelves behind it.]
Indigo believes it is crucial to support BIPOC, disabled, and people from other marginalized populations in publishing books and pursuing careers in publishing so the industry can better represent those voices among authors, editors, designers, publicists, illustrators, audiobook narrators and producers, and readers.
Applications for the 2023 Indigo Author Diversity Scholarship award are now open. The author scholarship recipient receives $1,000 in Indigo services to help them create a book that will inspire positive change in publishing and the world.
To apply: Write an essay of up to 1,000 words about how your demographic is underrepresented in the publishing industry. What effect has that underrepresentation had on you personally and on others in your community? How does your book amplify marginalized voices and improve the book world? How would this scholarship help you reach your audience better? Also include a synopsis/summary and a five-page sample from your book. Submit all materials to [email protected] by July 15, 2023. Winner will be announced in August.
Learn more about our scholarships here: https://buff.ly/439Yd0d
[PD: A beige, blue, purple, orange, pink, and red promo graphic for the Indigo Author Diversity Scholarship listing the info above. An illustration of a piece of paper and quill are in the upper righthand corner of the graphic.]
Writer and Indigo client Nastashia Minto () will be part of the Constellation Reading Series #5 () this Thursday.
Learn more about Nastashia and her work here: https://buff.ly/3LXK669
Learn more about the Constellation Reading Series here: https://buff.ly/44U6CWa
[PD: (courtesy of Constellation Reading Series) Slide reads Nastashia Minto Thursday, May 18, 7-9pm at Tin House, all pronouns, South Georgia to Portland, eccentric, spiritual dream tender, performer, writing since 9; writing as way-finding for self and others. Photo of Nastashia with her hair down and parted in the middle, smiling.]
TONIGHT, 5/12: Ooligan Press and Literary Arts host Oregon BIPOC Publishing Event: Agent Panel:
"This event is designed for writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color to connect to the publishers and authors seeking to hear their voices.
Join us for a virtual panel discussion featuring literary agents, DongWon Song and Melanie Figueroa."
Literary Arts, Ooligan Press, and Portland State University’s English Department partner to present the Oregon BIPOC Writers Publishing Event. This event is designed for writers who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or
We never tire of a good library pun!
[PD: A one panel comic by Maria Scrivan, copyright 2022. Two cartoon-faced, anthropomorphic books, a yellow on the right and a red on the left, are hanging out in a library with stacks of books behind them. The yellow book on the left stands bemused. The red one, jumping rope, speaks in a voice bubble: "I'm improving my circulation."]
Nothing's more fun than getting the chance to share in a client's celebration! 🎉
[PD: A graphic reads "Throwback Thursday" at top with a torn paper design beneath it. A circular stamped Indigo design is in the upper righthand corner. In center, a photo of Ali Shaw smiling and posing with author Robert Ullman appears. At the bottom a graphic, appearing like paper taped on a page, bears a caption: "Author and Indigo client Robert Ullman celebrates with Executive Editor Ali Shaw at the launch of "The Gift of Policewoman" in 2018."]
INDIGO RECOMMENDS: Goodreads spotlights some "new and upcoming books from AAPI and Asian writers from around the globe" in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Check out the list here: https://buff.ly/44BV9ul
[PD: A promo graphic for Goodreads AAPI Heritage Month list.]
In this month's new blog article "Writing a Gripping Utopia," guest poster author Arwen Spicer investigates the history and context of utopian storytelling.
"In today’s increasingly dystopian reality, readers are hungry for hope, so it’s not surprising utopian fiction is making a comeback. But just what makes a good utopian story, a delight the reader will still think about years later? Let’s explore this.
Broadly speaking, a “utopia”* is an imaginary society that is either “perfect” or very good. In recent decades, however, the word “utopia” has become..."
Read the full article here: https://buff.ly/44vD2X0
[PD: An indigo and white graphic for the post listed above. A photo of a person writing in a notebook is in the lefthand side. The righthand side contains text, "New Blog Post, Writing a Gripping Utopia." A headshot of writer Arwen Spicer is below next to her byline.]
Registration for the American Library Association Annual Conference and Exhibition is open. This year's event takes place in Chicago on June 22--27. Learn more and find registration details here: https://buff.ly/3z8o4HV
June 22-27 in Chicago, IL — ALA Annual Conference is the biggest library event of the year. Attend in person or online for top-quality education, inspiring speakers and author talks, and access to 600+ exhibitors.
Some heroes possess the rarest of gifts, right?
[PD: A one panel comic entitled "Apostrophe Man" by Judy Horacek. A blue and red glad man with an apostrophe logo on his shirt reaches his hand out to a person kneeling in front of a chalkboard at a restaurant. The chalkboard bears text, "Special's." Apostrophe man speaks in a voice bubble, "I'll have that chalk thank you."]
"For many self-publishing authors, the book cover design process can be both exhilarating and intimidating. Copyright and intellectual law often fall into the latter category, but when it comes to your book’s cover, knowing a few basics can move the conversation with your designer miles ahead. Full disclosure, I’m not a lawyer, but as a graphic designer specializing in books, I encounter authors with the same dilemmas and questions..."
Collaborative Designer Olivia Hammerman, who's designed some fantastic book covers, delves into the finer points of image rights in "'I Found It on Google': Copyright Basics & Finding an Image for Your Front Cover" from our blog archives. Read the full article here: https://buff.ly/3LJQUp5
[PD: An orange, pink, and purple graphic. In the top third the title of the piece "'I Found It on Google': Copyright Basics & Finding an Image for Your Front Cover" appears next to an indigo cursor icon. In the middle section is a photo of multicolor books. The bottom third of the corner the author, Olivia Hammerman, is shown in a headshot next to her byline.]
Spring has certainly sprung at Maggie Mae's Bookshop in Gresham, OR for ! 🌼
[PD: A multicolor graphic with a post from Maggie Mae's Bookshop in center. Several tiled images of book covers are shown in a collage format, covers facing up.]
Free Comic Book Day is coming up this Saturday, May 6. If you're in our hometown area of Portland, OR for the occasion, consider visiting some of our participating shop friends:
(Corresponding numbers listed on second slide and map)
1. Comic Cave, Portland, OR
2. Floating World Comics, Portland, OR
3. Future Dreams, Portland, OR
4. Cosmic Monkey Comics, Portland, OR
5. Excalibur Books and Comics, Portland, OR
6. Things from Another World, Beaverton, OR
Learn more about FCBD here: https://buff.ly/2EBFZbf
[PD: Two slides with graphics about Free Comic Book Day. 1. A title slide with a pop art style graphic in yellow, teal, indigo and red. Text reads "Indigo celebrates Free Comic Book Day, May 6, 2023. Check out the next slide for participating friends in our hometown area." 2. A map of the bookstores listed above is shown in order descending from north to south.]
Indigo friend and client Blue Cactus Press is currently raising funds to publish "Less Desolate," a cross-genre artistic work between BIPOC collaborators: author and poet Shin Yu Pai and artist Justin Rueff."
Learn more about the project and ways you can lend your support via the Kickstarter campaign here: https://buff.ly/3NdXy8v
[PD: A black and white preview graphic for "Less Desolate Haiku Book." In center are four hand-drawn panels of illustration. Descriptions from left to right: 1. A thumb holds a match. Text reads, "Striking a match to burn." 2. A fire burns. Text reads, "The joss we communicate. 3. A silhouetted figure looks on at photos. 4. A person with short dark hair in a portrait style. Text reads, "With the ancestors." At the bottom of the graphic type reads "A Hybrid Literary Art Form. Preorder Your Copy Now.]
Beaverton, OR
97006
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| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |
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Kathryn's Scott's mystery novel Think Zebras, published back in 2016, follows sleuth Mary Campbell as she navigates a baffling public health crisis. https://buff.ly/3vT9DpU . . . #throwbackthursday #mysterynovels #indigoclientreleases #bookshop [PD: An animated dark purple graphic shows the book cover for Think Zebras a Novel by Kathryn's Scott in center. The cover contains a close-up of a zebra's face with a red bar under its eyes.]
For #throwbackthursday this week, we're looking back at Indigo client Catherine A. Hamilton's 2020 historical fiction release, Victoria's War. The novel follows "19-year-old Victoria Darski, a Polish Catholic woman sold into slavery during the Nazi occupation of Europe." Learn more and purchase the title via Bookshop: https://buff.ly/31bPtaA [PD: A short video displays a book cover with a portrait-style illustration of a brunette woman from the neck up. She wears a stylized, mid-century hairstyle and is pictured against a pink background. The cover reads "Victoria's War, A Novel, Catherine A. Hamilton." The cover is framed by an animated light purple rectangle design and an indigo background with quills. "Indigo Throwback Thursday" appears at the bottom of the graphic in indigo text.]
Portland Center for the Media Arts
Sw Park Avenue, Portland