PDFs

We were just getting some revised ebook editions of our books on line (the great thing about a POD approach is that anything can be fixed, anytime) and began to wonder if there was any point in offering PDF versions. We have always done this as a matter of course, along side the print and epub editions (and the Kindle variant that shows up at Amazon --- they convert that from the epub). But the PDFs do not really sell.

It is not that much trouble to create them, understand, a few very minor changes from the  print edition (margins slightly altered, ISBN removed, cover added). But it is an additional chore and perhaps for no reason. For now, we do not intend to change our procedure and will continue to offer the PDF online --- at book shows and so on, we have been including it in a bundle with the epub and/or print books.

Thinking out loud here --- anyway, PDFs of most of our books are available at our 'spotlight store' and will continue to be. Now we need to start thinking about audio books!

Ending and Beginning

The end of 2016 approaches. It was not a bad year for us; we accomplished most of what we intended, aside from getting our related ‘Eggshell Boats’ magazine project going. More on that later.

So what is to come in 2017? More books, of course! One of those will be the debut novel of Sienna Santerre*, tentatively to be titled ‘Asanas,’ revolving around the lives of a group of friends in a yoga class. As with any book, it will be released when it is ready; one never knows when rewrites and edits will permit that.

There should be a new fantasy adventure novel by Stephen Brooke before long, as well, a semi-sequel to the Malvern Trilogy. Both of these will be announced when we have firm release dates.

Beyond that? Probably at least one poetry collection. Returning to that ‘Eggshell Boats’ mention, we have pretty much decided not to launch a literary magazine, per se, but to use that name for a new poetry imprint here. We shall be looking to publish poetry books; there will be more on that as we work out the direction we are going.

And there are likely to be more novels, maybe a children’s book (or two), and so on. We shall see!

*March 2017 — the name Sienna Santerre was a pen name and is being dropped. The novel will appear but under its author's true name. All that to be announced when it happens.

Christmas Freebie

We are giving away a special PDF version of a short fantasy tale by Stephen Brooke, The Beast, the Book, and the Burglar. Click to download from our Spotlight Store at our distributor (Lulu Enterprises).

Quick-witted young Im attempts to burglarize a demon-guarded tower.

We'll have news soon about what is coming in 2017!

Waves Is Out

WAVES, Stephen Brooke's second novel of crime and surfing set in the fictional Florida town of Cully Beach, is officially out today. Available at our site and pretty much everywhere else in both print and ebook formats.

WAVES is the sequel to SHAPER, and continues the adventures of 'Shaper,' Ted Carrol, surf shop owner and reluctant detective.

Waves Release Date

The release date for Stephen Brooke's new novel of surf and suspense, WAVES, is officially set for December 5. In time for your holiday shopping, perhaps?

This is the follow-up to the first Ted Carrol novel, SHAPER. More info to come!

Waves Promo

Will you taste July
with me? It promises
to be sweeter this year
than any I have known.

Today! Or not today if you are reading this tomorrow or the next day or...anyway, September 1 is the official release date for the new poetry collection, FIELDS OF SUMMER, from Stephen Brooke. Available everywhere!

Well, almost everywhere, in print and ebook versions, and directly from our own store. The official back cover blurb:

Visit the fields we remember, the fields we walked in summers past. We knew joy there, we knew regret, and both have faded now into the golden hazes of memory.

The Fields of Summer wait for our return. A collection of poems by Stephen Brooke.

Site Is Up

We --- at last --- have a more-or-less complete site up, in both desktop and mobile version at http://arachispress.com . Tweaking and updates and so on will be ongoing, but all the books are there. As always, of course, one may skip our site and go straight to the store at our distributor: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/arachispress

Updating the Site

We have been working on the AP site. Yes, finally! The desktop version is pretty much ready but we need to finish the mobile version before uploading it all. Visitors will actually be able to see all the books. :)

An about/submissions page (or pages) may not appear right away. We are not taking any work right now but do intend, at last, to open up to publishing perhaps a couple titles a year. Most likely, that would be poetry, as we originally were conceived as a small poetry press. We shall see.

The release of FIELDS OF SUMMER, the latest poetry collection from Stephen Brooke is coming on September 1. That's the official release date --- one can find it already at various retailers, including our own store.

Anything more coming the year? We may or may not have a new novel ready for release before Christmas. That is still up in the air.

Today, July 15, brings the official release of Stephen Brooke's new fantasy adventure novel, THE EYES OF THE WIND. Available directly from Arachis Press and at retailers everywhere (almost!) in print and ebook formats.

Some Small Summer Announcements

First: the release date for Stephen Brooke's poetry collection FIELDS OF SUMMER has been moved forward to September 1.  After all, a book of 'summer' poems shouldn't come out in the autumn, should it? Expect the usual print and ebook versions.

Second: there is now an all-in-one edition of DONZALO'S DESTINY, combining the four novels that make up the saga (it could be convincingly argued that it is all one lengthy novel). The hardcover version is up at our shop now, but we need to look over the proof copy before officially announcing and giving a link. There will be a paperback version to join it shortly. This is a pretty big book, at over 200,000 words and seven-hundred-some pages.

Incidentally, we will stick with the four separate titles for the ebook versions, and continue to offer them in print too. There should be revised editions before too long.

Fields of Summer Release Date

We have set an official release date for Stephen Brooke's latest collection of poetry, FIELDS OF SUMMER,

for SEPTEMBER 1, 2016. More on the book to come but here is the back-cover blurb:

Visit the fields we remember, the fields we walked in summers past. We knew joy there, we knew regret, and both have faded now into the golden hazes of memory.

The Fields of Summer wait for our return. A collection of poems by Stephen Brooke.

And do not forget that THE EYES OF THE WIND will be out on JULY 15.

Eyes on a Video

We have put together a simple video book trailer for Stephen Brooke's new fantasy novel, THE EYES OF THE WIND.

Coming July 15!

Eyes Release

The date of July 15, 2016 has been set for the official release of Stephen Brooke's new novel, THE EYES OF THE WIND.

The 'long' blurb:

Young Saj only wanted to deliver his wagon-load of goods and be on his way to a new life in the South. How did he end up kidnapping a willful young noblewoman?

Or was it she who kidnapped him? He wasn’t quite sure.

Facing pirates, bandits, and sorcerers, Saj finds himself seeking the four mystic gems known as the Eyes of the Wind for a mysterious priestly order. Accompanied by Marana, who may or may not love him, and the wily wizard Xit, who may or may not be a god, his quest takes him from the sea to the mountains and into his own soul.

For Saj has powers that lie within him, powers of which he is only now becoming aware.

THE EYES OF THE WIND will be available in print and ebook formats through Arachis Press and books sellers everywhere.

Eyes on 'Eyes'

Exact date to be announced!

About Ebooks

A couple notes about our ebooks:

We do not specify a font for our ebook offerings, whether EPUB or MOBI (Kindle) but prefer to leave that to the individual reader. A Garamond is often a good choice for novels and stories, and adequate for poetry. Our PDFs do have embedded typefaces, usually the same as those used for print.

Our ebooks do not contain DRMs. You own them. This assumes that you buy them from Arachis Press and not from Amazon or some other retailer — it is always possible for them to mess things up (although they are not supposed to). Yes, this means the books can be pirated but so be it; if you pay for something, it should be yours.

Hero Book Release

This coming weekend, March 12, marks the release of Stephen Brooke's newest novel, HERO FROM THE SEA, the third and final book of the Malvern Trilogy. Available  pretty much everywhere right now!

The author will be camping at the Will McLean music festival in central Florida (near Dade City) all that weekend so think of it as an extended book release party. He promises to have books and wine at his tent.

Official release date has been set for the final Malvern novel by Stephen Brooke --- March 12, 2016. HERO FROM THE SEA is the sequel to COAST OF SPEARS and VALLEY OF VISIONS.

Coming This Spring

Exact date of release to be announced soon!

"Michael Malvern returns from across the mountains, united at last with the woman he loves. But the homeland of the Mora people is in turmoil. Could he be the prophesied Hero from the Sea, come to restore the kingdom? All is answered in the third and final novel of the Malvern Saga, Hero from the Sea, a fantasy adventure by Stephen Brooke."

Valley Released Today

Today marks the official release of Stephen Brooke's new fantasy adventure novel, VALLEY OF VISIONS. This is the second of the Malvern  Saga books.

The back cover blurb:

What lies beyond the mountains?

Castaway Michael Malvern crosses the peaks to search for his kidnapped love and for answers to the riddle of a strange world.

 VALLEY can be found at our site and the store at our distributor, as well as most online retailers in both ebook and print formats. Expect a third and final Malvern novel this spring.

* * *

Also, we will announce here that a  new catalog of our titles is available in PDF form, also at the Arachis Press site. Feel free to download your copy.