Three veteran publishing executives have created Shebooks, an e-book publisher of quality short stories by women, for women that will launch in November. They commit to paying writer fees that reflect the author’s hard work, professionalism, experience, and talent.
Founders are Peggy Northrop, president, who is currently editor-in-chief of Sunset magazine and former editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest and More, Laura Fraser, editorial director, who is the New York Times bestselling author of An Italian Affair and more recently, All Over the Map, as well as a long-time magazine journalist and writing teacher, and Rachel Greenfield, chief operating officer, who has had a twenty year career in the top management of several leading publishing companies, including as EVP in charge of the Publishing Division of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia.
They intend to get women writers, and readers, on board with their effort, partially supported by a seed grant from the New Media Women’s Entrepreneurial Fund, to increase the number of great writers published. They claim, 80 percent of book buyers are women, and they want to combat the atmosphere in magazines, where male bylines still dominate the top-shelf books, and are already dominating the new electronic media.
The publishers are seeking 10,000-word stories in long-form journalism, short memoir, and short fiction. Polish up your prose, ladies, check out their website and send your submissions to write@shebooks.net