Cornwall: Misfits, Curiosities and Legends by Cornwall Writers began as a short story project in January 2019.
We set up the short story project because we want to encourage and support new writers in Cornwall and help them get published.
We also want to promote creative writing talent in Cornwall and make it easy for readers to find Cornish writers.
We started by choosing three words to combine into a theme, open to a wide interpretation, but firmly anchored in Cornwall. The theme became the title – Cornwall: Misfits, Curiosities and Legends.
Over the following 18 months we got together to develop our stories. Some of our writerly band have MAs in Creative Writing and helped us to think about character, plot and style development. For others, it was the first time they’d received any feedback on their work. We are also grateful to Anne Rainbow from Red Pen Editing for her editing advice in the workshop she did just for us.
The final touches and edits were completed in February 2020 and we were ready to start the publishing journey. Then lockdown and covid19 arrived, shutting down the book festivals and book signings we had hoped to attend to share our book with the world.
The authors paid for writing and editing costs, but we needed funding to publish the book:
Each book type requires a separate ISBN or barcode to enable Cornwall Writers to publish the book and make it easily available for bookstores to order.
The amazingly talented Ruta Ciutaite of Blue Rue Designs illustrated our book cover for us. We are committed to creating books people will enjoy looking at as well as reading.
The book is just under 200 pages and will be published in paperback and as an ebook. The print version is 5.5″ x 8.5″ (14cm x 21.6cm) and will be printed to order by Ingram Spark for wholesale. Both print and ebook versions incur set up costs.
After the crowdfunding campaign finishes, we hope to sell the book online on our website, in Cornish bookstores and any bookstore specialising in short story collections. Many bookstores sell books on sale or return, so we needed to fund the books to be sold.
We are required to send a copy to the British Library for their records, but we also hope to donate copies to each of the Cornish libraries.
——————–
Costs
Our anticipated costs for the book cover, ISBNs and print set up are about £370.50. This did not cover the printing costs of the rewards, postage and packaging. These were charged separately depending on the rewards requested.
We hoped to exceed our target so we can order additional books for libraries and for sale and return at bookstores.
The Crowdfunder ran for 2 weeks and ended at 6pm on 30th August 2020. Our original target was £370, which we raised within the first 24 hours. By the end of the campaign we had raised £1,612 with 56 supporters. 93 paperback versions were ordered by our supporters and we raised enough funds to donate a copy to all 45 libraries and underwrite the sale or return of 31 paperbacks to bookshops.
There are 18 stories altogether and, despite the common theme, each one is very different to the others. Each author has interpreted the theme in their own particular way, resulting in a wide range of genres, time periods and moods. We also have a play, verse and a fictional letter nestling in the pages. Whatever kind of stories you are into, there is something for everyone in our short story collection.
There are ebbs and flows, surprises and entertainment throughout. If you enjoy our stories half as much as we did putting them together, you will fall in love with them!
Wade Beneath the Waves by Emily Charlotte Ould
Drowning Horses by Philip S Rollason
Barnacle Bill by Caroline Palmer
Waiting by Anita Hunt
The Dance of the Stones by David Allkins
Ms Fitt’s Lament by Angela Fitt
Flecks of Gold by Stephen Baird
A Cornish Rant by Anita Hunt
The White Ermine by Froshie Evans
There is Copper in Abundance by Ulrike Duran
A Spell in Cornwall by Claudia Loveland
Stargazy Pie in the Sky by Pen King
Little Bear by TJ Dockree
After the Daccarian Accord by John Evident
Nixie’s Quest by Angela Evron
Knights on a Train by TJ Dockree
By Any Other Name by Joshua Copus – Oxland
The Teddy Bear’s Emporium by Rachel Fitch
Genre:
Available at:
