3/15 – PANEL DISCUSSION with Bay Area Small Press Editors

What’s the difference between working with a small press and a large mainstream publisher? Should I submit my work to a small press? Do local publishers want local authors? Why pitch to a small press if I can be a small press?

Our writers have a lot of questions around getting published, and are curious about how small presses fit into the publishing ecosystem. Fortunately, Oakland is full of wonderful small-press publishers! We’ve invited three of them to help writers answer these questions… and many more!

On Sunday, March 15th, please come and meet:

Daniel Zarazua of Pochino Press

 Daniel draws upon a diverse background that includes 20 years as an educator, DJ, and photographer. His work has taken him across six continents, working with artists including Underground Resistance and the Grammy-nominated Alphabet Rockers, as well as organizations such as the Rock Hall of Fame and the University of Michigan. In 2015 he served as a cultural diplomat to El Salvador. His writing and photography have appeared in publications such as Hyphen, The Detroit Metro Times, Sydney’s Cyclic Defrost, and La Verdad: An International Dialogue on Hip Hop Latinidades.

Daniel is a co-founder of Pochino Press, which focuses on underrepresented voices, particularly those that draw upon multiple cultures and perspectives to create new sensibilities. Since its founding in 2013, Pochino Press has published nearly 20 publications, including Ethiopian children’s books and a collection of short stories set in San Francisco’s Mission District. While being Oakland-based, the press has worked with creatives from across Africa, Asia, Central America, and the United States.

Pochino Press strives to be responsive to its authors’ and artists’ needs and is committed to being an active member of its community, including writing workshops for youth and hosting events at local businesses such as barber shops.

Jennifer Joseph of Manic D Press

Jennifer Joseph has been publisher/editor of award-winning, internationally distributed Manic D Press since its founding in 1984. She has been a guest lecturer at the Library of Congress, the AWP Conference, Rice University, CalArts, Mills College, and San Francisco State University, among other venues. She has also appeared on CSPAN’s BookTV in a panel discussion about West Coast publishing presented by the National Writers Union, and on Michael Krasny’s Forum on KQED radio.

Manic D Press

J.K. Fowler of Nomadic Press

 J. K. Fowler is the founder and executive director of Nomadic Press, a community-focused literary and arts non-profit with operations in Oakland, CA, Des Moines, IA, and Brooklyn, NY. He also serves as the Director of Communications for Peace and Partnerships at the Oakland Peace Center. He serves on the City of Oakland’s Cultural Affairs Commission, is Co-Chair on the board of North Atlantic Books, sits on the board of the Oakland Peace Center and Cogswell College’s English and Humanities Professional Advisory Board, has taught anthropology and sociology at Rutgers University, and has guest lectured at Mills College. He has been published in a wide range of publications, including Oakland Magazine, San Francisco Chronicle, Datebook SF, Bay Area Reporter, Eleven Eleven, Foglifter, COG Magazine, and elsewhere, has performed across the Bay Area and Brooklyn, and has been featured in a number of radio shows and online podcasts, including KPFA, KPOO, Fuel My Fiction, StoryCorps, and others. He is the recipient of the 2016 Alameda County Arts Leadership Award and travels this world with a Kelpie named Stella. He is currently working on a book on events and publishing tentatively titled Making Space.

JK Fowler of Nomadic Press

Nomadic Press