Thank you for your interest in Dos Madres Press. Dos Madres Press is dedicated to the belief that the small press is essential to the vitality of contemporary literature as a carrier of the new voice and new works by established poets, as well as the older, sometimes forgotten voices of the past. And in an ever more virtual world, to the creation of fine books pleasing to the eye and hand. Dos Madres is named in honor of Vera Murphy and Libbie Hughes, the “Dos Madres” whose contributions have made this press possible. We are located in Loveland, Ohio, outside Cincinnati. Robert J. Murphy is executive editor and Elizabeth Murphy is our book designer/illustrator.
We ask that you read the following carefully. Feel free to contact us (editor@dosmadres.com) if your question is not answered here.
1. A minimum book needs to be at least 40 face pages long. Bear in mind that there will be several pages of frontmatter and backmatter that are included beyond the actual manuscript content that you send.
2. We request that authors new to Dos Madres Press send an initial query via e-mail. (editor@dosmadres.com) Please attach in one document ten poems from your proposed manuscript along with a two or three paragraph description of your book (including length) and of yourself as writer. Please let us know how you became familiar with Dos Madres Press and list one or more of our books you have read. If you have not read a Dos Madres Press book, we encourage you to do so prior to your enquiry.
3. We will respond to your initial query. Please be patient. If we are interested in reviewing your entire manuscript, we will request a hard copy to be mailed to us.
4. We publish about 20 books a year; the time from query to publication varies widely, depending on the status of existing projects, as well as the length and complexity of the new work. Each book is unique – the typography, layout and illustrations are created especially to harmonize with and enhance the particular poems in the book. Elizabeth Murphy often creates illustrations for each book, but occasionally she uses existing art work both of her own and also from other artists or the authors themselves. The goal is to make an appealing book, one where the art of the written word is in balance with the visual arts that both, present it, and accompany it, into the hands of a reader.
5. Dos Madres is a nonprofit organization and we do not make any profit off the poetry books we publish. We do not pay royalties. Authors purchase books from us at the author’s discount of 50% for quantities of 100 or more, and 40% for quantities of less than 100, and may resell at full price. We sell our books on our website and through Small Press Distribution. Small Press Distribution lists our books on Amazon and in their widely circulated catalog. We provide copies of our books to various libraries and, in consultation with the author, to about ten reviewers. We have some limited ability to help authors with promotion, including our blog, Facebook, email notices, sponsoring readings in greater Cincinnati area, and submission to contests and awards programs.