We are very happy to be working with a new publisher at Bookmobile: Neon Hemlock Press. Bookmobile is doing the short run printing and book order fulfillment for Neon Hemlock’s queer writing and speculative fiction. A brand new publisher, their first three titles were published in July. An anthology is being crowdfunded on Kickstarter, Glitter + Ashes: Queer Tales of a World That Wouldn’t Die, edited by dave ring, the Publisher and Managing Editor behind Neon Hemlock. Check it out!
From dave,
Working with Bookmobile, particularly Nicole and Sean, has been a dream. I had been floundering a bit looking for a printer that would work with Neon Hemlock’s needs (small print runs + unusual specs), when lit mag GIGANTIC SEQUINS pointed me towards Bookmobile. Bookmobile jumped right in with me to figure out the project.
Printing Chapbooks
At Bookmobile, we can perfect bind as few as 16 pages, and the first three Neon Hemlock titles ranged from 48 to 62 pages at a square 5″ x 5″ trim size.
Can we print on the spine at such a small page count? Usually not. Ideally, the type on the spine should have 1/16″ on either side—so if the spine width is 3/16″, the type on the spine would be 1/16″ height, then have 1/16″ on either side. On our 60 lb. cream trade book at 436 PPI (pages per inch), so 82 pages would meet the minimum of a spine width for type at 3/16″. Type can be printed on a spine that is less than 3/16″, and the type can be higher/wider than 1/16″, but keep in mind it may shift to the front or back cover while binding. We have a 1/16″ tolerance for printing and binding. You can calculate your spine width here.
Book Order Fulfillment
Bookmobile has provided book order fulfillment since 2005. Books are stored in our climate-controlled and insured warehouse, right next-door to the Bookmobile warehouse. In our Stacks Drop Ship Manager, publishers can view their current inventory on hand and order drop ships at anytime. Low on inventory? Ordering a reprint at Bookmobile in the Stacks Print Run Manager is a click away. Tons of orders? While you can place a drop ship order manually (handy for events or author copies), you can also upload an Excel file drop ship list, or configure an API feed to automatically input orders. We can also collect orders from BigCommerce and Squarespace; and shopify functionality is in the works!
You can also see all your orders and their status in Stacks: order received, orders in process, orders shipped (along with tracking numbers, of course), and also backorders. You can search your order history too by your reference number, order received date, title, ISBN, and ship-to address. Book printing is invoiced once a run is put into inventory (our minimum run is 25 copies), then fulfillment costs are invoiced on a weekly basis.
Ready for pricing? Contact me!
Interested in print distribution to bookstores as well? Contact Mark Jung, Director at Itasca Books, our distributor.