White Cloud Press has launched its third imprint in Confluence Books, a division that was formed to accommodate the high number of self-published authors White Cloud was finding that weren’t suited for their spirituality and religion lines and which will use "collaborative agreements" with authors. Confluence has signed three titles to date and plans to do four or five in 2012. Distribution to the trade will be handled by White Cloud's distributor, Publishers Group West.
“We create contracts based on the specifics of each authors’ situation,” said Steve Scholl, publisher of White Cloud and Confluence. Authors partnered with Confluence may buy books in advance or contribute funding that covers printing costs and some of the Confluence’s marketing costs. In return, they get higher royalties. “Royalties range from 25% to 65%, depending on the variables of the contract. Most are in the 40%-55% range," Scholl said. "Since authors are lessening our financial risk, we provide them with a higher royalty rate, sharing the risk and the profits. We decided that we could no longer approach publishing as a trip to Las Vegas, where we roll the dice on each title and pray that we win.”
Confluence’s first title, out in late July, is This is Our Time! The 2010 World Series Champions San Francisco Giants. The Inside Story. Improbable. Wild. Unforgettable by Chris Haft and Eric Alan that has shipped all 3,000 copies with a second printing in the works. The two other titles are Winning at Aging: Your Game Plan for Healthy Living by Dr. John Kalb; Earth is Your Sweet Spot: Living Beautifully, A Woman’s Guide by Ellae Elinwood and Mary Lanier.
