Hello once again, BEB faithful!
April was a hectic month, but we hope you caught us at ClexaCon! If you didn’t we wanted to bring you something fun, so this month for our blogpost we’re hosting a small interview with co-founder and head editor of Blind Eye Books, Nicole Kimberling. For those of you wondering about Blind Eye Books’ story, how it started, what it aims for, and what sort of manuscript Nicole would like to see pop up in her submissions box, this interview is for you!
Okay, questions!
How and when was Blind Eye Books founded?
About eleven years ago my wife and I happened to come into some money and were looking at the way we could best use it to meet both our artistic and personal goals. I wanted to take an inspirational trip around the world but my wife wanted to start a publishing company. She won…and Blind Eye Books was created. And she was right. It was the best possible thing to do with that money.
I remember reading in the one of BEB’s books that you aimed to publish the sorts of stories you would have spent your money on when you were younger. Has that changed or evolved as you’ve moved forward with BEB?
Absolutely not. If anything I’ve grown even pickier. It’s important for small presses to specialize, I think. And to be really clear in their mission.
What has been the most difficult part of running a small press?
Learning to do business like a businessperson. There is so much admin that goes into any business—budgeting, paperwork, scheduling—all those things are so much more critical to the success of a project than anyone realizes.
Conversely, what has been the most rewarding part?
Knowing people like the books! Being able to launch new authors is amazing.
BEB has rebranded from gay and lesbian science fiction and fantasy to queer science fiction, fantasy, and mystery over the years. What sorts of submissions would you love to publish under BEB’s current branding?
Right now I’m on the lookout for strongly-plotted character-driven stories. I’m not looking for anything experimental or literary or any YA. (And to be clear, I have nothing against these genres, I just don’t know how to sell them so wouldn’t be of much benefit as a publisher.)
As BEB’s head editor, what does your dream manuscript submission look like?
My dream submission…wow. I want to read something thrilling and romantic that makes me laugh and makes me think and tells me something I don’t already know. I want to see characters I like facing genuinely difficult challenges and winning big. Yeah…that’s my dream manuscript.
That’s our head editor, always succinct and to the point. We hope you enjoyed getting to know her and the press a little better! For more about Nicole, follow her on Facebook and on Twitter (@nkimberling69). She cooks a lot and has wonderful quotes from her beloved wife on there.
See you next month, faithful!
-Theresa