Singing Moon Press LLC

Just Released: The Loose End of the Rainbow by D.B.Pacini

2009-04-09T05:09:00.000-07:00

After the adults simply vanish, White Eagle and Paints-With-Words, both 17, lead the children of their tribe on an epic quest across ancient America. While struggling on their journey, they are challenged by hardship, injuries, earthquakes, and erupting volcanoes. Luckily for the Tribe of the Innocents, the two young leaders have been gifted with special powers, and unexpected allies emerge from a battle with the fierce giant frog monster, Green Emperor. The mysterious destination the Great Spirit guides them toward is the enchanting Loose End of the Rainbow, where they will fulfill their destiny; bringing not only their tribe together, but the people of the world. 10% of profits from sales of The Loose End of the Rainbow, the first novel of the Universal Knights trilogy, benefit American Indian Children's Charities.

Find out more direct from the author!
D.B. Pacini's Website
D.B. Pacini's MySpace
D.B. Pacini's Twitter

Copylefting Experiment

2009-03-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

Loki has agreed to an experiment in copylefting. "Copylefting" is a way of making a work publicly available with fewer restrictions than a full copyright. With the advent of the internet, copyrighting does more to protect large corporate interests these days than to promote the artist. Loki believes allowing people who like his picture book to share it with others freely is the best way to promote it and will eventually result in more donations to the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society.

We have released Best Friends No Matter What as a free ebook at the Internet Archive under a Creative Commons license. You are allowed to copy, print out, and email the file, among other things.

For more information, visit the Internet Archive page for Best Friends No Matter What, or talk with Loki at Twitter!

O Noes! Zombie Kittin!

2008-09-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Loki explains the circumstances surrounding the arrival of his rival, Laz the Zombie Kitten. Also how to get Loki text messages through Twitter.

Twitter for web.
Twitter mobile.

A Talk with Todd

2008-08-24T11:36:00.001-07:00

A Talk with Todd

The Lennox Independent put an article about my book on the FRONT PAGE! So in honor and thanks I dug up the interview I did with their resident Feline columnist, Todd the Office Cat.

Greetings to Singing Moon Press Authors and Blog Visitors

2008-08-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Everybody,

This is D.B. Pacini, the newest author on the Singing Moon block. It is wonderful to be here. I’m incredibly excited about the pending publication of my youth/YA fantasy novel, The Loose End of the Rainbow. Singing Moon Press is giving this book an opportunity to be published that I greatly appreciate. I also look forward to getting to know other Singing Moon Press authors.

Loki, I’ve been reading your postings for about a month. I think you’ve become my favorite cat. Yeah, you have. I especially like the way you spell stories (storeez) and pretty (purty) and I believe naps are purty cool too.

Alex, the Drakon Saga trailer knocks me out. “A young boy from Nemesis is on the run. His only crime is survival.” I cannot wait to read your books. Twenty pages a day is fantastic. I write 25+ pages a day, after revisions I usually keep ten, if I’m lucky.

So, here is my warm hello to you all. I am brand-new at blogging, at writing personal profiles, and The Loose End of the Rainbow will be my first published book.

Best Friends Press Release Snippet

2008-08-20T00:03:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

South Dakota Publisher’s Debut Benefits the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society
August 15, 2008, Sioux Falls

Singing Moon Press LLC of Sioux Falls has released its first title, a reprint of the picture book Best Friends No Matter What by Chancellor resident Pet Serrano, and is donating a portion of profits to the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society.

The book stars Loki, the suit-wearing cat from South Dakota who appeared in a Super Bowl spot in 2007, and follows him and his best friend on a year’s worth of play dates. It was originally produced independently for a wedding and intends to teach children and remind grownups of the qualities and compromises necessary to make a relationship work.

Loki was a shelter cat at the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society before he was adopted by the Serrano family. His hyperactive curiosity first inspired a family comic strip, then an online cartoon, then two books, now he anchors Critter News at Orange Cat Blues ( http://www.orangecatblues.com ). His books and TV appearance led to the grant that launched Singing Moon Press. When it came time to choose a charity to benefit from the Singing Moon Press profit donation policy the list of candidates was extremely short.

Serving since 1919, The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society is an open admission facility that takes in abandoned, abused, homeless, and unwanted animals that need tender loving care until they can find a permanent home. Their mission is to help these animals find their new permanent home, stop animal cruelty, and educate people on the humane treatment of animals. They are a nonprofit organization dependent on contributions, donations and the help of numerous volunteers.

Singing Moon Press and the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society agreed upon an increasingly popular licensing arrangement known as cause-related marketing which allows businesses and charitable causes to combine forces. Although SMP is also scheduled to publish a science fiction series, historical adaptations and guided journals, Loki has agreed to appear in at least five more books and the SFAHS will be able to raise funds from the entire series.

Best Friends No Matter What is available for purchase at online retailers and in bookstores, but the SFAHS is the only place to purchase signed copies of Loki books. The reprint is the first time the book will be available worldwide in full color.

# # #

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Full Title: Best Friends No Matter What: A Loki Book about Marriage
ISBN: 978-0-9770497-9-5
LCCN: 2007908793
Author: Pet Serrano
Illustrator: Pet Serrano
Review copies available. Email: news@singingmoonpress.com
Book trailer of the complete text available here: http://www.singingmoonpress.com/trailers/pet_bfnmw.html

About SINGING MOON PRESS LLC
Micropublisher Singing Moon Press LLC publishes four titles a year with an emphasis on socially responsible, multicultural stories. We are modeled on a classic editor-author relationship that nurtures new talent while developing their fan base. Loki is obligated to appear in one title a year, but other works scheduled for publication include a science fiction series, historical adaptations and guided journals. SMP in the process of signing the author of a fantasy epic starring Native American children.

SMP also embraces new technology in both production methods and promotional opportunities. The books are created and delivered using a Just-In-Time system to keep inventory low, the multi-state editorial staff creates and communicates entirely via the internet, and authors are given bonuses for blogging, creating merchandise and using MySpace ®. The publisher donates at least 10% of profits from retail to charities approved by each author. As the SMP motto states, “We Share!”

Catnip Season and How to Walk on a Leash

2008-08-09T07:30:00.001-07:00

Catnip Season and How to Walk on a Leash

Loki explains how to walk on a leash and how to hunt wild catnip in this Critter News Special.

Up and Down

2008-08-06T03:54:00.000-07:00

Dear Aldana,

The organisms I must deal with here are so isolated from the rest of the galaxy they still maintain "down" is toward the center of their remarkably unremarkable planet. From a galactic standpoint, "down" is toward the center of the galaxy. "Up" is the opposite of "down", therefore any direction that leads away from the center of the galaxy. But these beings believe their planet is the center of the universe. Forgive me, I must clarify. The majority of the individual beings believe they each as an individuals are the center of the universe. Truly. It's astounding.

In fact it has been only a few centuries since they admitted their planet revolves around a star. This fact alone makes one ashamed to be a tetrapod. There seems to be good reason they are trapped on the only life bearing planet in this entire arc. Some are in ascension but it is not enough to save them.

From "Earth" the Deep is roughly toward a constellation called "Sagittarius". I mention this only because this archer is part human and part horse. My father would find that intriguing. The humans' ancient tales are full of stories about mixed humans but I have yet to meet one in person. I suspect they may be extinct. Would Leudi transports once have been sent to this astonishingly barren sector? If so, why?

While here I unearthed in many of their ancient tales a belief that evil souls are banished to a prison of fire below the earth to burn for all eternity. How it would change things if they knew this bottomless prison of interminable heat existed below this ascending planet in the direction of Sagittarius!

Ah, the joys of publishing glitches!

2008-08-01T06:07:00.001-07:00

Best Friends No Matter What by Pet Serrano was due to be published (reprinted) back in December. We didn't completely set up the title then because we were still looking into gathering funding and the feasibility of cause-related marketing. As a result when we submitted the title as "released" last week, it appears as a mix of old and new information at Amazon.

It is listed there today. Unfortunately the old cover appears and there is an illustrator but no author listed. The description is the current one, and you're seeing correctly, 10% of profits go to the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society. It should update within a few days. Or weeks.

(But at any rate, isn't it exciting? Our first release as an independent company got listed at Amazon today! I've experienced this before but never as the owner so I'm a little giddy!)

Long time, no hello!

2008-08-01T05:06:00.000-07:00

I'm told this area needs to be more casual and communal because admittedly it's very dry right now! Some changes are coming. I promise!

SMP has finally opened up our MySpace for friendship and possible (professional) relationships. Loki the Talking Cat and AlEx have joined us there already. (AlEx's myspace has been around longer than ours which is somewhat of a shock.)

We are opening up this blog to our authors so they can keep us amused-- and in some cases bemused-- by their progress and observations. They will be crossposting about their projects and other creative activities. As a result you should see more activity here in the coming months.

Loki's book, Best Friends No Matter What, was just released. It should be in stores and listed online within 6 weeks. We are engaging in some promotional activities in the coming weeks so you could get yourself, your school or your library a free copy if you keep reading the blog and play your cards right.

The first two installments in Alex's King's Drakon Saga series have moved beyond working titles.
The series starts next year after the second book is completed. We will be releasing the first book, Nemesis Rising, in print the usual way and completely free at the Internet Archive so anyone who wishes to give it a try will have the opportunity to do so. We are confident that readers who enjoy Nemesis Rising will be intrigued enough to purchase Sacrifices (formerly Diskord) and the remaining books in the collection. AlEx is a lifelong scifi fan and the twists in Drakon Saga will surprise and satisfy the most discerning of readers.

Submissions are closed for 2008 and 2009

2008-07-16T05:09:00.000-07:00

We are no longer accepting submissions for 2008 and 2009.

If you haven't sent your query out by midnight EST today (email preferred or postmarked today), you will have to wait until an announcement in spring of 2009 for 2010.

Alex King Drakon Saga Trailer

2008-07-16T04:33:00.000-07:00

You can't judge a book by its movie but in this case I think you can judge a book by its trailer. If the story in the trailer looks like something you would like, it probably is.

Drakonsaga Trailer Final Teaser

We are publishing Alex King's entire series. Book one, Nemesis, will be released in stores but the full text will also be released as a free ebook. We all agreed this is the best way for a small publisher of limited resources to promote Drakon Saga.

Nemesis raises many questions and we are confident anyone who downloads it will be anxious to find out what happens in Diskord.

Singing Moon Press LLC News for April

2008-04-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

The deal isn't final yet, but Pet Serrano has found a cause interested in sharing the profits from her book, Loki's Parrot, a maddening story about a kitten dealing with an irritating parrot based on Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven".

That being said, Singing Moon Press LLC is open for submissions. We are looking for completed 28-page picture books in full color by writers and illustrators with an interest in social responsibility. For a typical Singing Moon Press picture book, watch the video of Best Friends No Matter What.

SMP keeps our environmental impact low by using print-on-demand technology and by buying back unsold copies rather than having them destroyed. Ten percent of our retail profits are given to author-approved charities and you earn money for self-promotion and blogging-- Myspace and Catster included.

Visit the main site for details on submitting queries.

Singing Moon Press LLC News for March

2008-03-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Singing Moon Press recently received a publishing grant from the Robert A. Nevin Trust.

This has resulted in a few overhauls as we go in a new direction. SMP has converted to a Limited Liability Company and is looking into creating a "Cause-related marketing" system which will allow us to donate 10% of our retail profits to charities chosen by our authors.

In addition, we are working to have unsold books returned to us for resale or donation. The current industry practice is for bookstores to tear off the covers and destroy unsold books. We think this is a deplorable waste of hundreds of thousands of trees. Forty percent of books sold to bookstores are reported unsold and destroyed. We have avoided some of this problem by using print-on-demand technology but need to work harder to find places for the books we are planning to repurchase.

There are some plans in the works to give away new releases to bloggers. There is no way for a small company in the notoriously unprofitable business of producing children's books to compete with large corporations in the large media. We think turning to bloggers and webmasters might be the way to go.

Singing Moon Press News for February

2008-02-06T02:00:00.000-08:00

Note from the Editor:

We are going through some major changes which will require changing the format of the blog and the website and cause a delay in the re-release of the Loki books. Thank you for your patience!