Authors

With particular emphasis on biography, history, politics, art, popular culture, sport, health and current affairs, the list features prominent names including Frank Abagnale, Diane Blood, Henry McLeish, Les McKeown, Gordon Brown, Paul Ferris, Paul Weller, Duncan Macmillan, Jan de Vries, Dave Mackay, Donald McRae, Hunter Davies, Andy Ripley. Brian Corcoran, Barry Ferguson, Gareth Thomas, Paolo Hewitt, Hugh McIlvanney, Jim Telfer, Paul Heiney, Magnus Magnusson, Marsha Hunt, Stilyan Petrov and Wayne McCulloch.

Awards

Mainstream has received a number of prestigious book awards including:

Ripley's World winner of Best Rugby Book, British Sports Book Awards 2008

Dancing in the Sea nominated for the J. R. Ackerley Prize for Autobiography, 2005

Last Chance to Eat - James Beard Award for Food Writing, 2005

Things That Must Not Be Forgotten - Kiriyama Pacific Rim Prize for Non Fiction, 2000

Dark Trade - William Hill Sports Book of the Year, 1996

Dreams of Exile - Saltire Society Best First Book, 1994

Burns: A Biography - Saltire Society Best Book of the Year, 1994

Endless Winter - William Hill Sports Book of the Year, 1993

Scottish Art 1460-1990 - Saltire Society Best Book of the Year, 1992

Scotland's Music - The McVitie Prize for Best Scottish Book, 1992

Short listed titles:

Black Farce and Cue Ball Wizards by Clive Everton - short listed for Best Biography, British Sports Book Awards 2008

The Gambler by Oisin McConville and Ewan Mackenna - short listed for the Sports Book of the Year, Irish Book Awards 2008

Believe! by Mark Donaldson and Gary Mackay - short listed for Best New Writer category, British Book Awards 2007.

Ronaldo by James Mosley- short listed for Best New Writer, British Book Awards 2006

Bertie Mee by David Tossell - short listed for Best Biography, British Book Awards 2006

 

Publishing Process

Your Initial Idea

Here at Mainstream Publishing we accept both solicited and unsolicited manuscripts. We usually suggest that, in the first instance, a brief synopsis and sample chapter be sent for the attention of Bill Campbell, our Publisher and joint Director. It will take between 6 and 8 weeks to hear back from us, but we do endeavour to reply to everyone. If Bill is interested in the idea he will ask for further chapters or a final manuscript.

Contracts

If your idea is accepted for the Mainstream list a contract will be drawn up and sent to you along with an author questionnaire and a letter. The signature advance for the book is paid on return of a signed contract and materials requested by the editorial co-ordinator, for example a jacket image, synopsis etc

Author Questionnaire

This assists us with details for publicity and marketing purposes and it is important that this is returned to help with press coverage, foreign sales, UK sales and special sales opportunities.

Synopsis and Blurb

Wholesalers and chains require information on titles six to nine months in advance of publication. A blurb comprises around 300 words about your book for use on the book jacket. The synopsis is between 2000 and 3000 words long and is a detailed breakdown of your book, with a chapter breakdown included. This allows our sales representatives and Key Account Managers to gain a good understanding of your title when presenting it to bookshops. Ideally we like both the blurb and synopsis to be provided in both a hardcopy and on disk, preferably in Microsoft Word.

Sales

We are represented by the Random House sales team that contact bookshops with new title information. The synopsis, blurb, author questionnaire and author information sheet are compiled to produce in-house an Advance Information Sheet for our Key Account Managers and reps to use. This sheet has title information, ISBN, price and extent. Bookshops work six to nine months in advance and the information you provide really helps to get the book into the shops. Internet booksellers also use this information.

Design

We have a team of in-house designers who will draft your book jacket as soon as the book is signed. It is therefore wise to send in any intitial ideas with your questionnaire. The jacket incorporates a description of the book, price and where available pre publication quotes.

Editing and Proofs

After you send in your manuscript an editor will be assigned to you. They will be responsible for editing your manuscript.

Production

The book layout is produced and sent to the printers.

Overseas Sales

Mainstream have agents throughout the world who sell translation rights for our books. We also sell English Language rights to North American publishers at the major book fairs in Frankfurt (October), London (March) and America (May/June). If English Language rights are not sold within the first months of publication distributors in Canada and the USA will sell the Mainstream edition in to those markets. For further information see contact us.

Marketing and Publicity

Publicity sends out review copies of the finished book. They are your main contact at this stage and are responsible for getting media coverage of your title. Marketing will work with you to ensure that you are making the most of viral marketing or the internet and will liase with the dales team to set up bookshop events where there is significant interest. Launch parties are less common these days so don't promise everyone you know an invitation!

IRISH WEB SITE

Welcome to Mainstream Ireland. We have long had a reputation for publishing books about Ireland, many by Irish authors, and for the last two years have had three books in the Irish Christmas Top Ten, more than any London based publishers or indeed any indigenous publishing companies. We publish books about Ireland because we love the country and we know that Irish people love reading. Mainstream is based in Edinburgh and in 2008 is 30 years old. Until 2005 it was wholly independent but is now 50% owned by Random House. The deal gives us the ability to offer the personal touch of an independent company with the backing of one of the biggest publishing companies in the world. In addition to offices in Edinburgh and London we have a dynamic sales and PR team based in Dublin who ensure that all of our Irish books and authors get maximum attention.

Bestsellers in 2007 included, MA! HE SOLD ME FOR A FEW CIGARETTES by Martha Long; PADRE PIO by Colm Keane and THE GAMBLER by Oisin McConville; in 2006 we had DON’T EVER TELL by Kathy O’Beirne; EVERY SINGLE BALL by Brian Corcoran and THE SHERIFF by Gerry O’Carroll.

One of the books we are most proud to have published is LOST LIVES by a team of Irish authors from every side of the religious spectrum. It is an extraordinary book listing every death during the Irish troubles. On Christmas Eve 1999 Tony Blair and Bill Clinton read extracts from the book on Radio 4, it’s a book of huge integrity, which we hope played a small part in the peace process.

 

 

Looking forward we are committed to building an Irish publishing programme and have just appointed Associate Publisher, Iain MacGregor, with specific responsibility for Ireland. If you have any queries about our Irish books or have an idea for one please contact iain.macgregor@mainstreampublishing.com

 

MAINSTREAM’S IRISH TOP TEN