Hi! I’m Dianne, and I run Devil’s Party Press (DPP), a woman-owned business that publishes writers over 40.
We are named Devil’s Party Press because we are located in Milton, Delaware, and the poet John Milton (after which our town is named) was said to have been a member of The Devil’s Party.
DPP is a completely self-funded start-up. I work as an adjunct teacher to pay the bills. We charge a modest $10 reading fee for anthology submissions. This by no makes us right. Like any business we have numerous expenses–insurance, web hosting, advertising, printing supplies, software, etc. The reading fee helps us, to a very small extent, to keep the lights on. We spend considerable time curating the works we publish, and also invest much time promoting our authors because we want then to be successful.
We publish two anthologies and three to four novel-length books per year. We offer a cash prize with each anthology for what we judge to be the top submission received.
If you are a writer who would like to be kept in the loop on calls for submissions, we have a special FB group for that. No chit-chat, just updates on our activities and calls for submissions. I also pass on to the group other calls for submissions that come across my messy desk.
A little about me…
I am 54, married to a medical editor and graphic novelist, and I am the very lucky mother of an amazing daughter adopted from China, in addition to being an animal mom to various terrorist cats and one adorable dog. I have lived, worked, or gone to school in Vermont, California, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and, now, sweet little Delaware.
I have taught writing of all sorts on both coasts since 1991, and studied my craft through three degree programs, working with one-on-one with such greats as Juan Felipe Herrera (US Poet Laureate), Sydney Lea (Vermont Poet Laureate), Christopher Buckley, Betsy Scholl, and Luann Smith, among others. Currently, I run The Milton Workshop (a workshop for authors that meets twice each month, usually at my home), which is entering its fourth successful year. Prior to most of all of that I worked 15 years with persons with disabilities helping them accomplish their life goals. I have never, since I was 18, had less than two jobs. I always work hard. I like to help, and it is my mission to help older, very talented writers find readers. Writers over 40 who have not been previously published are frequently ignored when they should be celebrated for their deep, rich, engaging writing.
How about you? What has been your life’s work?
And, most importantly, what do you like to read?
As much as we need writers, we also need readers.
We know there are a lot of people out there who love good writing, and who are over 40 themselves, and so might particularly appreciate reading works by older authors. Do you believe in giving older writers a chance?
Our books are beautifully crafted, award winning, and feature fabulous and undiscovered older writers. And they are a delight to read; after all, our press is a “party” press
Feel free to visit our webpage to see our current and upcoming titles. You can also find us on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and through our local partner, Browseabout Books, in Rehoboth Beach.
Can I offer you a good book today? I happen to know of a few great ones.
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Hi, Dianne –
Thank you gigafold for undertaking this venture.
As a lifelong writer (and, of course, avid reader) of poetry, fiction, and plays, I’m fascinated.
For the last 50 years, I’ve avoided publishing any of my poems or fiction. (A tale for another time.) But age, and friends, have made me rethink.
I suspect there couldn’t be a worse time for it. The very changes I’ve spent my life working for are at last taking firm root – with the ironic side effect that nobody’s interested in debuting a writer who’s male, white, and well over 50.
Except, possibly, you. So I’m hoping to be able to show you some of my work. I’ve applied to join the Facebook group. Is there anything else I might be doing?