Barry, welcome to TMR. Tell us how and why your press got started.

Gauntlet Press was started to provide collectors with signed limited editions of classic horror/dark fantasy/suspense books. There are MANY signed limited editions being published, but I was surprised to find, in 1993, that a classic like Robert Bloch's PSYCHO had never been published as a signed limited. Near the end of the project, Bob Bloch contracted cancer and passed away soon after. I decided that while I would publish new material that would be Gauntlet's niche -- publishing classics by greats like Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson.

At the same time, I also published new books. What the specialty press can do that the mainstream press can't is short story collections by midlist or new writers. If you're not King or someone of that stature the big publishers steer away from short story collections. We've published a number of those. And, our first NAMELESS SINS by Nancy A. Collins (1993) has NEVER been picked up by a mainstream publisher.

What we also offer that the mass publisher can't is to provide the author more control over the book. The author chooses the artist and has approval over the cover and the general look of the book. With mainstream houses, the cover they want is the one you get whether you like it or not, and you might (and many authors do) hate it.

Did you have a mission in mind when you began producing books?

I wanted to publish a definitive version of every book I published -- not just a classy looking edition. With Ray Bradbury, for example we encouraged him to do the cover art and he agreed for both THE ILLUSTRATED MAN and THE OCTOBER COUNTRY. We also included rough sketches from both Bradbury and Joe Mugnaini (his artist when he was first published) to show their working relationship). I wanted to publish books that would be the first one the author would take off the shelf to show friends. Robert Bloch, for instance, mentioned that of the dozens upon dozens of copies of Psycho he had, ALL the covers referred to the movie and he wanted a cover that didn't. We gave it to him and he loved it.

In what format are your books published?

As they are signed limited editions they are print. We use acid free paper, smythe-sewn binding. We go the extra yard to provide the collector with a book that will not only stand the test of time, but the book itself won't fall apart.

Do you do print-on-demand books?

Again, because we're filling a special niche we don't do print on demand books. There has to be room for books that fans and collectors can get a hold of -- with the authors signature, added material not found anyplace else, a new author introduction (or in the case of THE OCTOBER COUNTRY, Ray Bradbury found an introduction he wrote in 1955 that Ballantine rejected as too long. It HAD never been published. It's a wonderful introduction and it's in our edition. And with our edition of Bradbury's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, Bradbury provided us a screen treatment of the book he wrote for Gene Kelly BEFORE he wrote the novel. Kelly couldn't sell the treatment, so Bradbury wrote the book. There's no way something like this would ever be published "on demand." No one knew about it until Bradbury mentioned it to me).

How are your books distributed? Do you get help from Ingrams or B and T, or are you on your own?

I use my website (www.gauntletpress.com), a mailing list I've developed over the years and specialty dealers. SOME books are made available to Ingram or B&T, but their discounts are so steep, I really don't want to provide them with these signed limited editions. I get a lot of orders from individual bookstores (even individual stores from chains). I don't have to give the huge discounts Ingram and B&T ask for. And I get these wonderful checks from Amazon.com (again with a minimal discount). They send a check AND a purchase order. It doesn't come any easier than that. No waiting 90 or more days like with B&T or having books returned damaged like with B&T. No returns whatsoever. And, I DON'T want to sell out immediately (remember, these are LIMITED editions. Unlike Easton Press if we print 500 copies, we can't go back for a second printing). PSYCHO lasted 5 years. Even better I've published 4 books to date by Richard Matheson. Sometimes someone will find out about WHAT DREAMS MAY COME and not only buy that book, but several of our other Matheson titles. I've already paid my bills on the books, so it's all profit and I make a customer happy because I have a backlist.

Tell us how you advertise. Where do the dollars go, primarily?

I haven't found advertising to be too productive. I spent most of my advertising dollars on inserts in magazines. If I can get 20, 30, 50 or more people to get on my mailing list, at some point I'll publish something that will appeal to them. So, inserts work best for me. I have had ads in some magazines, but the response has been disappointing. And, I find that my website draws customers, so I am now starting to put more of my advertising dollars in upgrading the website. I also announce on the many online newsletters that cater to authors I publish. Again, there is no cost to this. And, I am also beginning to provide free chapbooks to anyone who buys a book from Gauntlet directly. For instance, buy a Poppy Z. Brite book and you'll get a chapbook that can't be bought, won't be made available to dealers or in bookstores, can't be gotten ANY PLACE other than through Gauntlet. I sometimes put a book on an auction line, as an advertisement. I DO auction the book, but tell the people checking out the auction that they can buy from the publisher directly, get a NEW copy of the book at the cover price and a free chapbook, as well. So, the auction is more an advertisement and is essentially free.

Who are some of the authors you've contracted with? What releases do you have out or soon out?

We published Jack Ketchum's COVER in March. It saw limited release as a paperback in 1987. We're publishing the first short story collection by Caitlin R. Kiernan (TALES OF PAIN AND WONDER), who won several awards for her first novel SILK last year. We're publishing the next installment to F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack series, ALL THE RAGE in May/June. We published CONSPIRACIES a year before the mass market hardcover came out and those who liked that book can read the next installment a year before the next mass market hardcover. And, I'm really proud to be able to publish Richard Matheson's FIRST and previously UNPUBLISHED novel, HUNGER AND THIRST. It is 750+ manuscript pages and when he first wrote it 50 years ago (at the age of 24) his publisher said due to it's length it was unpublishable. He put it away, and now after having published 4 of his classics, he feels comfortable to offer this to me. It's something NO mainstream publisher would touch. It's just too long unless you're a King or Clancey. And his son is also an accomplished writer, so we're publishing DYSTOPIA by Richard Christian Matheson in late-May. We have a new writer, Mick Garris, who is known for directing Stephen King's THE SHINING (the mini-series) and THE STAND, as well as his work on the current television show THE OTHERS. His first short story collection will have an introduction by Stephen King and be signed by King. Clive Barker will provide the cover art.

We publish 6 books or so a year, as so much time is spent on each (working with the author to get it right). In 2001 we'll be working with Nancy A. Collins again, publishing a previously unpublished children's book by Richard Matheson and the next Repairman Jack book from F. Paul Wilson. Other projects are in the works.

What is the price range for your releases? These are signed limited editions, you have to remember. The numbered editions go from anywhere from $40 to $65 -- with the average price $50. The deluxe leatherbound, traycased, lettered editions go for $150, but there are only 52 of each of them produced.

We're publishing our first trade paperback in May -- a paperback edition of the hardcover we published by Poppy Z. Brite -- ARE YOU LOATHSOME TONIGHT? As popular as she is, her publisher wanted a novel from her, so we decided to publish a trade paperback for those who can't afford the signed hardcover ($40). It will sell for $16.95 and we're going through Ingram with it. It will also serve as an advertising tool for the rest of our line. Being the publisher we'll have some ads in the back of the book and hopefully draw a lot of people to the website.

How can readers purchase your books?

You can order directly from Gauntlet. We take credit card (via phone @ 610-328-5476 or e-mail to gauntlet66@aol.com). Our website will soon have a secure shopping cart system, as well. And, they can be ordered by check/money order to Gauntlet, 309 Powell Rd., Springfield, PA 19064. Our website has all of this information.

Do you have a website with more information?

www.gauntletpress.com has a good deal more information on these books. We've just started on-line interviews with our authors. Right now we have a 10-minute interview with Jack Ketchum (conducted by noted interviewer Stanley Wiater). And we will have others. We also have readings on CD from many of our books and there are soundbites from these readings on the website. We have contests, print interviews with our authors, the covers and much more regarding each and every book we publish.

Jack Ketcham, Gauntlet Press author

What led you to a small press? Were you previously published by a mainstream house?

Prior to COVER I've had three novels -- one original and two reissues -- two story collections, a novella, a memoir and several chapbooks published by the small press, plus numerous short stories in various anthologies. I was first approached by Dave Hinchberger of Overlook Connection Press to reissue my novel THE GIRL NEXT DOOR back in '94 or '95. Before that I'd been published mostly by mainstream houses -- Ballantine, Warner and Berkley -- all paperback originals, and the stories appeared either in mainstream anthologies or in magazines like Cemetery Dance.

What's it like working with a small press?

I find it mostly pretty gratifying. My biggest beef is that proofreading and typesetting sometimes suffers. I like the clean look of a book and sometimes you don't get that. Maybe because so much of this is computer-driven, I don't know. But small-press gives you a sense of participation in the birthing of a book you never get with the big guys. Selecting cover-art and artist, type-face, who's going to do the forword or afterword, that kind of thing. Even down to writing the flap-copy if you want to. These are things mainstream often botches. The other thing is that an editor/publisher at a small-press house really has a stake in promoting your work and not just dumping it on the market. Can't afford to. So you get a kind of personal attention that's very valuable.

Do you receive advances and royalties?

I sure do. Sometimes the royalties are a little late, but...

Tell us about your experiences promoting a small-press release.

I go to conventions, several a year, and take flyers for the books or the books themselves with me, do signings, readings, discussions. I've done two live chats on the web. I'm on an author discussion board via Masters of Horror which I visit pretty regularly. I've got my own new website (http://ketchum.dangermedia.org) with links to publishers, booksellers and other writers. Plus all the books and stories are listed up there along with the cover art for them and with the most recent books, excerpts you can read. In the case of COVER, there's audio stuff too -- excerpts from readings I did from the book and a taped interview with Stanley Wiater on the subject. I do a lot of interviews these days and transcripts of many of them are also on the website or linked to it -- there's always some shamless self-promotion there. Dave at Overlook threw a launch-party for THE GIRL NEXT DOOR at a Manhattan Club and Barry Hoffman of Gauntlet's threw one for COVER at ChillerCon in April. Beer, pizza, teeshirts, posters -- lots of what Barry calls "bells and whistles." It's been fun, and continues to be.

Barry and Jack, thanks for joing us, and best of luck to all at Gauntlet Press.

November 4, 2000