Graphic Arts Center Publishing Company publishes and distributes national and regional titles through its three imprints: Graphic Arts Books, Alaska Northwest Books® , and WestWinds Press®. GAB is known for its excellence in publishing high-end photo-essay books. Alaska Northwest Books® , established in 1959, is the premier publisher of non-fiction Alaska books on subjects ranging from cooking, Alaska Native culture, memoir, history, natural history, reference, biography, humor, and children’s books. WestWinds Press® , established in 1999, echoes those themes with content that focuses on the Western States.

Categories We Publish

The rule of thumb is this: If you are proposing a photo-driven book, it would be published under the Graphic Arts Books imprint. Text-driven books that are supported with photos or illustrations—and all children’s books—are published under Alaska Northwest Books® or WestWinds Press®. To familiarize yourself with the books that we publish, browse our Web site at www.gacpc.com.

Editors look for the following:

• Non-fiction material that reflects life as it is or was in Alaska, the Northwest, adjacent Canada, and the Western states
• Authoritative material about the region’s wildlife, plants, or other natural resources
• Material about people and places in history, especially that which provides unpublished information and fresh insights
• Arts and crafts of the region both aboriginal and contemporary
• Practical guides to cooking, gardening, travel, and recreation in Alaska and in the West
• Regionally focused children’s books, non-fiction and fiction (with themes related to Alaska, the Northwest, or Western States)
• Occasional out-of-region subjects for which there is a demonstrable reader interest and market

Submission Basics

Photographers with ideas for photo-essay books or calendars should first contact our Editorial Assistant, Jean Bond-Slaughter, at (503) 226-2402 to discuss your idea before sending samples. Submissions should include a cover letter, synopsis, list of previous publications, bio, and your thoughts on the market for your book. Send dupes or a CD; do not send originals.

Illustrators who wish to be considered for a future children’s book may send slides or color photocopies of their work and samples of earlier publications, if any.

Authors of children’s picture books may send a complete, double-spaced manuscript. Include a list of previous publications, clips, and or samples, and a cover letter that outlines why your book would be a good addition to our list. Your knowledge of the market and/or your ideas for self-promotion will strengthen your submission. If you like the style of a certain children’s book illustrator, it’s okay to send color photocopies of his or her work, but please do not bring your book idea to us as a team. It may be we want to publish one of you, but not the other, creating an awkward situation in which both partners might lose. Also, many publishers prefer to choose their own illustrator based on that person’s style, celebrity, previous work with the publisher, and/or knowledge of the market. Be sure to retain a copy of the submission before you send it in.

Authors of longer works may send the following:

• A cover letter describing the project
• A complete outline of your idea/concept (include your thoughts about what would be the ideal book specifications: trim size, number of pages, number of photos, text size)
• A table of contents detailing the areas/regions/themes to be covered. If yours is a chapter book, write a brief synopsis for each chapter detailing what is going to happen in that chapter.
• Include one or two chapters of your choice from the manuscript.
• An individual bio with examples of work previously published, if any
• Discussion of the potential market for the book—i.e.: what other books similar to this book exist and how this differs in quality, style, breadth, and timelines; who the potential buyers of this book are and what access you have to any of these markets through mailing lists, membership in professional societies, media contacts; trends that lend support to your project; relevant demographics; etc.
• If you are enclosing samples of art and/or photography, do not send originals. Duplicate slides and color photocopies are acceptable.

Please package all materials securely, enclose return postage for all proposals, and include cost of certification if material is to be returned certified mail. We do not guarantee the return of unsolicited material. We do, however, take all possible precautions against loss or damage. Materials submitted without sufficient postage for their return will be recycled.

Submissions should go to: Timothy W. Frew, Executive Editor, Graphic Arts Center Publishing Co., P.O. Box 10306, Portland, OR 97296-0306.

Response to Submission

Please allow ample time (up to six months) for careful consideration of your work. We will let you know as soon as we have made a decision.

Please remember that editors base their final decisions upon numerous considerations, such as books previously published by GACPC, material already accepted and scheduled for publication, and what appears to be current reader interest.  

Further Reading

We highly recommend Judith Applebaum’s How to Get Happily Published (Fifth Edition, 1998: HarperCollins) for additional information on preparing a successful proposal for consideration by a publisher.