Testimonial - Mythic Roads Press
JR Creaden - Author of Moon Dust in my Hairnet
Hello all, I’m JR Creaden, and I write speculative fiction with hopepunk vibes for all ages. I love to explore genre conventions through the lens of underdogs, sidekicks, and behind-the-hero types of characters, whose experiences of “story plot” can look and feel quite different from the stories we’re used to.
My debut novel is Moon Dust In My Hairnet, a near-future light sci-fi. You can find out more about me and my books at jrcreaden.com or on Instagram as @jrcreadenwrites.
What Is your book Moon Dust in my Hairnet About?
Moon Dust In My Hairnet is about the autistic kid sister of a celebrity scientist after said scientist changed the world and got murdered for it. It’s both a queer coming-of-age, as the protagonist Lane ventures nervously into adulthood in this wildly new-to-everyone lunar setting, and a tale of utopian idealism in a post-apocalyptic world. It’s about fighting for hope when the situation looks hopeless.
It’s about being the adult child of imperfect parents, whether well-meaning or abusive; about found family and trust in new partners; about grief and the ways it impacts mental health and disability; about intentional communities and the struggle to maintain group identity; about surviving tragedy, climate change, and corporate criminals; and about the simple joys and and moments of beauty that sustain our bodies and souls when everything sucks.
Why did you decide to publish your books with Mythic Roads Press? How was your querying experience with them?
I had been on sub with this book for over two years with my first agent, starting the Thanksgiving before the pandemic. Whether it was the pandemic or sub, that period was surreal. Many of those editors have left the industry, even some of the houses.
I found Mythic Roads Press’ opening announcement the same day I built my sub list, oddly enough. They were the only press I submitted to that I didn’t speak to some of their authors first (because there weren’t any yet). Their mission statement felt like it was written to me, to get my attention. I heard back twice before getting an offer, and I knew from the first phone call that even if another offer came in, I had already found the right publisher for this book.
How has your publishing experience with Mythic Roads Press been (so far)?
I have no complaints, which is saying a LOT! Mythic Roads Press is run by Patricia Veldstra whose history with independent publishing informs every step of the process; what she doesn’t do herself gets completed by other indie pros she contracts with after getting author input and approval. Within a month of signing, I had an official timeline for every stage up till launch, and I was kept informed the whole way, like a partner.
Would you recommend Mythic Roads Press to other writers?
Wholeheartedly, I’d recommend Mythic Roads Press for other niche SFF authors, especially if they’re wanting a reliable small press with great communication. You’ll have to check with me in a couple of years to find out how sales hold up, but I couldn’t be happier with my experience so far.
For you, what are some of the pros & cons of publishing with a small press/indie publisher?
What most people assume are the pros of Big 5 (large advance and printrun, launch promotions and tour, in-store stock, etc.) aren’t true for all books published by Big 5 either. Having Big 5 lead title expectations would make publishing indie look like all cons, whether or not the authors’ experiences are the same.
There’s a lot of variability in how different presses run, like how many books they publish in their beginnings. With Mythic Roads Press, I’ve had lead title status, being their only title, which has meant a lot of pros: attention, time, communication, commitment. My debut and Mythic Roads Press are tied together to sink or float; I’ll always be their first author. Others might consider that a “con,” but for me it’s not. Mythic Roads Press being new and small allows it to pivot quickly while the rest of the industry crawls toward any changes it makes. That said, I wish we’d had endless funds to sink into our initial printrun, or never ending giveaway promotions. While I appreciate knowing unwanted copies of my debut aren’t rotting in store backrooms, I wish more booksellers shopped the IBPA catalog!