“I think Sarabande has really contributed to the literary landscape by rescuing fine writers who would otherwise fall through the cracks in the aesthetics wars.”

—Tony Hoagland

Sarabande was founded to publish poetry and short fiction, genres which increasingly have trouble finding a place in the for-profit publishing world. We have established ourselves early not only as a showcase for exceptional literary works, but as an educational resource for writers as well as the public. We regularly conduct readings and workshops in publishing and creative writing at high schools, universities, libraries, and bookstores. We offer two literary contests: the Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry and the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction, both judged by well-established writers.

Sarabande publishes eight to ten titles a year, all of which are kept in print. These books are distributed internationally by Consortium Book Sales and Distribution to libraries, schools, and bookstores across the United States and England. We estimate that 40,000 adult readers of all income levels and ethnicity will, at some point, come into contact with a Sarabande title. In addition, our biannual, educational newsletter Sarabande News reaches an audience of some 8,000 readers. Our mailing list for this publication is a diverse population of writers, scholars, teachers, booksellers, and librarians. Since the 1996 debut of the press, our titles have received positive review attention from nationally distinguished media including The New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, American Book Review, Small Press, The Nation, and Library Journal.

Contributing to Sarabande is a unique way of sharing in this success. We cannot thank our sponsors enough for their generous support, and by giving to Sarabande now, you are joining a wonderful group of people and organizations who believe in our mission to provide a real home for authors and to produce beautiful, lasting editions that honor good writing. We offer several benefits of contribution in addition to the personal satisfaction of knowing your gift will help us to continue producing the best available poetry and short fiction in a manner that honors both the author and the art.

It is essential to seek the help of individuals like you. These are hard times for nonprofits, and literary works continue to lose ground in competition with mass market titles, and even at best, sales cover but a small portion of production, marketing, and overhead costs. Because of cutbacks, small publishers can no longer rely on federal or state funding as a safety net. Your donation will, of course, be tax deductible, and we will provide you with an acknowledgement for your tax preparer.

If you have any questions about Sarabande or your contribution, please contact Nickole Brown, Director of Development, at (502) 458-4028.