Feature, by Tyler Tichelaar
Local authors, publishers celebrate UPPAA’s ten-year anniversary

Anyone who has ever wanted to write a book, written a book but doesn’t know how to get it published or already is a published author but wants to learn how to market a book can join the dozens of other writers and publishers who will descend upon the Peter White Public Library on May 31 for the tenth annual conference of the Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association (UPPAA).
UPPAA began ten years ago when Upper Michigan author Sue Robishaw of Cooks learned the hard way how to self-publish her first novel. Realizing other authors experienced similar challenges and had knowledge to share, she sought other writers and publishers in Upper Michigan. She soon met Lynn Emerick, who had recently published her husband’s first book, and Michael Marsden, then Dean of Arts and Sciences at Northern Michigan University. The three of them decided to form UPPAA.
Lynn and her husband Lon of North Country Publishing recall UPPAA’s beginnings. “When Sue Robishaw of Many Tracks in Cooks (Michigan) put out a call for interested independent publishers to form an Upper Peninsula group, we were one of her first respondents,” Lynn said. “We had one book in print at that time.”
She said the organization was envisioned as a way for authors and publishers to network with each other.
“Questions can be asked—someone always has encountered the same problem, made the same mistake and has a solution,” Lynn said. “We (North Country Publishing) now have seven titles in print and still look for answers. Sometimes we even have answers that help other U.P. residents just starting out in the publishing ‘business.’ The opportunities over these ten years, to meet with others, learn from each other, improve our book quality—and in some cases, our profits—have been invaluable.”
Robishaw, Emerick and Marsden organized the first annual UPPAA Conference at Northern Michigan University with NMU Press as its sponsor.
At that first meeting in 1998, the founders were surprised to have thirty participants.
“What a gathering of energy,” Robishaw said. “So many interesting individuals with ideas and plans and books and writings going in all directions.”
Since that initial meeting, the enthusiasm, energy and ideas—as well as the number of books written by members—have grown. Today, UPPAA is a nonprofit organization with more than eighty members, who have authored nearly 100 published books. Members include published and unpublished authors, publishers and printers across Upper Michigan, Wisconsin and Lower Michigan, all with a U.P. connection or writing in or about Upper Michigan. Their writing interests range from books on hunting and exploring Upper Michigan, to children’s books, historical novels, mysteries and local history.
The mission of UPPAA is to assist writers in finding the best way to publish and market their books by networking with other local writers and publishers. Publishing a book is an expensive undertaking. While changes in the publishing industry, such as print-on-demand and the ability to make smaller print runs, can make publishing a book more affordable than twenty years ago, many pitfalls remain. UPPAA helps members find the most cost-effective way to publish and market their books while they retain the right to make their own decisions and collect their own profits as self-published authors.
Paula Buermele, UPPAA treasurer and author of The Dream Catcher Tour, said she joined UPPAA because she realized participating in professional groups was a valuable part of building a successful career as an author.
“I was pleased to discover the UPPAA organization, because its membership includes both authors and publishers who share an interest in the Upper Peninsula,” Buermele said. “This combination results in an exchange of a wide variety of ideas among members, and I find it beneficial to be exposed to the publishing perspective while also experiencing the mutual support of other writers.”
While most UPPAA members are authors, several are interested primarily in the business-related aspects of publishing, book layout and printing. UPPAA’s members include its corporate sponsor, independent printer McNaughton & Gunn, Inc. of Saline. Cheryl Corey, UPPAA membership secretary, is a regional sales manager at McNaughton & Gunn.
“McNaughton & Gunn, Inc. is proud to be a member of UPPAA,” Corey said. “We are a nationally known company that was founded and based in Michigan. We value our association with UPPAA because it is the only publishing organization in the state of Michigan that represents both the individual author and the small publisher. It is important for us to support Michigan based organizations like UPPAA because it offers the opportunity, education and networking for our publishing community. We benefit from the expertise of UPPAA members and we look forward to working together to promote publishing in our state and beyond.”
Brian Helminen, current UPPAA secretary, is the solutions consultant at Designotype Printing. He also values his membership in UPPAA.
“Being in the printing business, we see many authors and publishers come through our doors,” Helminen said. “Over the years, we have helped some of them get their writings printed and others have needed help in marketing their books. I’ve also been working on my own book that I plan to publish, so UPPAA is able to help me both personally and professionally.”
UPPAA has many advantages for its members, but its feature event is an annual conference. Each year the conference has grown bigger and better, and this year’s special ten-year anniversary conference is no exception.
Lisa Shiel, UPPAA president, said this year’s conference is especially significant.
“Sue Robishaw, UPPAA’s founder, will join us at the conference to celebrate a milestone—the organization’s tenth year of service.”
Besides the founder’s presence, Shiel said the milestone birthday will be celebrated with an anniversary cake, ten-year anniversary buttons for attendees and UPPAA anniversary clothing available for purchase.
“UPPAA and its members are the ‘poster kids’ for independent publishing,” Shiel said. “We support the U.P.’s small and self-publishers as well as writers, helping them to achieve their goals and dreams. Our ten-year anniversary is a time for us to look back with pride on all we’ve accomplished, as well as look forward to the future of self-publishing with plans to assist our members in staying on the cutting edge of publishing.”
Last year, UPPAA hosted its first major keynote speaker, Patrick Snow, publishing coach and best-selling author of Creating Your Own Destiny. This year, the keynote speaker is Jerry Simmons, former sales representative for Random House and vice president of field book sales at the Time Warner Book Group.
“For the second year in a row, UPPAA has made a concerted effort to bring a nationally known speaker to the U.P. for our annual conference,” said Walt Shiel, managing partner of Slipdown Mountain Publications LLC in Lake Linden and UPPAA Board Member. “Our members may live in a remote region, but UPPAA works hard to keep them on the forefront of the major changes, and opportunities, affecting publishers and authors across the nation.”
Walt was instrumental in recruiting this year’s keynote speaker.
“For several years now, Simmons has committed his time and resources to educating and helping authors and small/self-publishers,” Walt said. “We urge everyone with any interest in writing or publishing to join us.”
Simmons has worked with such bestselling authors as Michael Connelly, James Patterson, Nicholas Sparks and Robert James Waller. He is committed to providing the essential information writers need to achieve success. He educates authors on the business of publishing and reveals the secrets of the world’s largest booksellers and publishers.
Simmons’ book, What Writers Need to Know About Publishing, was reviewed by best-selling author Sandra Brown in the New York Times as “the good, the bad and the ugly aspects of book publishing, told in a straight-from-the hip manner. New writers take note.”
Simmons is the highlight of this year’s conference, but six other sessions will be held in the afternoon, two presentations per category in writing, publishing and book marketing.
• Publishing 101 with Walt Shiel—Whether you plan to self-publish or pursue a contract with an established publisher, there’s a lot you really must know. This presentation will guide you through the tangled maze that is publishing today and help you make an informed decision about how to get your book published. Shiel is a publisher, author, publishing coach and UPPAA webmaster and newsletter editor.
• Book Reviews: How to Get Them and How to Use Them to Sell More Books with Tyler Tichelaar—Explore why book reviews are important, where you get them and how to submit your book for review. Tyler, UPPAA vice president, local author and professional book reviewer, will reveal all you ever wanted to know about book reviews.
• Writing Workshop Critique with Darby Mitchell and Gabriella Sheldon—Learning to critique and being critiqued will improve your writing. Discover the advantages of critique groups. Bring copies of a few pages of your manuscript (any genre) and take this opportunity to share your work with others. Darby teaches writing workshops at Bay College. Gabriella teaches writing at the University of Wisconsin-Marinette and is a previous UPPAA Board member.
• Book Printing 101: Working with your Printer with Cheryl Corey—The best way to assure you receive a quality, finished product from your book printer is to understand the process. Corey will take you through the basics of getting your book produced. Samples will be available to view, and time will be allotted for an extensive question-and-answer session. Cheryl has twenty-nine years of experience in the book printing industry and is a regional sales manager at McNaughton and Gunn.
• How I Sold 80,000 Books and How You Can, Too! by John Walker—Always remember: one third of the work for a self-publisher is writing a book, while two-thirds of the work is pedaling your book. Be willing to learn from others who have gone down the road before you, pick some successful business people to be your mentors, always realize those willing to sell your books are doing you a favor, and you only sell one book at a time. John has self-published nine books, helped dozens of aspiring self-publishers get started, and been a speaker at outdoor shows and banquets across the country.
• Blogging: How to Create a Blog That People Will Read and Love by Lisa Shiel—How can you exploit the blog phenomenon to build a reputation and sell books? Lisa will illustrate the basics of blogging, techniques to boost traffic to your blog, and the best ways to analyze how visitors use your blog. Lisa is the author of four books, a successful blogger, a professional editor and typesetter and UPPAA president.
Those interested in attending the conference can register online by filling out the online form and paying by credit card or printing the form and mailing it in. While participation in the conference does not require membership in UPPAA, membership applications also are on the Web site.
Conference fees are $5 and an additional $8 if you wish to include lunch. Membership is $20 and includes free attendance to the conference (lunch not included) and the right to display three books at the conference.
Additional membership benefits include receiving the UPPAA quarterly newsletter, The Written Word, participation in the UPPAA e-mail discussion group, having your book featured on the UPPAA site and selling your book at UPPAA events.
To register online, visit www.uppaa.org
To register by mail or for other inquiries about the conference, contact:
UPPAA
c/o Cheryl Corey
9001 N. Pheasant Ridge
Saline, MI 49176
cherylc@mcnaughton-gunn.com
The U.P. has a wonderful tradition of writing and publishing that spans well over a century. As far back as Carroll Watson Rankin’s Dandelion Cottage in 1904, Upper Michigan was on the map as a literary subject. Robert Traver (John Voelker) made Upper Michigan famous with the book and film version of Anatomy of a Murder. Hemingway is equally well-known for writing about Upper Michigan.
The Upper Peninsula Publishers and Authors Association is carrying on that tradition and helping writers self-publish and market their writing to a larger audience.
“After all, isn’t that a true U.P. trait?” Emerick said. “Someone will always stop on the highway—or in the book business—to help out another U.P. resident.”
The UPPAA membership is eager to continue for the next ten years in assisting authors to publish their books.
MM