Publishing
Publishing is a new venture for Perna Content. After the successful launch of our book Maine Oysters, we decided to move more actively into this sector. This has been rewarding, but of course challenging, too. We love books and want to work with both new and established nonfiction authors. We like that:
1. We have creative control over the books we publish: We can be highly selective in picking the manuscripts we want to publish, work as much as needed with authors to refine their drafts, and closely oversee the books’ cover art and layouts – all in alignment with our values and goals.
2. We can champion new voices: Independent publishers often specialize in niche genres and/or focus on publishing underrepresented writers, amplifying their voices.
3. We can make a difference in our communities: Independent publishers often have a strong presence in their localities. By publishing books by local authors and hosting local book events, we can help to strengthen local and regional engagement with books.
4. We can create a sustainable business model: While independent publishing can be challenging, it can also be a profitable business model. By focusing on genres for specific audiences, we can build a very loyal customer base with which to create a steady revenue stream. And working directly with authors and designers outside of such expensive media centers as New York can cut overhead costs.
By championing diverse voices, building strong, long-term relationships with authors, some of them locally based, and creating a sustainable business model, we can help create books that make a strong impact, regionally and beyond.
Maine Oysters - Stories of Resilience and Innovation
The Maine Coast has long been famed for its dramatic beauty and for the toughness, work ethic, ingenuity and humor of its fishermen. And now a burgeoning number of new and veteran fishermen are responding to the decline of old, wild-caught fisheries by adapting their risk-taking and resilience, aided by biological breakthroughs, to become farmers of the sea, especially of the world's most beloved bivalves - oysters
Up and down the coast, they're creating a virtually new industry in Maine that's becoming a model for other aquaculturalists around the world. They're doing this in a changing natural environment (good and bad for them) caused by global warming and while facing such man made challenges as NIMBYism, as they respond to Americans' growing appetite for their delicious crops. In doing so, they're making the coastal waters where they farm healthier for all life while brightening the social and economic future of Maine's coastal communities.
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Upcoming Book Projects
Tenuta di Spannocchia, Tuscany
The Spannocchia Story
A Tuscan Sustainable Estate
Many agricultural estates that date from the medieval and Renaissance periods in Tuscany’s history today function as agriturismos, providing farm-stay lodging and meals, an introduction to local products, and easy access to both agricultural landscapes and hill towns.
One of the more distinctive of these agriturismos is Spannocchia, located in the province of Siena about 12 miles southwest of the city. The estate made the Condé Nast Traveler Green List, which noted, “The Tuscan countryside may be dotted with villas, but the farmhouses and castello apartments at this 12th-century complex come with several unusual extras: an organic farm specializing in heirloom produce and almost-extinct animal breeds, a wildlife preserve with hiking trails, and an educational center whose curriculum runs from archaeology and architecture to painting, literature, and cooking—the latter taught by a chef born on the property which serves to promote ancient and earth-friendly methods among locals.”
The History of Italian American Cooking
From Rose, Italy to Greenwich, CT
“You might ask yourself, how did I get here?”
David Byrne, Talking Heads
For many people, Italian culture in America comes down to two things. Pizza and the Mafia. Americans are often astounded to learn that Italy did not become a country until 1862.
This book is not just about recipes, but the history and background of the people who created the foods and what the food meant to people and families. It wasn’t about the food. It was the “Familia.” Food was the glue. Many non-Italians fondly recall being invited to their Italian friends’ families Sunday dinner or the super bowl of dinners – The Christmas Eve Feast of Seven Fishes…
Gray Matters
Gray Matters is about highly accomplished older people discussing their current work, their plans, and the wisdom they have gained through long, colorful, and often celebrated careers.
Adapt or Die
The time for hand-wringing and blame is over. Climate change is here. The impacts are evident locally and globally. The Adapt or Die Project is a global story told regionally. Consider that erosion is accelerating along the New England coast and that the Gulf of Maine is the world's second-fastest-warming body of ocean water. We are beyond reversing these trends, at least over the next few decades. Coastal flooding has become more frequent, and lobsters and other sea life are migrating north, altering life in New England coastal communities.
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