Rebelight Publishing had been off my radar until this past spring when I was a juror for a book prize. Amidst the dozens of great and not so great books that I read and rated, I noticed that three good books came from one publisher – Rebelight.

What impressed me about the Rebelight books is that they seemed to be taking a risk in one way or another. For example, Larry Verstraete is well-known for his many award-winning true life adventure stories but Rebelight had published Verstraete’s Missing in Paradise, a treasure hunt mystery novel for middle grade boys. Those of us with many books under our belt know how hard it is to find publishers who let us risk breaking out of our established genres. Suzanne Costigan’s Empty Cup is another example of risky. This outstanding first novel deals with teen pregnancy and sexual abuse in a way that is breathtakingly direct.

But what really impressed me was seeing Gabriele Goldstone’s novel, Red Stone, land on their list. Red Stone is based on the author’s own family‘s experiences in the 1930s Soviet Union when they’re exiled to Siberia as “enemies of the people”. This is an era that is puzzlingly off the radar for most publishers despite the fact that millions of Canadians have ancestors who escaped to Canada during Stalinist times.

The following interview was done via email with Rebelight’s four person team.

What did you do before creating Rebelight Publishing Inc.?

• Melinda Friesen was a student and continues to be a writer and mother to four children.
• Deborah Froese explores life through stories rooted in truth and fiction.
• Suzanne Leclerc is a treatment foster parent.
• Melanie Matheson has been a graphic designer for 25 years and is currently the Executive Director at the Manitoba Writers’ Guild.

What made you decide to create Rebelight Publishing?

A desire to create new opportunities for writers in a changing publishing environment fueled the creation of Rebelight Publishing Inc. We saw great manuscripts overlooked and opportunities for new writers dwindling. At the same time, we found the quality on bookstore shelves declining.

How is Rebelight different from other publishers?

1) We are writers first, so we strive to treat our authors as we want to be treated. We offer fair contracts and open communication. Our authors are actively involved in the decision making processes; their opinions and ideas matter to us.

2) We have a team approach to everything we do. Although we each specialize in different areas of the business, we help each other out continuously.

3) At Rebelight, we take chances. We seek out new and talented writers and give established authors the opportunity to venture outside their established genres. Rebelight looks for good stories, well told, and is open to submissions across genres.

4) We see marketing as a partnership between author and publisher. We market books long term, continually seeking out new opportunities for each book on our list to meet readers.

What has been the response from authors, the public, readers?

We have received such wonderful feedback from everyone. Rebelight seems to be living up to its goal of publishing quality novels for youth. We are honoured by the attention we’ve received from the Manitoba Book Awards, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Kids and Teens Spring 2015 edition, and Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards 2016.

We couldn’t be happier with our author line-up. One of our mandates is to publish new talent, and so far we’re meeting that goal. Forty-five percent of our novels are from first time authors. Our authors tell us they are impressed with our thorough editing process, our attention to social media and our flexibility.

What are the biggest challenges that you face?

There’s a lot of book noise out there, and it’s difficult to be heard over the clamor. This early in our company’s life, it’s challenging to get people who haven’t heard of us to take us seriously. However, reading one of our books is usually all it takes for people to realize that we’re serious about living up to our tagline, to produce “crack the spine, blow your mind” novels for young people.

What do you look for in a manuscript?

We seek well-developed and dynamic characters, plots with building momentum, and a balance between internal reflection and outward action. We love strong protagonist voices, well-developed antagonists and clean, concise writing.

Can you describe the qualities of a dream author to work with?

A dream author shares our end goal: a great reader-experience. We want readers to love Rebelight books and know that they are buying a well-written enjoyable read. A dream author is open to working through our intense editing process. We publish the best.

And now describe an author from heck.

Someone resistant to the editing process and uninvolved in the marketing efforts.

What is your manuscript selection process?

1. We review the submission package.
2. If we like what we see, we request the full manuscript.
3. The full manuscript is reviewed by multiple Rebelight readers.
4. If our readers agree that the manuscript meets Rebelight’s publishing goals, the Rebelight team discusses the manuscript and determines whether or not to move forward.

Once a manuscript is chosen, what steps come next?

We touch base with the author by phone to express our interest in the manuscript and our thoughts about it—the first step toward establishing a working relationship. If the author is open to our initial editorial vision, we offer a contract.

What do you expect from your authors, and how is that different from other publishers?

One key word: interaction. We keep in touch with authors by telephone and email throughout the editing process and beyond, and we invite them to interact with us on Twitter and Facebook. We love to hear from our authors! Rebelight is all about creating a writing community, so let’s get to know each other.

What advice do you have for a first time author?

Publication is a marathon, not a sprint. Settle in for the long haul because nothing happens fast in this business. Don’t rush. Take all the time you need to ensure your manuscript is the absolute best it can be before you submit it anywhere. Join a writers’ group and acquire some beta readers. Critique is invaluable. All serious artists seek critique on their work. Never forget that writing is an art, while publishing is a business. Rejection is not personal, it is simply a business decision.

What would be the most common problem with a manuscript you decide not to publish?

One of the biggest problems we encounter is the lack of an authentic middle grade or teen voice. The narrative sounds like the author is speaking, not the protagonist. A middle school boy should not sound like a middle-aged woman. A strong voice always stands out.

What do you see in the future of children’s publishing?

This is an exciting time in the publishing industry. No one knows where the future is headed, but we are confident that we have structured our company for flexibility within the ever-changing publishing climate.