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It is with mixed feelings that I write to inform our followers that Bald Cypress Books will no longer use Facebook. This is our last post, and the page will be removed in the near future. Recent moves by so-called Big Tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, Google, and Amazon make it clearer than ever before that these monopolistic companies are determined to control the flow of information and silence a particular political viewpoint. Whether I happen to share that viewpoint or not – and, for the record, I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat, not that that should matter – I cannot, in good conscience, continue to use a service that is openly hostile to roughly half of the U.S. population. These companies are far, far too powerful. I don’t support their political agenda, and I don’t wish to support their escalating accumulation of wealth and power.


In its heavy-handed attempt to force-feed its users a politically biased narrative in the aftermath of the recent election, Facebook repeatedly flagged promotional posts about my latest title, Military Interference With the Election in Delaware, 1862, a reprint of a historical text from 1863 with no connection to modern election controversies. This was only a minor inconvenience, but it was annoying, absurd, and kind of creepy. The countless other users who have been censored, suspended, or banned for daring to express their political (and/or religious) convictions have been subjected to a far greater inconvenience, especially those who are dependent on Facebook for their job or business.


Voluntarily removing a small business from Facebook is a serious decision with real consequences. Many businesses could not afford to do it. There is no doubt that this decision will affect Bald Cypress Books; most of my book sales have been driven by Facebook. However, as I thought about it, I realized that there will be no better time to abandon this platform; the longer I use it, the more dependent I’ll become. I can cut the cord right now while the business is relatively new and tiny, take the hit, adjust my marketing strategy as needed, and carry on, while hopefully supporting other platforms which are geared towards usefulness rather than social control.


I plan to publish 2-3 books in 2021. News about forthcoming releases will be shared at baldcypressbooks.com and via other social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and MeWe. I’ll also be setting up an email list of some sort on the website. Please stay in touch if you’re interested in what I’m doing.


Bald Cypress Books will always support a free, open, diverse, and uncensored Internet.


- Chris Slavens

When I founded Bald Cypress Books last year, I intended to publish a book I’d been working on for some time—The Roofed Graves of Delmarva—and wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Writing a book is difficult in and of itself, but turning the finished manuscript into an actual book—formatting the text and designing a cover so that a printer can produce a physical book—is a different kind of learning experience. After I published my first book, I knew that I wanted to write and publish more books in the future, but I was also interested in reprinting rare historical works. Recently I added a second title to my catalog: Military Interference With the Election in Delaware, November 4, 1862, last printed in 1863. I published both hardcover and paperback editions of the book, which was another learning experience.


It is largely due to my satisfaction with the quality of the Military Interference book, as well as my excitement about a number of other projects which are still in the works, that I can comfortably announce that Bald Cypress Books will welcome submissions from other authors in 2021.


Publishing another writer’s work will be another learning experience for me, so what this really means is that I’m interested in discussing potential projects with writers who are willing to be reasonably flexible as we navigate the process together. Any topic relating to the history, folklore, or culture of the Delmarva Peninsula or any of its many communities is welcome. Ability to write is less important than the value of the information being presented; a personal journal could be a complete mess while nonetheless containing important details about people, places, events, and customs. My goal is to preserve little slices of Delmarva history in print, not to publish the next great American novel.


Books published by Bald Cypress Books are printed by IngramSpark and distributed to major retailers, including Bookshop.org, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon. I receive quarterly payments based on net sales, and have drafted a simple author’s compensation plan which would have to be tweaked for each project. However, authors who are comfortable participating in book signings, or giving presentations about their work, can earn considerably more by selling copies directly.


Please submit queries, manuscripts (partial or complete), or questions to chris@baldcypressbooks.com.


- Chris Slavens


The last remaining hardcover copy of Military Interference With the Election in Delaware, 1862, was purchased yesterday. There are still a few paperbacks in stock, and I'm expecting another box of freshly printed paperbacks to arrive next week.


Rather than remove the hardcover option from the online store, I will continue to accept preorders, and will fulfill them as soon as more hardcovers arrive. Please be aware that this might not be until February. Printer/distributor IngramSpark is still reporting an estimated print time of six weeks for hardcovers, although the last batch I ordered only took three weeks. Either way, the delay is highly unusual, and probably related to Covid-19 restrictions. Shipping is also taking a bit longer than usual.


Hardcovers and paperbacks are also available via major online retailers like Bookshop.org, Amazon, and Barnes & Noble, but orders placed through their sites will be affected by the same printing delays.


- Chris Slavens

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