Game Over Books
Founded in 2017, Game Over Books is a small Boston-based press run by nerdy artists. Our mission? Print unique books from diverse voices that push creative writing forward into the Next Level. From acceptance to publication, we give continual guidance to emerging writers as they continue to gain experience points, grow their craft, and navigate the world of publishing.
We want to show people that a 40-page poetry collection about Gerard Way as a queer and trans icon has just as much value, and has just as much quality, as New York Times bestsellers, if not more. Our press prides itself on being transparent about all aspects of our publishing process and providing authors a much needed entry point into the publishing industry.
80% of the US book trade is controlled by five main publishing houses (often referred to as The Big Five). Game Over Books is a small Black and Queer-owned and operated publisher run collaboratively by a group of writers and working artists. Our goal is to bust down the gatekeepers of traditional publishing while printing high-quality books by diverse writers. We strive to make our editing and publishing process honest, transparent and inclusive.
In an industry that is 76% White, 97% Cis, and 81% Straight*, GoB has published 12 poetry collections by primarily LGBTQIA+ and POC authors. Almost 90 percent of our writers are first time authors whose manuscripts would not typically be picked up for publication by larger publishers. Our team of staff, editors, and readers is made up of over 50% POC, 100% LGBTQIA+, and 100% writers or creatives. All of the money that we make off of this Patreon goes directly to paying staff.
Our books have been reviewed and recognized by a number of major literary outlets including Entropy Mag, Buzzfeed, Vagabond Lit, Harvard Review, The Boston Globe, BOOG City, Motif, and the Boston Book Fest. Our writers have received awards and honors from National Association of Latino Arts & Culture (NALAC), Write Bloody, Spotify, Button Poetry, Mass Poetry, SlamFind, The Sidewalk Poetry Project, the Prelude Festival NYC, and more.
What started out as a group of writers trying to break into the publishing world has grown into a press providing access to print and continuing to stretch the parameters of who and what gets published today. Our books can be found at a number of independent and major bookstores across the country, including The Harvard Bookstore, Beastly Books, Strand Bookstore, City Lights, Brazos Bookstore, RiffRaff, Trident Booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Boulder Bookstore, Bookshop, Skylight Books, and Powell’s Bookstore. We are primarily based out of the Boston area, but are seeking to publish innovative and boundary-defying work from artists everywhere.
Publishing can change and be better for everyone. It's going to take time but we will get there!
Game Over Books
Founded in 2017, Game Over Books is a small Boston-based press run by nerdy artists. Our mission? Print unique books from diverse voices that push creative writing forward into the Next Level. From acceptance to publication, we give continual guidance to emerging writers as they continue to gain experience points, grow their craft, and navigate the world of publishing.
We want to show people that a 40-page poetry collection about Gerard Way as a queer and trans icon has just as much value, and has just as much quality, as New York Times bestsellers, if not more. Our press prides itself on being transparent about all aspects of our publishing process and providing authors a much needed entry point into the publishing industry.
Game Over Author Fund
Due to the current COVID-19 crisis many industries are suffering immensely, but freelance artists in particular are struggling under the weight of all this uncertainty. As of right now, all of our authors have had shows and tours cancelled for the coming spring and summer which means hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars worth of individual income for the year--income they need to cover basic necessities like rent, groceries, and utilities. All together our authors and the press have lost out on roughly 50 different events including university shows, festival features, vendor exhibits, and bookstore shows.
The COVID-19 crisis is also affecting our upcoming author releases. Our current printer, based in Ohio, is under necessary staffing restrictions and can no longer guarantee printing and shipping dates. This means we won't be able to adhere to our original release plans for the next three books as well as the I Wish I Wasn’t Royalty project. We are still working diligently on each release, and plan to open pre-order links in the coming months, but the inability to do full book tours and set definitive release dates will affect sales for some time.
Like many other freelance artists, this is causing a lot of distress for our authors and our crew. All this to say, we can use some help from our friends and fans.
We are seeking donations to help our authors recoup lost income from events and sales opportunities. We want to help support their basic needs during this crisis however we can. We know there are many people, causes, and businesses out there that need support, so we appreciate any donation, no matter the size. We also appreciate folks spreading the word if possible. We are truly grateful to all of you who continue to support our authors and our press.
Thank you so much everyone and please stay well!