by Rachel M. Anderson

(Minneapolis, Minn.) – These are tough times. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, Minnesota employers cut another 16,700 jobs in June 2009, bringing the state’s unemployment rate to 8.4 percent.

What are these out of work people doing? Many are packing the state’s Workforce Centers, taking advantage of all the resources available to them to find work: job fairs, resume writing workshops, interview training, etc.

Then there are those like Marsha Peterson of Eden Prairie who have decided to use their downtime to work on projects they never had time to complete before. After being laid off from her job as a pricing analyst at Eden Prairie-based Eaton Corporation in Jan. 2009, Peterson decided not to look for another job right away. Instead she devoted her attention to a project she had wanted to do for years – to write a book that would help children learn sign language.

Come Sign with Us: The Adventures of Potts and Friends, published in June 2009, came about as a result of her own experiences as the parent of a child with developmental challenges. “My son, Chad, has both Down’s Syndrome and Autism. He started learning sign language to communicate at the age of 12 months, but it was a struggle,” she says. “Over the years it became obvious that he learned best when the lessons were given through stories involving everyday activities. That’s the concept my book is based on.”

Peterson’s original reason for putting the book together was to help developmentally challenged and hearing-impaired children. As it turns out her method of teaching sign language works well for all babies.
Once she had a completed manuscript in hand, it was time to start looking for a publisher. Luckily, Peterson didn’t have to go very far to find one. “Whether authors are looking for a company to just print their book or a full-service publisher that will provide everything from book editing, illustrations and layout to sales and marketing services, there really is something for everyone in the Twin Cities,” says Steve Deger, president of the Minnesota Book Publishers Roundtable, a group that provides networking and professional development for the Twin Cities’ established publishers, as well as the many vendors and independent contractors that work with them.

A friend recommended she consider Beaver’s Pond Press of Edina -- a full-service publishing company that works directly with authors. After learning about their services, she was so impressed with their business model that she immediately signed on and began the process of creating her book.

“So many people have contacted us recently inquiring about the process of finally publishing the book they’ve written, it’s very inspiring. We’ve had to hire additional staff just to keep up with the increase in business,” says Dara Beevas, Beaver’s Pond Press’ Executive Editor.

Every author who comes through the door is offered the same quality services, starting with a professional evaluation of the manuscript to assess quality, marketability and scope. If the project is accepted – and not all are – the author is then paired with a project manager who will guide them through the publishing process.

A combination of their comprehensive services and having the ability to be involved in the process every step of the way is what ultimately sold Peterson on Beaver’s Pond Press. “My illustrator and book designer were excellent to work with. They took direction and wanted to make sure everything was right. They made all the changes I requested along the way and really designed the book in my vision. Not someone else’s. That was very important to me,” she says.

“At Beaver’s Pond Press we really pride ourselves on working with authors to not only publish a book that meets and exceeds their vision, but also show them ways to sell their books, deliver them and market them to target audiences,” says Tom Kerber, Beaver’s Pond’s CEO. The company has its own book fulfillment center for direct sales and provides access to bookstores, libraries and online sales outlets across the U.S.

If the current pace continues, Beaver’s Pond predicts that about 50 new titles will be published this year in a variety of genres including business, military, memoir, sports, adult and children’s fiction.

For more information about the services offered by Beaver’s Pond Press, log on to the company Web site: www.beaverspondpress.com. You can find Beaver’s Pond Press titles at Barnes and Noble, Borders and select independent book stores, as well as online at Amazon.com and in your local library.

About Rachel M. Anderson
Rachel M. Anderson is a freelance writer who lives in Minnetonka, Minn. She has written professionally for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and Tampa Tribune newspapers.