Foghorn: The Nearly True Story of a Small Publishing Empire, Book Cover
Vicki DeArmon, Author Foghorn, Publisher Sibylline Press
Novel Shares Story of the Heyday of Small Press Publishing in San Francisco
This new memoir is my comic coming-of-age story in San Francisco, where at 25 I launched Foghorn Press and grew it to a 20-book a year enterprise— Vicki DeArmon, Author of Foghorn, Publisher of Sibylline Press
GRASS VALLEY, CA, UNITED STATES, April 1, 2025 /
EINPresswire.com/ --
Sibylline Press is proud to announce the launch of publisher and author Vicki DeArmon’s memoir
Foghorn: The Nearly True Story of a Small Publishing Empire. DeArmon’s memoir recounts the never-before-told story of the heyday of small presses in the 1980s and 1990s in San Francisco when Bay Area presses—armed with arrogance and personal computers—took the publishing field. This is the story of one of those presses and its intrepid publisher, Vicki Morgan (DeArmon). The novel is out today, Tuesday, April 1, 2025, and is available as a paperback and e-book from Sibylline Press; and will be issued as an audiobook from Tantor Media.
“This new memoir is my comic coming-of-age story in San Francisco, where at 25 I launched Foghorn Press and grew it to a 20-book a year enterprise,” said Vicki DeArmon, Author of Foghorn, Publisher of Sibylline Press.
At Foghorn Press, Vicki was 25, young, brash, and ambitious. She quixotically built a book publishing company from scratch with her eccentric brother to help. As part of their optimistic Morgan heritage, the siblings strove to grow Foghorn Press with no capital, 100-hour work weeks, cheap beer, irrepressible belly laughs, and no book publishing experience. Over 13 years, they assembled a cast of often preposterous authors and resistant staff while outlasting a drunken ex-husband, a con artist, inscrutable distributors, a fleet of good ol' boys, terrible cash flow, and their own differing aspirations. Books were brought to market and miraculously sold from their offices in the Boiler Room until Foghorn became a resounding success with sales, media, and acclaim. But of course, the story doesn't end there.
Praise for Foghorn: The Nearly True Story of a Small Publishing Empire:
“This is so well told and personal that every step along the way is both entertaining and heartfelt. I was mesmerized and deeply engaged. A book not to be missed for many reasons, not the least about what it takes to run a publishing company from ground zero.” —Sheryl Cotleur, Buyer, Copperfield’s Books
“Starting with its subtitle—'the nearly true story of a small publishing empire'—Foghorn is an intriguing tale that reads like a novel but feels like truth in the highest sense of the word. Publishing people will especially enjoy the story of a Bay Area startup that makes good; everyone will enjoy the full nearly true story.” —John Mutter, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Shelf Awareness
“Foghorn is not just a tale of business success but also a story of the power of storytelling and the impact that words can have on individuals and society. Through Vicki's journey, readers are reminded of the importance of pursuing one's passions, embracing challenges, and staying true to one's vision, even in the face of adversity.” —Calvin Crosby, co-owner, The King’s English Bookshop
“A publishing executive’s unsparing and compelling look at the impact of a small press.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Packed with heart, humor, and hard-earned wisdom, it's a story you won't want to put down—or see end.” —Nina Schuyler, award-winning author of Afterword and In This Ravishing World
“Foghorn is a beautifully written time capsule of a book. It captures a bygone era in publishing and a heady chapter in a young woman’s life.” —Julie Checkoway, author of The Three-Year Swim Club
About the Author:
Vicki DeArmon has been in the book industry for forty years as a respected publisher, bookseller, and innovator. She started her San Francisco publishing company Foghorn Press when she was twenty-five, growing it into a $2 million enterprise before selling it fourteen years later. She also worked at Copperfield’s Books as the marketing and event director and as consultant to California’s independent bookstores. She’s a writer whose short stories and essays have won awards and appeared online and in print. Vicki is one of the founders of Sibylline Press and serves as its publisher.
About Sibylline Press:
Sibylline Press publishes the brilliant work of women authors over 50, exclusively. Sibylline is owned by seven women (five of whom are also authors). It was founded in August 2022 to publish the brilliant work of women authors over 50. The press publishes about 12 titles a year in trade paper. Recently they launched the new e-book imprint, Sibylline Digital First, to publish more work from women over 50 with new titles publishing every Friday as part of their “Pub Date Fridays” campaign. Sibylline Press titles encompass the genres of fiction, mystery, adventure, romance, and memoir. Sibylline Press takes its name from the Sibylline Scrolls, the ancient writings of wise older women, the Sibyls. More at sibyllinepress.com; and follow us on FB and IG @sibyllinepress.
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Foghorn: The Nearly True Story of a Small Publishing Empire, Book Cover
Vicki DeArmon, Author Foghorn, Publisher Sibylline Press
Foghorn Book Trailer