This cutting-edge move is being discussed in many publishing houses in an attempt to stay current with the present economic climate, but few have yet to implement it. RainTown’s decision to adopt this model from title one on, is sending a confident message about their perception for the future of books, and their role in this advancement.

“This is where we see publishing going, and we want to be on the forefront of this wave,” states Anna Noak, Associate Publisher for RainTown. “We want readers to be able to make the choice that works best for them. The expectation is that many publishers will be transitioning to this model in the future.” Embracing this uncharted territory, RainTown is sure to draw attention—keep an eye out for the next move they make.

RainTown Press is dedicated to encouraging young readers to become lifelong readers and lovers of great literature. RainTown Teaching Classics and RainTown Originals aim to engage young readers in a way that will exemplify and perpetuate America’s great book tradition and reading culture. They make it their mission to help give rise to young voices, speaking directly to the spirit they embody, through their books and other multimedia endeavors.

We’ve given the blog a bit of a makeover, and moved it over to its own space: Blogtown. This old blog is only going to be updated with press releases and RainTown news–all the fun stuff will be over on Blogtown, so update your bookmarks, and look for us there!

As an author, there’s a moment when noble emotions such as “admiration” and “respect” for a fellow scribe cross over into outright, green-eyed jealousy. And, about midway through reading Molly E. Johnson’s page-turning debut Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows, my appreciation for her quirky, breezy style quickly gave way to wanton prose-envy of the worst kind. The “E” surely stands for either “Effortless,” “Eclectic,” or perhaps “Eunice”…I can’t be sure. Only someone with the middle name of Eunice, like a creepy secret hidden at the nougaty center of their name, could create a charming outsider such as Spartacus Zander, AKA “Poop Lip.”

As exotic as his name is, Spartacus grounds the fantastical events of his story in a deeply affecting and relatable way. His insights and feelings at being a runaway in a difficult situation at a difficult age hold your metaphoric hand as Johnson leads you, circuitously, to the inevitable big showdown at the Big Top. But it’s the various roadside attractions and delightful deviations along the way that make her story sparkle like the creepy-shiny eyes of a carnie. Seriously: your mind will do advanced yoga moves at the story’s twisting twists and—at times—stomach-turning turns. But I’m a better person for every mile spent with Spartacus on his darkly comic road trip. And, if you’re from inner- or even outer-Portlandia, you will derive extra joy from the numerous inclusions of various beloved landmarks, twisted like a helium-filled balloon animal into Johnson’s wonderful story.

— Dale E-for-Eunice Basye

So, as it turns out, that the only thing cooler than making the books we love, is when authors of other books we love give praise for the books we make. Thanks, Dale. It means the world coming from you.

Order a copy of Spartacus RIGHT NOW. (instant gratification rules!)

“Molly E. Johnson’s debut novel, Spartacus and the Circus of Shadows is a humorous novel with unforgettable characters and an unpredictable ending. I loved the travelers Spartacus ends up with. Spartacus’ quest is hilarious and even a bit heartbreaking. It’s a fun novel that is hard to put down. I loved the twist of a not so happily ever after ending. Anybody who has ever had an older brother will love the sibling dynamics. The author does a great job with the theme of loving and accepting others, especially your own family. My twelve year old and seventeen year old sons like the novel as well.  Highly recommended for the middle school reader or ages 10-14.”

In Wax, Yancey Muncy is awkward, geeky, and—dead. Brought back to life by a secret serum and released into his unsuspecting town, Yancey is now determined to do all the things he had always wanted but felt too timid to do. Unfortunately, the inventors of the serum have other ideas for Yancey. A little mayhem, maybe a little rampaging, ensues. In the end, all we have to say is “watch out Frankenstein, there’s a new reanimated guy on the block, and our guy is a lot younger than yours and can talk—in full sentences.”

Phil Duncan is a writer of marketing content and copy, but meanders into the worlds of film, web content and fiction/non-fiction when not paying the bills. He currently lives in Portland, OR, with his law-student wife. In addition to putting words on paper and on screens of various sizes, Phil also enjoys studying media, culture, and religion, getting outside, traveling, and eating street food.

In our untitled acquisition, technology and feudalism come together in Danielle Myers’s offering of speculative fiction. There is a Robin Hood for every age. In a future London, a small band of teenagers try to find a way to survive their rebellion against a despotic government. But it’s the secrets they keep from each other that may be their ultimate enemy. At only 19 years old, Danielle Myers has created a title driven by finely honed characters set in a world a slight step away from the average dystopia.

Danielle Myers lives in Seattle, Washington, where she is working on her English degree from Seattle Pacific University. She has spent most of her life near Portland, Oregon, and is in love with the Pacific Northwest. She’s been writing or dreaming about writing since she could first pick up a pen. The science fiction streak started when she finished A Wrinkle in Time at age twelve, and she hasn’t been able to rid herself of it since. Her inspirations come from her two younger siblings, and her heroes Madeleine L’Engle, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis.

Established in 2010 by Cory Freeman, RainTown Press is Portland, Oregon’s, first and only independent press dedicated to publishing literature for middle grade and young adults. Portland serves as the perfect backdrop for a press dedicated to young readers—the diversity of culture, literature, and landscape here encourages us to be strong, autonomous, and even outright rebellious. There is a spirit of independent thinking and innovation paired with perseverance and tenacity among the people of the Northwest. Through the drudgery and gray skies, we not only survive, we thrive. We view the wet days we endure as being custom-made for reading a good book—or in our case, making one. To that end, we say close the umbrella and “Let. It. Drizzle.”