Happy Happy Happy

The Short Answer
We now publish chapter books and picture books in both the Gutenberg print and twenty-first century eBook formats.

The Long Answer
When we launched Happy Happy Happy we were full of the promise that eBooks would change the world, not just for adult readers, but for those who would be encountering reading for the first time. And in many ways that is happening. But after publishing our first eBook, The Hanger Drawer, we received an unexpected wave of requests for a print version. So although we sold many copies to families who enjoyed the benefits of reading a full-color picture book from a Kindle or iPad, there was a large segment of the market that wanted the traditional reading experience. We had forgotten the lesson that progress marches, but marches slowly. And had ignored a market segment that wanted our books. Time to change course.

However, once we started researching the economics of printing color picture books we realized the numbers did not favor a small independent publishing company. To make this cost-effective from a business standpoint, we would need to order print runs much larger than the volume of books we thought we could reasonably sell. But books with black and white interior illustrations were an entirely different matter. Those could be printed in appropriate quantities allowing us to sell them for a reasonable price. So the decision was made: we would publish chapter books for children ages 7-11 in both printed and eBook form, but would, until print costs become more favorable to small publishers, refrain from printed editions of children’s picture eBooks.

In a few days The 7 Policemen and the Troublesome Time Machine will become available for purchase in printed form. This will be followed by the release of the title’s eBook version in March. Early in 2016 the second 7 Policemen volume will appear in both the print and eBook formats, followed by the third volume in 2017. After that, who knows? Progress still marches.