ABOUT ASYMMETRICAL PRESS NONFICTION
COLLECTIONS
2-7 Everything That Remains by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
32 Coffee with the Other Man by Colin Wright
8-9 Act Accordingly by Colin Wright
33 Mean Universe by Colin Wright
10-11 Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
34 7 or 8 Ways to End the World by Colin Wright
12-13 Iceland India Interstate by Colin Wright
35 7 or 8 More Ways to End the World by Colin Wright
14-15 My Exile Lifestyle by Colin Wright
36 Chapbook Volume 1 by Asymmetrical Press
FICTION
COMING SOON
18-19 Brand-Changing Day by Shawn Mihalik 20 Ordovician by Colin Wright 21 Trialogue by Colin Wright 22-23 As a Decade Fades by Joshua Fields Millburn 24-27 Real Powers Series by Colin Wright 28-29 The Flute Player by Shawn Mihalik
CONTACT US DISTRIBUTION HOW TO ORDER
About Asymmetrical Press Asymmetrical Press is a publishing company operated in Missoula, Montana, founded by three bestselling independent authors. Our overarching objective is simple: we want to improve the overall quality of indie publishing—to raise the tide, to lift all boats. No longer should independent publishing carry a negative connotation. Like indie music and indie films, we want to make indie publishing cool, better, desirable to readers.
About the Founders Colin Wright is an author, entrepreneur, and full-time traveler who moves to a new country every four months based on the votes of his readers. Originally from the Bay Area but brought up in Missouri, Colin has written eighteen books, many of which have been bestsellers. He maintains a blog at ExileLifestyle.com and publishes a twice-monthly writing collection called Exiles. Joshua Fields Millburn is an author, writing instructor, public speaker, and co-founder of TheMinimalists.com. Born in Dayton, Ohio, Joshua currently lives in Missoula, Montana. He writes essays at The Minimalists and has written three books, including his bestselling novel As a Decade Fades. Ryan Nicodemus is a full-time mentor, writer, public speaker, and co-founder of TheMinimalists.com. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Ryan currently lives in Missoula, Montana. He writes for The Minimalists and has co-authored two bestsellers.
NONFICTION
Praise for The Minimalists
“Like Henry David Thoreau, but with Wi-Fi.” —Boston Globe
“Paring down, branching out.” —Chicago Tribune
“A better life, by having fewer possessions.” —Seattle Times
“Minimalism has brought happiness to [these] two former executives.” —Vancouver Sun
“They just might give you a hug.” —Dayton Daily News
“Regaining control by limiting consumption and living more meaningful lives.” —Forbes
“The best way to find happiness is to get rid of almost everything.” —CBS This Morning
“Perhaps it’s a good time to sit back and look at how we can all live with less.” —USA Today
“Less has become so much more.… Let’s call it minimalism+.” —Elle Canada
“Minimalists make the most of living with very little.” —Chicago Sun-Times
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Available January 5, 2014
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Everything That Remains by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus
Twenty-something, suit-clad, and upwardly mobile, Joshua Fields Millburn thought he had everything anyone could ever want. Until he didn’t anymore. Blindsided by the loss of his mother and his marriage in the same month, Millburn started questioning every aspect of the life he had built for himself. Then, he accidentally discovered a lifestyle known as minimalism…and everything started to change. That was four years ago. Since, Millburn, now 32, has embraced simplicity. In the pursuit of looking for something more substantial than compulsory consumption and the broken American Dream, he jettisoned most of his material possessions, paid off loads of crippling debt, and walked away from his six-figure career. So, when everything was gone, what was left? Not a how-to book, but a why-to book, Everything That Remains is the touching, surprising story of what happened when one young man decided to let go of everything and begin living more deliberately. Heartrending, uplifting, and deeply personal, this engrossing memoir is peppered with insightful (and often hilarious) interruptions by Ryan Nicodemus, Millburn’s best friend of twenty years.
Available January 5, 2014 232 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $15 978 1 938793 18 9 Self-Help / Memoir
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About the Authors Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus have garnered an audience of more than 2 million readers at TheMinimalists.com, where they write about living a meaningful life with less stuff. They are the bestselling authors of five books and have spoken at Harvard Business School, SXSW, World Domination Summit, TEDxWhitefish, and many other organizations, schools, and conferences. They write and speak about a wide array of topics, from simple living and cultivating your passion, to health, relationships, writing, publishing, social media, personal growth, and contribution. Joshua and Ryan left their six-figure corporate careers at age 30 and went on to become well-known authors and speakers. The Minimalists has been featured on CBS This Morning, ABC, NBC, FOX, NPR, CBC Radio, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, Elle Canada,Boston Globe, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Austin American-Statesman, Seattle Times,Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, Vancouver Sun, National Post, LA Weekly, Zen Habits, and various other outlets. Both born in 1981, they live in Missoula, Montana, by way of Dayton, Ohio. More information: asymmetrical.co/jfm & asymmetrical.co/ryan
Excerpt from the Book Imagine your life a year from now. Two years. Five. Imagine living a healthier life, one in which you don’t just look better, you feel better. Imagine a life with higher standards. Imagine a life with less clutter, less stuff, fewer distractions. What would it look like? Imagine your life with less—less stress, less debt, less discontent. What would it feel like? Now imagine your life with more—more time, more contribution, more elation. Imagine better, more interesting relationships. Imagine sharing meals and conversations and experiences and smiles with people who have similar interests and values and beliefs as you. Imagine growing with your peer group and your loved ones. 5
Tour Dates Book Preview Event 2013 November 13, 2013 — NYC
United States 2014 January 24 — Tampa, FL January 27 — Miami, FL January 30 — Orlando, FL February 1 — Jacksonville, FL February 5 — New Orleans, LA February 8 — Jackson, MS February 11 — Birmingham, AL February 15 — Atlanta, GA February 17 — Knoxville, TN February 20 — Nashville, TN February 21 — Memphis, TN February 23 — Little Rock, AR February 25 — Tulsa, OK February 26 — Oklahoma City, OK March 1 — Dallas, TX March 4 — Houston, TX March 7 — San Antonio, TX March 10 — Austin, TX March 13 — Albuquerque, NM March 18 — Phoenix, AZ March 20 — Tucson, AZ March 22 — Las Vegas, NV March 25 — San Diego, CA March 28 — Los Angeles, CA March 31 — San Jose, CA April 2 — San Francisco, CA April 6 — Sacramento, CA April 9 — Portland, OR April 12 — Boise, ID April 15 — Salt Lake City, UT
April 18 — Denver, CO April 21 — Omaha, NE April 22 — Des Moines, IA April 23 — Kansas City, MO April 25 — St. Louis, MO April 27 — Louisville, KY April 29 — Indianapolis, IN May 2 — Cincinnati, OH May 5 — Dayton, OH May 8 — Columbus, OH May 12 — Pittsburgh, PA May 14 — Charlotte, NC May 15 — Greenville, SC May 17 — Columbia, SC May 18 — Charleston, SC May 19 — Raleigh, NC May 21 — Virginia Beach, VA May 23 — Richmond, VA May 27 — Washington, DC May 28 — Baltimore, MD June 1 — Fargo, ND June 3 — Philadelphia, PA June 5 — New York City, NY June 7 — Hartford, CT June 8 — Providence, RI June 11 — Boston, MA June 13 — Portland, ME July 3 — Buffalo, NY July 5 — Rochester, NY July 7 — Cleveland, OH July 9 — Ann Arbor, MI July 10 — Grand Rapids, MI July 14 — Chicago, IL July 16 — Milwaukee, WI July 18 — Madison, WI July 20 — Minneapolis, MN August 3 — Seattle, WA August 6 — Spokane, WA August 11 — Missoula, MT
For more info & to RSVP: theminimalists.com/tour 7
Canada 2014 June 16 — St. John’s, NL June 19 — Halifax, NS June 22 — Quebec City, QC June 25 — Montreal, QC June 26 — Ottawa, ON June 29 — Toronto, ON June 30 — London, ON July 2 — Hamilton, ON July 22 — Winnipeg, MB July 24 — Regina, SK July 26 — Saskatoon, SK July 28 — Edmonton, AB July 30 — Calgary, AB August 1 — Vancouver, BC
UK & Ireland 2014 October 9 — London October 11 — Southampton October 13 — Bristol October 15 — Cardiff October 17 — Birmingham October 19 — Manchester October 21 — Leeds October 23 — Newcastle October 25 — Edinburgh October 27 — Glasgow October 29 — Belfast October 31 — Dublin
Australia 2014 November 4 — Brisbane November 6 — Gold Coast November 9 — Sydney November 12 — Melbourne November 15 — Adelaide November 19 — Perth
Act Accordingly by Colin Wright
Act Accordingly is a philosophical framework written to help people become the best possible version of themselves. Rather than proposing a one-size-fits-all code of beliefs or behaviors, the ideas presented in this intentionally concise book encourage readers to question their long-held biases, their definition of confidence, their level of self-sustainability, and the degree to which they allow themselves to evolve their beliefs over time. 78 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $7 978 1 938793 17 2 Self-Help / Philosophy
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About the Author Colin Wright is a 28-year-old author, entrepreneur, and full-time traveler. For the past four years, Colin has moved to a new country every four months using the votes of his readers as a compass. He has published fifteen books in addition to his subscription-based dispatch, Exiles. Colin has been featured in USA Today, The Jeff Probst Show, TEDx, and many other major media outlets around the world. His blog, ExileLifestyle.com, has over 150,000 monthly readers. More information: asymmetrical.co/colin
Excerpt from the Book It’s estimated that most people see tens of thousands of marketing messages a day, and you might see even more than that, depending on where you live in the world. That’s a lot of messages. And most of them are trying to convince you of something. To add insult to injury, many of these messages don’t even seem like marketing. Instead, a product is mentioned in a pop song or displayed in the background on a prime time dramedy. Perhaps the most cunning of these messages, though, is the apple on your laptop. Or the swoosh on your sneakers. Or the charging bull on your energy drink can. I say cunning because, in most cases, consumers of the products bearing these logos are more than happy to display them. In fact, they’d feel a little ripped off if they couldn’t. The logo stands for something, whether it be quality, edginess, or a certain indefinable cool that you understand, but can’t put your finger on. These associations aren’t accidental: There are teams of very intelligent people in charge of building up the reputation of these iconic marks. They make sure their computers are used by the right people, and their energy drinks are chugged by the most influential stars for specific demographics. It’s an aspect of branding that is part art and part science, and its most shining success has been making consumers feel that by associating themselves with a certain logo — certain colors, certain words, certain songs, certain tastes, and certain packaging — they are themselves transformed into something more. They believe that some of the quality or edginess or cool displayed in commercials and magazine spreads will somehow rub off on them.
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Minimalism: Live a Meaningful Life
by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus left their six-figure corporate careers, jettisoned most of their material possessions, and started focusing on life’s most important aspects. And they never looked back. This book explores Joshua and Ryan’s backgrounds, their troubled pasts, and their spiral into depression. And then, after a set of life-changing events, they discovered minimalism, which allowed Joshua and Ryan to eliminate life’s excess and focus on the essential things in life. 138 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $12 978 0 615648 22 4 Self-Help / Inspiration
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Excerpt from the Book You can’t change the people around you, but you can change the people around you. Sometimes you have to get rid of certain relationships, even relationships of great value. Sometimes a person’s beliefs or values are radically different than yours. When this is the case it’s okay to terminate the relationship or at least change the terms of the relationship. We all change over time. Sometimes we grow closer to certain people, sometimes we grow apart, sometimes we fall out of love, sometimes we change together. Just because someone has changed, doesn’t mean they don’t love you, it doesn’t mean they don’t care about you immensely; it just means they’ve changed.
If the best version of you shows up to the party, you’ll be able to bring the best out of other people.
Moreover, you cannot expect a person to change in every way you want them to change. Of course, some people make radical changes in their lives, but it is not your responsibility in any relationship to expect someone to change or adhere to your standards, beliefs, or values. The only person you can change is yourself. When you change yourself—when you lead by example—often times the people closest to you will follow suit. If you change your diet, start exercising, start paying close attention to your important relationships, and set higher relationship standards, then you’ll notice other people doing the same thing. If the best version of you shows up to the party, you’ll be able to bring the best out of other people. Unfortunately, there will be times when certain relationships don’t work—be it marriages, intimate relationships, close friendships, employee-boss relationships, relationships with family members, etc. The best thing you can do is change yourself (not attempt to change the other person). You don’t have to stay in a relationship if you are unhappy. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make an effort to get to the root of the relationship’s problems—it means that you can change the relationship if it is not working. Before you change or terminate a relationship, you should get a vision of what you’d like it to look like in the future. The following sections discuss specific ideas on how to envision a new future for your relationships.
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Iceland India Interstate by Colin Wright
An unexpected relationship turns into an unconventional adventure, as full-time traveler Colin Wright falls for an Icelandic girl who tests his ideas about relationships and becomes a partner-in-crime across three continents. 224 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $15 978 0 938793 08 0 Memoir / Travel Stories
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Excerpt from the Book “A human life isn’t worth much here, is it?” I turned my gaze away from the tiny dots up near the top of my high-rise apartment building and looked at the man who spoke to me out of the blue. He was respectable-looking and perhaps a few years older than middle-aged. His well-taken-care-of face was pulled into a tight grimace as he tilted his head upward to look at the building dots; each one a man hanging precariously from an inch-thick rope and sitting on a small plank of wood to which that rope was tied. The men on ropes were putting another new coat of paint on the building, the third since I’d moved in. “It’s true,” I said to the man as we both turned to walk away from the lobby doors, “and kind of sad.” The concept of ‘filling seats’ when it comes to employment seems to be a common theme around Kolkata, and across India as a whole. While most countries are struggling to increase the value-perperson of their employable masses, the strategy in India is more about getting as many people working as possible, damn the consequences.
When the majority of the population works in jobs where they serve as little more than nameless, faceless, replaceable cogs, they can and will be undervalued as human beings by the machines they’re a part of, and by the people who operate them.
And there are consequences. At first glance, this seems like a good plan. People like to be gainfully employed, and if they are not (and therefore have no way to take care of themselves and their families), they tend to make decisions that aren’t good for their government (protesting and joining anti-government causes, for example). So, for the average citizen, it’s good news that the government wants you to have a job. For the government, it’s good news that the citizenry will have something to lose, should they have to decide whether or not to stick their necks out for a cause at some point. Long-term, however, there are massive downsides to this system. First and foremost, when the majority of the population works in jobs where they serve as little more than nameless, faceless, replaceable cogs, they can and will be undervalued as human beings by the machines they’re a part of, and by the people who operate them.
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My Exile Lifestyle by Colin Wright
From his early years as an antisocial geek, to his high-flying career in Los Angeles, to his life as a wandering vagabond, Colin holds nothing back as he talks about love, business, blogging, and culture through tales that span four continents. In the easy to digest storytelling style that has made his other work such a success, Colin discusses life on the road and nothing is too taboo. Every epic, embarrassing, and awkward detail is covered with sometimes brutal honesty. 270 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $12 978 1 938793 09 7 Memoir / Travel Stories
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Excerpt from the Book Between working on projects for clients, you start up a blog and decide it will be the foundation for your new life. She tells you she wants to learn some basic graphic design and start up her own studio. Suddenly, every conversation is about the end of August, when this world will cease to exist and you’ll each move on to new worlds — with new friends, new goals, new desires — and what life will be like then. There is crying, mostly from her, but that’s largely because crying is not how you deal with sadness and guilt and change. But your stomach is in knots some nights, and when you wake up at 3am and look over at her, you can’t help but think, “Am I fucking crazy? What am I doing?”
You sell off the kingdom, piece by piece, and trade it for a horse that will take you anywhere.
Then you remember the blog. And that you’re finally going to be traveling. And you think about the interesting new life you’ve been living online. And how you won’t have to depend on clients for money anymore, because you’ve got ideas — big ideas — about how to make money on the road. Things will be exciting again, not just comfortable. You know this because if these four months are anything, they’re not comfortable. And they’re just buildup to the main event. You sell everything you own that won’t fit into a carry-on bag or in your satchel. First to go, five spare computers, then your massive collection of monitors. Bye bye desks, bye bye car. Eventually the bed leaves and you’re sleeping on a mattress on the floor. You watch your life slowly dissolve around you. You sell off the kingdom, piece by piece, and trade it for a horse that will take you anywhere. Anywhere in the world. The last week of August arrives, and you’re waiting in your empty apartment, wine at the ready, already drinking because you know tonight is the night it will all be made official. Four months ago at that bar in Seattle, she joked that you shouldn’t just break up, you should make it into an event. If a relationship was good, why should you mourn its passing? Why not celebrate it instead?
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FICTION
Brand-Changing Day by Shawn Mihalik
In the world of the casual American chain restaurant, brand-changing day signifies the start of something new—new menu items are rolled out, logos are redesigned, service procedures are updated, and old uniforms are traded for hipper, darker, flashier styles. But for employees at The Grill in Youngstown, Ohio—including twenty-something server Scott Pelletier and forty-something general manager Geoffrey McCree— brand-changing day might be when everything changes. Forever. • Novel by young, emerging author • Mature, modern literary fiction • Extensive online promotion • National and regional newspaper reviews and features 211 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $12 978 1 938793 24 0 Fiction / Contemporary
But for employees at The Grill in Youngstown, Ohio—including t wenty-something server Scott Pelletier and forty-something general manager Geoffrey McCree—brand-changing day might be when everything changes. Forever.
His works include The Final Days of Poetry, a poetry collection; The Flute Player, a novella; and Brand-Changing Day, a novel.
SHAWN MIHALIK
Shawn Mihalik was born in San Diego, California in 1990. He currently lives in Youngstown, Ohio, where he studied journalism at Youngstown State University. He writes novels, poetry, and short stories and explores the characteristics of different varieties of wine.
BRAND-CHANGING DAY
In the world of the casual American chain restaurant, brand-changing day signifies the start of something new—new menu items are rolled out, logos are redesigned, service procedures are updated, and old uniforms are traded for hipper, darker, flashier styles.
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About the Author Shawn Mihalik was born in San Diego, California in 1990. He studied journalism at Youngstown State University, and now lives in Missoula, Montana, where he writes novels, poetry, and short stories and explores the characteristics of different varieties of wine. His works include The Final Days of Poetry, a poetry collection; The Flute Player, a novella; and Brand-Changing Day, a novel. More information: asymmetrical.co/shawn
Excerpt from the Book “See,” Ornithalt grunted. Ultimately, though, the matter didn’t even come to a vote, because Earl E. Bradford, Jr., announced that he would like to, with the board’s approval, of course, engage the company in another structured rebranding, the details of which he’d been working on for some time. The boardroom grew quiet, and Loor leaned forward, speaking for the lot of them. “Go on.” Her accent was British. She was from Oregon. And so Bradford launched into a detailed account of his plan, complete with printed spreadsheets and demonstrative charts, his voice his particular brand of Texan drawl. The experimental dishes the company had recently been testing in various North American stores and also the dessert menu they’d rolled out in the North East U.S. a few months ago were so far very well received by customers, and so now was the time to make them permanent fixtures, introduce a new menu company-wide, and while they were at it, why not do a wider rebranding. No name changes this time, of course, but new uniforms, new procedures, time to get rid of the shades of red from the company’s logo altogether and change the black to a brighter, less midnight sort of black. And of course there was a good deal more to it, which they could discuss soon, but here was the clincher: they could get the ball in motion quickly, roll out the changes in just a few months, and then, maybe six months after that, announce the company’s IPO. This last point was the linchpin of Bradford’s plan. Several of the board members had wanted to take the company public for some time now. Others had been indifferent, happy with the money they were currently making, content to also manage the stakes they held in other various private companies. Earl E. Bradford had been adamantly against it. So when he announced his plan and his acquiescence to—or rather, more appropriately, his avidity toward—the idea of a public stock offering, the rest of the board applauded, Ornithalt and Hubbard enthusiastically so.
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Ordovician
by Colin Wright Humanity has achieved balance with the planet and with each other. There is peace. There is stability. There is comfort and contentment for every person on Earth. But a utopian civilization requires a pressure valve. In order to remember the past, humanity must repeat it, and does so through the eyes of intellectual athletes called Olympians who are tasked with acting out historical moments by assuming the roles of people both legendary and mundane. Ordovician is a mid-tier Olympian, working his way up the rankings when he stumbles across something that doesn’t belong; a discovery with repercussions that sends his life spiraling and tests his faith in the Game, and the Present. 185 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $10 978 1 938793 37 0 Science Fiction / Series
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Trialogue
by Colin Wright Out of shape, bored to death, and stuck in small town nowhere (without a car), Cain’s life is hard. It doesn’t help that he’s working a dead-end job at the local diner, and has a voice in his head that (critically) narrates every move he makes. Then a film crew comes to town, and everything changes quite literally overnight. A second voice in Cain’s head starts speaking after years of silence, an incredible opportunity arises, and Cain is pulled into a world filled with superhuman cops, mad scientists, and anti-augmentation activists. This is Cain’s new world. A world of more. 81 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $7 978 1 938793 39 4 Science Fiction / Series
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As a Decade Fades
by Joshua Fields Millburn As he approaches thirty, Jody Grafton’s career as a singer-songwriter falls apart: he loses his record deal, his money, his fame—even his desire to create new music. While he stares at the rubble of his one-hit-wonder musical career, his mother is diagnosed with lung cancer, his marriage ends abruptly, and Jody starts drinking heavily to deaden his new reality. When he hasn’t a single reason left to live, he attempts suicide and ends up in a psych ward where he’s prodded with questions he isn’t yet prepared to answer. Amid the tailspin, Jody receives a phone call from his recently estranged girlfriend and she has unexpected news: she’s pregnant. 284 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $12 978 1 938793 02 8 Fiction / Contemporary
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About the Author Joshua Fields Millburn left his corporate career at age 30 to become a full-time author and writing instructor. His essays at TheMinimalists.com have garnered an audience of more than 100,000 monthly readers. He has been featured on CBS This Morning, ABC, NBC, FOX, NPR, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Forbes, Elle Magazine, Boston Globe, and various other outlets. More information: asymmetrical.co/jfm
Excerpt from the Book “Hello? Jody?” Her voice reached through the phone. Its modest panic turned him on. Not sexually, but in a way that stroked his ego. He wasn’t sure why, but it excited him to know that she needed him. The tranquillity of his wordlessness didn’t allow him to respond. He savored the hush instead. “Jody, are you there?” A stiffness held the line. “Hello?” “Whadda you want?” He conceded these few words, dragging his consonants in a Midwestern fashion, his voice dressed in smoke and early morning wine. He hadn’t talked to her in weeks, not since she’d nearly had him arrested in that snow-covered Taco Bell parking lot. He thought the only way to keep her at bay was to remain cold and yet somehow show her he cared at the same time. It was a strange dichotomy. People don’t know how to love the ones they love until they disappear from their lives. The clouds through the window were few, but they formed a discord of patterns, a perfect white motif on an otherwise blue sky. But he knew they were beautiful only from a great distance, and if he were to get any closer they would lose their beauty, turning more and more into a foggy haze the closer he got. But they were perfect from afar—the homes of angels. So he kept his distance. “What do I want? What do I want!” she shouted through the phone. “What do you mean, what do I want?” Jody remained quiet, a long drag from his cigarette the only sound. “I think I’m pregnant.” 23
Real Powers: Part One by Colin Wright
It’s 2027, and as the global economy shifts from unprecedented prosperity into harsh decline, the world’s experts struggle to understand why. A young blogger discovers a device with a hidden purpose, an idealistic journalist upends her career by targeting the people who own the news, a master media manipulator questions his work and takes on a challenging new client, a powerful energy tycoon bristles as her position is challenged, a technologistturned-cult leader questions his own faith, and an unaccomplished young man born into a political dynasty decides to take his rightful place in the world. 251 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $10 978 1 938793 10 3 Science Fiction / Series
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Real Powers: Part Two by Colin Wright
Blogger Mason McCann suffers the consequences of sharing knowledge the world isn’t ready for, journalist Joanna Hubble learns to see society from a very different angle, media manipulator Manicule lights a fire under radical movements and finds himself pushing too far, Governor Michael Smith flies up the political ranks, energy tycoon Niki Jenks finds herself in the crosshairs, and Xerxes, the genius leader of the Singularity Group, discovers dissent within his ranks as he plans an epic move that will change the world. All the while, the hacker collective Opus continues to influence events through everyday people. 217 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $10 978 1 938793 11 0 Science Fiction / Series
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Real Powers: Part Three by Colin Wright
After a tumultuous and violent encounter in London, off-the-grid journalist Joanna Hubble pulls even further away from society. Blogger Mason McCann finds himself enbroiled in non-standard nation building. Manicule discovers a connection betwen himself and the hacker collective, Opus. Niki Jenks continues stitching together a new kind of empire, swatting aside opposition as she builds. Singularity cult leader Xerxes builds himself a pyramid and allies with an old foe, and political wunderkind Michael Smith is pulled deeper into the fold, leaving him to wonder whether he’d be capable of throwing stones from inside a system he’s grown less and less certain about. Along the way, a mysterious woman named Celia Black makes herself and her organization, Citizen’s Solution, known as a potential hurdle...or ally. 207 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $10 978 1 938793 43 1 Science Fiction / Series
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Real Powers: Trilogy by Colin Wright
This collection contains the first three books in the fast-paced, technological adventure/speculative science fiction series, Real Powers. 655 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $24 978 1 938793 41 7 Science Fiction / Series
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The Flute Player by Shawn Mihalik
For nearly ten years, young Oliver has begrudgingly accepted his position as the flute player of the peaceful village of Drommar—a responsibility thrust upon him after the previous flute player, Oliver’s best friend, drowned in a tragic childhood accident. Now on the cusp of adulthood, a mysterious young woman enters Oliver’s life, and he begins to question the nature of his world and the importance of his place in it. 92 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $9 978 1 938793 12 7 Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy
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Excerpt from the Book “Excuse me, good sir.” Startled, Oliver turned. Behind him once again stood the man in silver armor. He definitely wasn’t from the village, Oliver decided. “Excuse me,” the man said again. “I’m sorry to trouble you, but I seem to have misplaced my horse. Have you seen—? Wait a second. I know you. . . .” “Yes,” Oliver said. “We met a few minutes ago, but you disappeared. There was a dragon and—” The soldier grabbed Oliver by the shoulders, shaking him. “Yes, yes, the dragon. I need to stop the dragon.”
Fire licked at the side of the sword as he pushed the hilt inward toward the metal like a lever. The blue paint was beginning to blister and peel.
Oliver jerked his body away from the man’s grasp. “You already stopped the dragon,” he said. “Listen, I need your help. There’s a girl back that way and she’s in trouble. She’s trapped. We need to help her—” “No!” the man said. “I must find my horse. I have to stop the dragon!” The man pushed Oliver to the ground, running past him in the direction opposite where the young woman waited. The trees rustled behind him as he vanished into the woods. Rubbing his lower back, Oliver stood up. He winced, but his lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk at the same time. He had what he needed. Running back to the burning vehicle, Oliver saw that the flames had grown larger, spreading around the vehicle and into its interior. “Help,” the girl called as he approached. “I’m here. I’m here,” Oliver said, trying to reassure her. “Move back.” He took the sword he’d plucked from the armored man’s belt when he’d pushed Oliver to the ground and plunged the blade into the crevice between the door and the rest of the vehicle. Fire licked at the side of the sword as he pushed the hilt inward toward the metal like a lever. The blue paint was beginning to blister and peel. Oliver was not a strong young man, and his muscles ached as he pried at the door. He began to sweat, a symptom of both the heat and the exertion. The bottom of his trousers caught fire, and he swung his leg wildly as he pushed on the sword. He could see the young woman staring back at him. “Kick the door,” he told her. 29
COLLECTIONS
Coffee with the Other Man by Colin Wright
A collection of short work about relationships, the people who have them, and what happens when conflict arises within them. Focusing especially on non-standard couplings, Coffee with the Other Man starts with a jilted recent-ex confronting his replacement and discusses the complexities of infidelity from the standpoint of an outsider, wonders over how much one should sacrifice for a relationship when one person’s beliefs are not shared by the other, and addresses both death and reaching the apex of sexual experimentation in two separate stories. This collection includes: Coffee with the Other Man Settling Glitter and Wine Hearts Growing Fonder Séance Fiancé Years Become Seconds Spent 89 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $7 978 1 938793 28 8 Short Stories / Collection / Fiction
Stories included in this collection:
Settling
Spent
C
IN W R
Séance Fiancé Years Become Seconds
BY
OL
Hearts Growing Fonder
COFFEE WITH THE OTHER MAN
HT
Surrogate Glitter and Wine
IG
Coffee with the Other Man
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Mean Universe by Colin Wright
Every civilization has its creation stories. Some are inspiring, others terrifying, while still others leave us with more questions than answers. But one thing is consistent between them all: they attempt to explain how something happened. How a species was born, how the world came to be, or how a civilization rose up from nothing to become capable of wondering over its own origins. Mean Universe is a collection of short stories about different aspects of creation. Stories included in this collection: Buki Loop Mean Universe SB72 Cremation Winter’s Pet Mindless Machine Son 83 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $7 978 1 938793 35 6 Short Stories / Collections / Fiction
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7 or 8 Ways to End the World by Colin Wright
A collection of short work by Colin Wright, author of the Real Powers speculative science fiction series and upcoming time-traveling romp, Ordovician. The stories presented in this collection revolve around world-ending scenarios, revealing that some endings are just beginnings in disguise, while others are exactly what they seem to be. Stories in 7 or 8 Ways to End the World: The Gregorian Chronicles Squidhound’s Solution Nothing Personal His Island Fortress Abigale’s Ark Dr. M Reintroduction Orbiting Arbiter
Stories: The Gregorian Chronicles SquidHoundʼs Solution Nothing Personal His Island Fortress Abigaleʼs Ark Dr. M Reintroduction Orbiting Arbiter
85 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $7 978 1 938793 21 9 Short Stories / Collections / Science Fiction
7 OR 8 WAYS TO END THE WORLD
a short story collection by Colin Wright
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7 or 8 More Ways to End the World by Colin Wright
A followup to the popular 7 or 8 Ways to End the World, this collection continues along its predecessor’s trajectory, presenting eight short stories about endings, some that are clearly bad, others that are potentially good, and all of which leave the reader wondering about the nature of births, deaths, and what we do with the space in between. Stories in 7 or 8 More Ways to End the World: Dog The Door Higgins Pong Blood Sea Starship Rover Reboot 77 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $7 978 1 938793 23 3 Short Stories / Collections / Science Fiction
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Chapbook Volume 1 by Asymmetrical Press
A collection of short work from Asymmetrical Press’s authors. This compilation book contains eleven pieces from existing and forthcoming Asymmetrical Press publications. Includes: Echo Lake by Joshua Fields Millburn Aiming Higher by Colin Wright Declined by Chase Night Requirements & Expectations of Excellence by Shawn Mihalik Prime Optimist by Ryan Nicodemus Beautiful Brant Mitchell by Chase Night UnAmerican Dream by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus The Successor by Shawn Mihalik Conformity as a Drug by Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus Xerxes by Colin Wright The Loneliest Man by Joshua Fields Millburn
Collection of Short Asymmetrical Press.
Published q2 2013.
Volume 1
Work from
chapbook
A
130 pages 5 x 8 inches Perfect bound paperback $7 978 1 938793 14 1 Short Stories / Collection
chapbook Volume 1
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COMING SOON Advice to My 18-Year-Old Self by Asymmetrical Press How to Indie Publish a Book by Asymmetrical Press Unstuck by Ryan Nicodemus Chicken by Chase Night She Makes Hats by Robyn Devine The Natural State by Chase Night Writing About Writing is Like Kissing Your Beautiful Sister by Joshua Fields Millburn Goodbye by Joshua Fields Millburn
Retail Distribution Model We believe the future of publishing involves two methods of distribution: the Internet and bookstores. That doesn’t seem different from publishing today, and in many ways it’s not. The distinction, though, is that as sales move more and more toward the online world, the bookstores that survive—and even thrive—in the future will be nimble, indie stores who focus on the customer experience, rather than aggregating eyeballs to the bestseller endcaps. Asymmetrical is currently expanding its retail distribution channel by partnering with one independent bookstore in each of the top 100 markets in the US and Canada. Instead of focus on quantity, we’re focused on quality by developing strong relationships with one hundred amazing indie bookstores, concentrating our efforts on one Asym-exclusive flagship store in each city. This strategy will allow us to foster long-term, on-going relationships with our partners in each market.
How to Order from Asymmetrical Press To make your ordering experience as easy as possible, Asymmetrical Press has several ways to order books for this event. Direct Purchase: Asymmetrical can ship books directly to your store and invoice you for 50% of the suggested retail price. (For example, Everything That Remains’ SRP is $14.99; wholesale price is $7.49; shipping is free). To order books directly from Asymmetrical Press, please email your store’s name, contact person, and shipping address, along with which books you’d like to purchase (titles and quantities): orders@asymmetrical.co. Distributors: Everything That Remains and Asymmetrical’s other titles are available through Ingram, Baker & Taylor, and other distributors. If your preferred distributor does not list our titles, please email distributors@asymmetrical.co and we will work with them to add Asymmetrical’s catalogue. Consignment: If you’d prefer to carry our books on consignment, Asymmetrical receives 60% of the suggest retail price (e.g., $9.00 for a $14.99 book). To order books from Asymmetrical on consignment, please email your store’s name, contact person, and shipping address, along with which books you’d like to carry (titles and quantities): consignment@asymmetrical.co. Other Ways to Order: Does your store follow some sort of different or strange or vaguely occult ordering process? That’s cool! We can accommodate. Just email shawn@asymmetrical.co and he’ll work his magic. Returns: For your convenience, Asymmetrical Press accepts returns up to 180 days after books are received by the store. Just email returns@asymmetrical.co and we’ll make it easy for you.
CONTACT US Asymmetrical Press General Questions howdy@asymmetrical.co Nicholas Milewski Sr. Retail Strategist nick@asymmetrical.co 774 487 8693 Sarah Miniaci Public Relations press@asymmetrical.co 647 464 8029 Mailing Address 1121 E. Broadway, Ste. 005 Missoula, MT 59802