FYI _ A publishing project

I am writing to you to ask for your help and advice on a major writing
project on Geography and Peoples, in particular articles on the Gambia and Guinea, but I would also be pleased to hear from you if other articles are of interest in the project I describe below.

BCS Publishing is a small unit in Oxford that produces educational books and series under commission from publishers, often American. We have embarked on a new 10-volume (144 pages each) illustrated Encyclopedia on Sub-Saharan
Africa and Oceania having just completed the commissioning of the equivalent set on Europe, both part of a 52-volume series - The World and Its Peoples.

This is being be published initially on-line and ultimately in print in stages in the United States by Marshall Cavendish Reference, New York, and is targeted at U.S. high school students and the general public. Its aims
are to give an authoritative overview of each country and region, its geography, history, economy, culture and society.

Given the obvious restrictions of space, we aim to give an introduction to those who may not necessarily be familiar with the subject. Indeed, we assume no prior knowledge of the subject by the reader. However, while not an academic text, previous writers have come from universities in the United States and Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia, as well as the UK.

I am currently looking for experts to contribute to this set at two levels:

1 TEXT I am particularly writing to you to ask whether you might be interested yourself in contributing texts or could suggest alternative
authors (these commissions can be ideal for doctoral and post doctoral graduates as well as lecturers and researchers). A fee of £110 (or
equivalent) per thousand words is payable.

2 VOLUME CONSULTANTS I am also looking for consultants who can read edited texts of sections relevant to their general expertise (such as History or Physical Geography, Social Topics, or a particular country) to ensure
continuity and accuracy. Preferably these consultants work in Institutions
either in North America or the countries in question. These edited texts
will be available later in 2009 with one month in which to check them.
A fee up to £100 is payable for this work, depending on the articles checked.

I am at present looking for contributors on the first three volumes in the set, synopses of which I attach (indicating those chapters already commissioned). For context I also attach a list of all the Volumes in the complete set.

Latest delivery dates of texts are 9th January 2009, 23rd January and 6th February, for Volumes 1 to 3, respectively.

I will be issuing formal contracts during October, when a full briefing with
samples will be provided for authors.

If this exciting project should interest you in any way or you can recommend who I might contact, I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours

Graham Bateman


BCS Publishing Ltd
Temple Court
109 Oxford Road
Cowley
Oxford
OX4 2ER
(0044) 1865 770099
graham-bcs@dsl.pipex.com