Clara Totten's Avatar

Clara Totten

@tottencs.bsky.social

Director at Kent State University Press. Library enthusiast. Cats and plants, too. (she/her)

238 Followers  |  196 Following  |  73 Posts  |  Joined: 18.08.2023  |  1.8572

Latest posts by tottencs.bsky.social on Bluesky

I saw this come across my feed and smiled- I'm so very glad you're here. Hoping for peace and wellness and rest for you in the days ahead.

01.12.2025 19:29 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Friends, calling this number will warm your heart. You need this today.

27.11.2025 01:07 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Book Launch: β€˜Artisans and Designers’ with Rebecca Jumper Matheson The School of Graduate Studies and the MA program in Fashion and Textile Studies invite you to celebrate the publication of Artisans and Designers: American Fashion Through Elizabeth and William Ph…

Thanks to @fitgradfts.bsky.social for highlighting Rebecca Jumper Mathesonβ€˜s book β€œArtisans and Designers,” new in our series with the Costume Society of America. If you’re in New York, don’t miss the author’s signing at FIT on December 1 at 5:30PM.

26.11.2025 14:04 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

These cookbooks are delightful, as lovely objects to hold in your hand and as purveyors of great recipes. I've got Biscuits, Pickles & Preserves, and Buttermilk. Highly recommend.

25.11.2025 22:15 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Congrats, Danielle! "The Art of Pity" asks us to consider, in a most fundamental sense, why literature matters--something as relevant today as it ever has been (cc @ksupress.bsky.social)

21.11.2025 14:18 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ‘‡ Facts without context, relationships, and meaning are literally just bits of trivia. Trivia =/= knowledge

21.11.2025 14:15 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

What I said in a meeting just now: "book distribution may sound mundane but actually it impacts everything we do and is hugely important"

14.11.2025 15:39 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image Post image Post image

β€œI want a compass. / I need deliverance. Good god, take me”

β€” Oliver Baez Bendorf (@oliverbaezbendorf.bsky.social)

.
.
.

This poem appeared in The Spectral Wilderness by Oliver Baez Bendorf, published by Kent State University Press (@ksupress.bsky.social), 2015. Shared here with deep gratitude.

10.11.2025 14:01 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Turning Your Dissertation into a Book
YouTube video by The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Institute (The Proctor Institute) Turning Your Dissertation into a Book

FYI1: The superb webinar "Turning your Dissertation into a Book" is up!

FYI2: It's the 1st for "Publishing with University Presses Webinar Series" co-sponsored by @aupresses.bsky.social (HT, Faculty Outreach Committee) and hosted by Rutgers CMSI. #ReadUP #PublishUP

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SST...

30.10.2025 15:41 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
October news and reviews Deadbeats, Dead Balls, and the 1914 Boston Braves gets a positive mention in the New York Post, where it’s called β€œassiduously researched and smartly written.” It also earns a rav…

From the New York Post to the Journal of Southern History, KSUP titles continue to help shape conversations around the region and the world. Congrats to all the authors whose books are featured in this month’s stack. Read more at the new roundup of news and reviews.

22.10.2025 13:01 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Teenagers are my favorite trick-or-treaters. They get really excited over fruit snacks, in particular, so I always encourage them to take extra

21.10.2025 14:36 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Cleveburgh: Christopher Briem’s tale of two Rust Belt cities Why’s an Ohio-based publisher like Kent State excited for Christopher Briem’s upcoming’s study of Pittsburgh, Beyond Steel? For one thing, we’re invested in relationships be…

With the Browns and Steelers facing off this Sunday, it seems like a good time to ponder the relationship between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. @chrisbriem.bsky.social, author of our upcoming book β€œBeyond Steel,” argues it’s worth approaching the cities not as rivals but as Rust Belt partners.

06.10.2025 23:02 β€” πŸ‘ 11    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Baker & Taylor Prepares Plan to Shut Down At a town hall yesterday, B&T owner and CEO Aman Kochar announced that following the termination of the ReaderLink acquisition deal, he does not see a path to keep the library wholesaler in business.

Baker & Taylor now shutting down by January, following the ReaderLink acquisition falling through

www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

07.10.2025 16:11 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Great post!

"In general, I do not edit reviewers’ reports before I send them to authors."

I mostly completely agree, but in extreme cases I may delete sentences or change reviewers' language, especially if it feels targeted or truly offensive. Reviews should be constructive--never just an attack

02.10.2025 15:50 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Why institutions should continue to support their university presses (opinion) Institutions can be unfamiliar with what their university presses do or with their own integral role in supporting scholarly publishing, argue Kathryn Conrad and Jennifer Crewe, which can lead to hasty or inaccurate judgments.

Worth repeating, and appreciating every day: "More than 100 of North America’s top universities clearly believe that an energetic, outward-facing publishing program is a tremendous asset to, indeed a responsibility of, any university."

02.10.2025 13:00 β€” πŸ‘ 32    πŸ” 18    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 3

It was so lovely to chat with @llassabe.bsky.social! University presses are creative, resilient, mission-driven, and just one of my favorite things to talk about.

24.09.2025 15:07 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Trinity University announced its publishing house is closing Trinity University said Trinity University Press will be closing its doors in late 2026.

Absolutely terrible, terrible news. Trinity University has announced that Trinity University Press will close at the end of the fiscal year--described by one author as a "South Texas outlet for stories and culture" for which there is no replacement frankly. Awful. www.tpr.org/arts-culture...

22.09.2025 13:39 β€” πŸ‘ 85    πŸ” 33    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 4

But for real, that tote #jealous

12.09.2025 15:03 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

KSUP author Jim Hollock on writing: β€œI think the difficulty is sticking to it. .... But it’s one of the better things I’ve ever done, because I knew, even if no one else does, I know the effort that went into it, and it is very satisfying when you can be finished with something.”

10.09.2025 12:52 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I thought the Publishers Lunch rundown from 9/8 was thorough yet understandable (with the caveat that the judge has since delayed approving the settlement). Lmk if you'd like me to forward you the email version of the post.

09.09.2025 16:33 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Ask UP logo, tagline: Authors Seeking Knowledge from University Presses

Ask UP logo, tagline: Authors Seeking Knowledge from University Presses

How do I find the right university press to publish my book? https://bit.ly/468Rupu

@univpressofkansas.bsky.social answers this important question, one of more than 110 FAQs that host presses have answered on our Ask UP site.

Curious about how university press publishing works? #AskUP!

09.09.2025 14:20 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Building communities with smaller book festivals Cleveland, Barcelona, and beyond

My new post on Literary Cleveland’s Inkubator Festival, which starts
today, and the activist conference READ Barcelona, organized by @versolibros.com β€”>
open.substack.com/pub/derekkri...

08.09.2025 12:55 β€” πŸ‘ 12    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Backlist spotlight: Celebrating the ethnic heritage of Northeast Ohio In a new feature for the blog, we’re highlighting backlist titles from Kent State University Press that continue to resonate with issues in the region, nation, and world.

In a new feature for the blog, we’re highlighting backlist titles that continue to resonate with issues in the region, nation, and world. First up: the series Voices of Diversity, whichβ€”in a mission that remains central to KSUP's workβ€”helped celebrate the Cleveland area’s rich ethnic heritage.

26.08.2025 20:53 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Rumor has it they were house hunting outside of Cleveland recently. Probably for the top-notch water infrastructure.

26.08.2025 20:08 β€” πŸ‘ 27    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
2025 BUCKEYE BOOK FAIR
Saturday, November 1, 2025 | Wooster, Ohio
Ghosts ofan
Old Forest
Essays on Midwestern
Rural Heritage
Deborah Fleming
Deborah Fleming's newest book, Ghosts of an Old Forest, tells of her life in the Allegheny Plateau region of Ohio. Her previous collection of nature essays, Resurrection of the Wild, won the 2020 PEN-America Art of the Essay Award. Previously she was editor and director of the Ashland Poetry Press.
00000
BUCKEYE
BuckeyeBookFair.org

2025 BUCKEYE BOOK FAIR Saturday, November 1, 2025 | Wooster, Ohio Ghosts ofan Old Forest Essays on Midwestern Rural Heritage Deborah Fleming Deborah Fleming's newest book, Ghosts of an Old Forest, tells of her life in the Allegheny Plateau region of Ohio. Her previous collection of nature essays, Resurrection of the Wild, won the 2020 PEN-America Art of the Essay Award. Previously she was editor and director of the Ashland Poetry Press. 00000 BUCKEYE BuckeyeBookFair.org

2025 BUCKEYE BOOK FAIR
Saturday, November 1, 2025 l Wooster, Ohio
Light Enters the Grove
Charles Malone from Kent, OH edited the anthology
"Light Enters the Grove:
Exploring Cuyahoga Valley
National Park Through
Poetry" featuring over 80
Ohio writers. Come write your own poem about a place that is important to you.
Exploring Cuyahoga
Valley National Park through Poetry
Edited by Charles Malone, Carrie George, and Jason Harris
Foreword by Jennie Vasarhelyi
BUCKEYE
BOOKEDE,
BuckeyeBookFair.org

2025 BUCKEYE BOOK FAIR Saturday, November 1, 2025 l Wooster, Ohio Light Enters the Grove Charles Malone from Kent, OH edited the anthology "Light Enters the Grove: Exploring Cuyahoga Valley National Park Through Poetry" featuring over 80 Ohio writers. Come write your own poem about a place that is important to you. Exploring Cuyahoga Valley National Park through Poetry Edited by Charles Malone, Carrie George, and Jason Harris Foreword by Jennie Vasarhelyi BUCKEYE BOOKEDE, BuckeyeBookFair.org

The lineup for the Buckeye Book Fair has been released, and we’re thrilled that KSUP authors Deborah Fleming (author of β€œGhosts of an Old Forest”) and Charles Malone (coeditor of β€œLight Enters the Grove”) will be there. Join the bookish fun on November 1 in Wooster!

19.08.2025 13:07 β€” πŸ‘ 5    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
CITY & CAST
Pittsburgh
Should Pittsburgh & Cleveland Be Friends? by City Cast Pittsburgh

Orange background, skyline with bridges

CITY & CAST Pittsburgh Should Pittsburgh & Cleveland Be Friends? by City Cast Pittsburgh Orange background, skyline with bridges

What can Cleveland and Pittsburgh learn from each other? What would the two cities gain by teaming up as Cleveburgh?

In a new podcast, @chrisbriem.bsky.socialβ€”author of our forthcoming book β€œBeyond Steel”—considers the relationship between two iconic Rust Belt cities:

megaphone.link/CC6470937745

28.07.2025 16:32 β€” πŸ‘ 8    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Post image Post image

Behind the White House Curtain featured in the Kent State University Press Fall/Winter 2025 catalog.

22.07.2025 13:14 β€” πŸ‘ 25    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1
NEW CATALOG!
ε›°
THE KENT STATE
UNIVERSITY PRESS
FALL/WINTER
2025 CATALOG
kentstateuniversitypress.com
ηŽ‰
THE KENT STATE
UNIVERSITY PRESS

With flames from industrial site on catalog cover.

NEW CATALOG! ε›° THE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS FALL/WINTER 2025 CATALOG kentstateuniversitypress.com ηŽ‰ THE KENT STATE UNIVERSITY PRESS With flames from industrial site on catalog cover.

Our fall catalog is here! Join us to:
πŸ“•anticipate new books (including titles by @chrisbriem.bsky.social and @terryallenbelew.bsky.social);
πŸ“•look back on 60 years of KSUP history; and
πŸ“•celebrate recent successes by @newsguy.bsky.social and others.
www.kentstateuniversitypress.com/wp-content/u...

22.07.2025 11:17 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
"A modern folk tale filled with love, laughter and the joy of life.
Reading these merry pages is something like eating a dinner of the very best spaghetti and meat sauce with plenty of Chianti and a string orchestra nearby playing 'Santa Lucia."
β€”The New York Times
THE COMING OF FABRIZZE
A NOVEL
RAYMOND
DeCAPITE
Foreword by
Tony Ardizzone
The 81 Essential Cleveland Novels
These stories may be fiction, but they are all set in a real place: Northeast Ohio. Read novels from the 1800s to 2025 that use our home as their home. Edited by Annie
Nickoloff

"A modern folk tale filled with love, laughter and the joy of life. Reading these merry pages is something like eating a dinner of the very best spaghetti and meat sauce with plenty of Chianti and a string orchestra nearby playing 'Santa Lucia." β€”The New York Times THE COMING OF FABRIZZE A NOVEL RAYMOND DeCAPITE Foreword by Tony Ardizzone The 81 Essential Cleveland Novels These stories may be fiction, but they are all set in a real place: Northeast Ohio. Read novels from the 1800s to 2025 that use our home as their home. Edited by Annie Nickoloff

At Cleveland Magazine, @nickoloffoff.bsky.social has a new list of β€œ81 Essential Cleveland Novels”—including one from KSUP! β€œThe Coming of Fabrizze,” by Raymond DeCapite, was originally published in 1960 and tells the story of an Italian immigrant in the 1920s: clevelandmagazine.com/entertainmen...

15.07.2025 19:45 β€” πŸ‘ 9    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Preview
Urgent Message from CUNY, Berkeley, and Georgetown Jewish Faculty On July 15, 2025, City University of New York Chancellor FΓ©lix V. Matos RodrΓ­guez, Robert M. Groves, Interim President of Georgetown University, and Rich Lyons, Chancellor of the University of Cali…

New on Academe Blog: academeblog.org/2025/07/15/u...

15.07.2025 17:36 β€” πŸ‘ 13    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 2

@tottencs is following 20 prominent accounts