We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aimee Jackson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Aimee, appreciate you joining us today. Can you share an important lesson you learned in a prior job that’s helped you in your career afterwards?

I first started working in children’s book publishing in the early 1990s. There was less pressure then to put out so much volume, so I learned to spend a lot of time on book development. Each book was treated like a piece of art, lovingly crafted from story development through illustration through design. I remember giant paintings arriving in the art department, or working with really unique styles of art like batik and wood and linocut. I remember transcribing oral story into written word for authors who preferred to work that way. I remember sifting through what we called “the slush pile,” an unflattering phrase for unsolicited manuscripts, but it just as well could have been called the gem pile because some of the best books I ever worked on were found in the slush pile.

What I learned from those early days of publishing is what I still carry into my work every single day and into the book production company I’ve been running now for twelve years—that quality is paramount, that it’s actually this love of the craft that keeps me energized for this work after nearly thirty years.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

When I found publishing, I was in gradate school on a path to be an English professor. Working in publishing was something that had never occurred to me, but when a professor told our class about an internship opportunity at a local publisher. I needed extras credits, so I applied. After the summer internship was over, I was hired as an editorial assistant. Though I finished my graduate program, I was hooked on bookmaking and knew my path was heading in a different direction. The company I worked for published all sorts of books, but my boss at the time saw that my enthusiasm and my talents most aligned with children’s books. And so I was hired to be an assistant editor for the children’s book imprint and eventually I moved into the roles of editor, then editorial director. I worked many years for traditional publishing companies before buying the book packager I own and run today.

Book Bridge Press is a boutique style book packager. We produce books for authors and non-profit organizations that choose to publish independently. Because we only produce a few books a year, we have the ability to focus our full attention on each and every one. What sets us apart from other book packagers is that we specialize in children’s books—it’s all we do—and every person who works for Book Bridge has a deep background in traditional children’s book publishing. We are all here for the love of the craft, we all believe in the magic of children’s books, and we all share the same standards for quality. We are different because we bring years of traditional industry knowledge to individual, independent authors and organizations. Our books win awards because they’re beautiful to look at, to hold, and to read. We never lose sight that our “final customer” is the child discovering something new, something familiar, something funny, or best of all, themselves, in the books we create.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Book publishing, like many industries was impacted by the 2008 recession. It didn’t hit publishing right away, but then it did, and it hit hard. Many of us lost our jobs and it was a couple of years before companies began hiring again. I lost my beloved job in 2010, and along with it, my bearings. My identity was tied up in my career at the time. I didn’t know who I was if I weren’t a children’s book editor. I supplemented my joblessness with freelance work, and I worked for a short time for another company, but ultimately nothing felt like the right fit. So when the opportunity to take ownership of Book Bridge Press came along, my husband/business partner and I decided why not? What did we have to lose at that point? If we ran the business for a year and it didn’t work out, then we would have run a business for a year, and that’s something. But it did work out, and here we are twelve years later.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I lost my job and spent two years un/under employed, it was the worst and best thing to happen to my career. It was the worst because my family was in real financial distress, and my self-esteem was at an all-time low. It was the best because I learned to let go of believing my career was my identity. It was the best because I learned how to be brave and take one of the biggest risks of my life. It was the best because from the ashes, I found my new path. And I’m grateful every day for my work. I secretly still get excited on Mondays to start the work week.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://www.bookbridgepress.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookbridgepress/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/editoraimeejackson/?msgControlName=view_message_button&msgConversationId=2-YTc5YmU3ZjYtZTk3NS00NzRhLTk1NDMtNDRjODlhZjI0MGQyXzAxMA%3D%3D&msgOverlay=true
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/bookbridgepress

Image Credits
all images © Book Bridge Press