General Info

About the publisher Joggling Board Press is a Charleston-based independent publishing company dedicated to the production of fiction and non-fiction books of quality that amplify the history, culture and character of the American southeast. The press was founded in 2003 by award-winning author Susan Kammeraad-Campbell, who became sole owner of the press in 2007. Recently, the Joggling Board Press has joined forces with the venerable Evening Post Publishing Company ( EPPC ), publishers of the Post and Courier, the oldest daily newspaper in South Carolina. JBP and EPPC have collaborated on several titles, including Dirty Secrets, Dirty War by David Cox, Swallow Savannah by Ken Burger, Reefer Moon by Roger Pinckney, and Gullah Cuisine: By Land and By Sea. This collaboration of two independent companies has enriched and expanded the capacity of both with regard to the production and distribution of books important to readers of Southern literary fare. Joggling Board Legend has it the idea for the joggling board came to South Carolina from Scotland in the early 1800s. The long board supported by rockers at each end allows for several persons to joggle and rock together. This playful outdoor furniture became a common sight in the 19th century, gracing Southern porches, yards and piazzas. It is said that no daughter went unmarried in any antebellum home that was host to a joggling board. The joggling board is an apt metaphor for the spirit of Joggling Board Press a way of bringing diverse people together in comity. Joggling boards are long, capable of seating many at one time. By joggling simultaneously, eventually everyone winds up side by side. So it is for the talented people who make up Joggling Board Press. The decidedly unconventional press has forged its own path with the many books it has undertaken, melding the talents of poets, historians, scholars, journalists, photographers, painters, musicians and designers. At JBP, books are not made in silos. Here, the making of a book is a collaborative experience involving many minds and modes. A white board is an invitation to throw out a new idea; a paint brush is an opportunity to create a mood; a guitar is means to smooth out a bit of poetry. Meetings often take place over meals. Creative sessions might culminate in a beach walk. Work happens where and when work works best. The books are as creative as they are thorough. Making a good book isn't easy. But it sure can be fun.