Val Dumond

Author

Publisher

Editor

Consultant

The History of Muddy Puddle Press

Val Dumond Publications began back in 1983 with the publication of Steilacoom's Church, a 100-year history of Oberlin Congregational Church. The following year, the book, SHEIT - Writing Nonsexist Language, was published. In 1985, VDP published From the Beginning: History of the Tacoma/Pierce County Bar Association, co-written with Patrick Steele. Next, the press published Steele's An Airport For Tacoma.

Through the 1990s, Val was busy with her grammar and language books: Grammar For Grownups, published by HarperCollins and Elements of Nonsexist Usage, Prentice Hall, and the coffee table book, Doin' The Puyallup, she wrote for the Western Washington Fair Association to celebrate 100 years of Fair history. She also edited and helped put into print several books for other authors.

Val printed a limited edition of a celebration book, How We Fought World War II At William T. Sherman Elementary School, on the occasion of her 70th birthday. This book, slightly fictionalized, recounted grade school years spent in Milwaukee where she experienced a child's view of wartime living.

Muddy Puddle Press was begun in 1999 as an imprint of Val Dumond Publications, when the Writers Roundtable of Lakewood decided to publish an anthology of their work. The 32 writers went through the entire process of writing, editing, selecting works, choosing a cover and a book design, then selecting a printer, and finally developing a marketing plan. What an experience! The project, launched on the 100th anniversary of Ernest Hemingway's birth, was entitled, The Sun Never Rises - A Rainthology (2000), as a tribute to the great author. A brainstorming session came up with the name for the press imprint "Muddy Puddle Press", acknowledging the damp heritage of the Northwest.

A couple years later, the group decided to publish a second anthology. This time the title, Dream Makers was chosen, with a sub-title, Stories That Won't Put You To Sleep (2003). When Val Dumond finished her first (and probably only) novel, Mush On and Smile - Klondike Kate, Queen of the Yukon, the writers' group turned over the Muddy Puddle Press to her. This book was co-authored with Babe Lehrer, who supplied valuable research of the fabulous Kate. The book was published by Muddy Puddle in 2002.

Ken Lines' Life With Dorothy - A Love Story was written for Ken's wife Dorothy, chronicling her Alzheimer's disease. When Ken was killed in a tragic auto accident just after publication, Muddy Puddle took over book sales in 2002, with all proceeds going to the Alzheimer Foundation.

Then funny writer Alan Gorsuch wanted Muddy Puddle Press to publish his humor book about a kid who was drawn to puddles of water and other calamities. All The Ways I Found To Hurt Myself - Volume I came out in 2004, with both a hardcover and paperback edition. This is being followed up with All the Ways I Found to Hurt Myself - Volume II in 2005.

After Prentice Hall returned the rights to Elements of Nonsexist Usage, after nearly ten years of sales, Val began work on a revision that would include all manner of biased language. Just Words - The Us and Them Thing was published early in 2005 by Muddy Puddle Press and is enjoying success in academic markets, the teachers of language, and lexicographers.

For more information about books that have been published by Muddy Puddle Press, click here.