Susan, start with the proposal guidelines listed on our website. Or some other
publisher's website. They're all pretty similar in the kinds of information
they are seeking.

You can also look at several books written about how to get a book published.
Beth Luey's Handbook for Academic Authors (Cambridge?). Sage has one by
Smedley, Getting Your Book Published. Princeton has one by Robin Derrincourt.

As for which publisher to approach, that's an easy one. :-)
mitch allen

Susan Piddock wrote:

> Hi Everybody
>         I would like to pick your collective knowledge if l may. I would
> really like to turn my thesis which dealt with the history and archaeology
> of lunatic asylums into a book. I have published some articles based on
> aspects of my research, but as it is a comparative study of English and
> Australian asylums it is hard to compress down and cover everything in an
> understandable way. Should l approach publishers who publish in the
> archaeological field? and who would people recommend? Do you write a
> proposal that describes what you will be talking about in the book or is
> there a standard formula for proposals?
>                               Thank you for your help
>                                       Susan
> Dr Susan Piddock
>
> Research Assistant
> Department of Archaeology
> Flinders University,
> GPO Box 2100
> Adelaide, 5001
> South Australia
>
> Email alternative: [log in to unmask]
> Fax:            +61 8 82013845
>
> Committee Member - Australasian Society for Historical Archaeology
> Secretary, SA Chapter Australian Association of Consulting Archaeology
>
> Visit the Department of Archaeology website at:
> http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/archaeology
>
> See the Hills Face Zone Cultural Heritage Project website:
> http://ehlt.flinders.edu.au/archaeology/hfzchp/index.html

--
Mitch Allen
AltaMira Press
A Division of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
1630 North Main Street #367
Walnut Creek, California 94596
925.938.7243  fax: 925.933.9720
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www.altamirapress.com