Publisher closing

Not sure if this belongs here but it seemed the best place.

Soon I will be in a situation I thought might be coming but didn't know when. Within the next month, the publisher of my first two books will be closing. Well, she terms it 'going dormant', but it's semantics. I'll be getting back the rights to my two books, which have only been in eBook format. I may get the cover art if I decide to buy it.

When would be the best time to contact other publishers to see if there is interest in picking up and re-publishing? Now? After I get the rights back? 

I'm also looking into self publishing but I'd like that as a last resort. I'd rather be with a company.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

Do you want ebook and print?  Are they edit perfect?  If they are, each of us probably has some small press experience.  Don't wait for the rights because the re-pub could take as much as a year if you go for print too.  Don't lose any time. 

There's a web site Pitchperfect.com (I think) that I also think is out of England.  But he collects the info on publishers and has a list of about a 1000.  He even accepts questions.

Here's the url :   www.myperfectpitch.com

His name is Brian Grove I think.  I also think many of the publishers are in England but a substantial number are in the U.S.

I pick a publisher and then go to Amazon.com with that publisher to see how their books are selling.

Thanks. I'll look into this.

I'd like print and eBook. Currently, until I get them back they're only available as eBook. I have a pdf file of the finished product. I'd have to look at either buying the cover art from the publisher, letting another recreate a cover, or create my own if I'm doing the self pub route.

If you have a platform to sell your own books, you can get cover art quite reasonably. Check out the web site of cindysamplebooks.com  She went with self-publishing after her publisher closed and has done fantastic in sales.  She's active on many forums and blogs, speaks at multiple conferences and local events, engages her bloggers in naming her books and picking book covers.  I envy her a bit as we started at the same publisher and I am still choosing another small press.  I am with Black Rose Writing (which might work for you but read the contract and make sure it's as you want it - it's a little less favorable to authors than some) and Vinspire (which traditionally is more on the romantic side of things.

Thanks. I'll check this out, too.