Monstrous Regiment

Monstrous Regiment

Monstrous Regiment

Monstrous Regiment Publishing Ltd is an independent publishing press based in Leith, Edinburgh. It was founded by Ellen Desmond and Lauren Nickodemus in 2017.

Their passion for publishing working class writers, as well as topics of intersectional feminism and sexuality led them on a mission to curate bold and fresh content; the stories and lives they felt were often missing from bookshelves.

In 2018 Monstrous expanded to include one contracted in-house designer (Hannah Killoh) and two student assistant interns (Lauren Mulvihill and Kelli Staake).

Monstrous Regiment is based in Edinburgh and can be contacted through:

Website: www.monstrous-regiment.com
Twitter: @MonstrousRgmt
Instagram: @Monstrousregiment
Facebook: Monstrous Regiment (@Monstrous Rgmt)

In their own words…

When did you start publishing?

We opened our doors in April 2017 with our first publication arriving in December 2017. It was a slow start but it looks like the speed will be picking up for us from here on!

What made you want to start an independent publisher?

We come from very working class backgrounds and are very passionate about the issues facing minority authors. We wanted to set out to fill bookshelves with the voices that are often missing. We knew the problems facing the publishing industry include that the people in the top roles at many publishing houses are often white, cis, straight men. We thought the best way to change this was by becoming CEOs of our own company and changing things from the top. We don’t want there to always be the same old gatekeepers to what gets published. We were inspired by other small presses crowdfunding projects that brought grassroots and marginalized voices to the forefront. Crowdfunding seems to be a great way to help diversify the arts (we’ve seen 404 Ink, Marbles, Media Diversified, Knights Of, Knight Errant Press and many more do it successfully).

What genres do you specialise in?

We are an independent and intersectional feminist press, so feminism’s our specialty! Being intersectional is important to us and over the last two years we’ve gathered a very queer following.

Where are you based?

We are based in a wee flat in Leith, Edinburgh! We also have a shared workspace at Edinburgh Napier University’s start up business hub Bright Red Triangle as we started this business while students and they endorsed us non-financially.

Do you have a submission window, if so when? What is your submission procedure?

We currently don’t have a submission window open but look out for some opportunities later in the year! We do open calls for submissions for our literary magazines and anthologies, but we also commission behind the scenes and work with groups to improve our outreach. Moving forward, we will probably start to focus more on single authored books, as we are learning the hard way that we are too strapped for resources to handle such demanding, multi-authored projects. Our social media and websites will advertise any opportunities.

Who are you (team photo if possible)?

Monstrous Regiment Publishing Ltd is a feminist micropress based in a wee flat in Leith, Edinburgh, founded by two MSc Publishing graduates while still at uni in 2017. The co-directors (Ellen Desmond and Lauren Nickodemus) do this voluntarily, around their other commitments, because we really believe in it. Our passion for publishing working class writers came from our own backgrounds, and that combined with our interest in topics of intersectional feminism and sexuality led us on a mission to curate bold and fresh content; the stuff we felt was often missing from bookshelves – books and events about bisexuality stood out in particular as a gap in the market for sure.

In 2018 Monstrous expanded to include one contracted in-house designer (Hannah Killoh) and two student assistant interns (Lauren Mulvihill and Kelli Staake), paid in stipends.

Background in the book industry?

The co-founders (Lauren and Ellen) and in-house designer (Hannah) all have MScs in Publishing (though we don’t think they should be fully necessary for industry access)! Lauren has worked in book marketing in Edinburgh for two years and Ellen’s background is about 8 years of magazine publishing experience. Hannah currently also works in arts publishing.

Talk about some of your books if possible? and future projects/dreams if you can?

2017’s The Bi-ble, a collection of original essays and personal narratives giving platform to the thoughts and experiences relevant to bisexuals today, was our first publication. We crowdfunded for the original anthology print run having no idea it was so in demand. We now know the market need for this and have heard from many bookshops and readers that it has become the “go to” recommendation for someone searching for a book about bisexuality. We also know there are more stories than one (or a hundred) anthologies of this kind could ever tell. So this year we’re bringing The Bi-ble back with a fresh new look, but this time also publishing its little sibling Volume Two: New Testimonials, which is packed full of never-before-published essays. We’ve also published a few zines and two literary magazines (Emerald and Crimson). Later this year we hope to move on to novels, novels and different types of essay collections.


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Fairlight Books

Fairlight Books

Fairlight Books

Fairlight Books is focused on publishing original, high-quality writing and reconnecting readers to literary fiction.

Fairlight Books has one aim – to celebrate quality writing and promote the best of new and contemporary literary fiction.

Based in the thriving and energetic publishing hub of Oxford, we’re a young, dynamic team wanting to do things a little differently. For us, it’s about a wider community coming together to celebrate and promote quality writing.

They are based in Oxford and can be contacted through:

Website: https://www.fairlightbooks.co.uk/
Twitter: @FairlightBooks
Facebook: @FairlightBooks
Instagram: @FairlightBooks
Telephone: 01865 957790

In their own words…

When did you start publishing?

Fairlight Books was established in 2017 by our CEO Louise Boland.

What made you want to start publishing?

Louise founded the company in an effort to promote literary fiction in a genre-dominated industry. Fairlight Books is focused on publishing original, high-quality writing and reconnecting readers to literary fiction.

As a writer Louise struggled to reconcile the frequent industry requests for something new and unique with the constant churn out of trending photo-fit books. With that in mind she set out to create a company which would publish brilliant and original books as well as raise the profile of the authors.

What do you specialise in?

We specialise in beautifully written literary fiction. In addition to our novels we are also continuously adding to our Fairlight Moderns series, a collection of novellas set around the world.

Where are you based?

We are based in Oxford.

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

A key goal at Fairlight Books is to support aspiring writers which is why we have a constantly open direct submissions policy. We have also written up a submissions code of practice which you can read about in more detail here (https://www.fairlightbooks.co.uk/code-practice-submissions/).

Who are you (team photo if possible)?

Louise is the founder and CEO of Fairlight Books. Lindsey, marketing executive, Urška, Assistant Editor, and Gabrielė, production executive, have also been with the company since it was established. During the past two years we have also had a few part-time assistants and the occasional intern.

What’s your background in the book industry?

Louise came from the energy industry before founding a publishing company. Lindsey, Urška and Gabrielė all studied Publishing Media at Oxford Brookes University.

Talk about some of your books if possible?

We actually have some very exciting news regarding one of our Fairlight Moderns. Bottled Goods by Sophie van Llewyn has just been longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction!

Set in 1970s communist Romania, this debut novella-in-flash draws upon magic realism to weave a tale of everyday troubles. A really captivating read that can’t easily be put down. Bottled Goods has also been longlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize and The People’s Book Prize, which you can still vote for here (https://peoplesbookprize.com/winter-2018/bottled-goods/).

We are also very excited about our upcoming title, A Matter of Interpretation by Elizabeth Mac Donald. This is an enthralling tale of knowledge, language and power in medieval Europe, from a talented new historical fiction writer. It’ll be out on 5 September 2019, so definitely keep an eye on our website and social media for more news!


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Luath Press

Luath Press

Luath Press

An indie publisher that’s based in my home town, I’ll definitely have to organise a visit the next time I’m up and we’re allowed to meet people.

Especially since the view from their windows are going to be stunning!

Committed to publishing well written books worth reading.

Established in 1981, Luath Press is a leading independent book publisher with over 500 books in print including modern fiction, history, politics, travel guides, poetry and much more.

Luath Press Ltd.
543/2 Castlehill
The Royal Mile
Edinburgh
EH1 2ND
Telephone: 0131 225 4326
Email: sales@luath.co.uk

Website: https://www.luath.co.uk/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LuathPress
Twitter: @LuathPress
Instagram: @luathpress

In their own words…

When did you start publishing?

Luath was found in 1981 by Tom and Rene Atkinson in Barr (near Givan in Aryshire). They set about writing and publishing the Luath Guides Series. Other books by other writers followed including a number of popular titles that have remained in print for many years, such as Mountain Days and Bothy Nights, Bare Feet and Tackety Boots and more.

In the meantime, Tom’s daughter Dee Atkinson had taken over the running of Napiers Herbalists and Tom found himself running Napiers Mail Order alongside Luath.

Tom died in 2007. In his obituary in The Guardian he was described as ‘the Alistair Campbell of Indonesia’. As a teenager he had gone to Spain to join the International Brigade, only to be sent home as he was too young to fight in the Spanish Civil War. In WWII, he was in the RAF Servicing Commandos and at the end of the war he was heavily involved in securing independence for Indonesia. He subsequently worked directly for the new president for over 15 years, in which role he wrote a speech on the status of smaller nations delivered at the UN. After ‘retiring’ from Luath in 1997, two further books by Tom were published by – Napiers’ History of Herbal Healing and Spectacles, Testicles, Fags and Matches – the latter recounting his experiences in WWII and afterwards in Indonesia.

Following Tom’s retirement, Gavin and Audrey MacDougall took over the running of the company and moved it from Barr to Edinburgh.

Since 1997, Luath has built on the sound core of well established books first published by Tom and Rene, and created various new series (On the Trail Of…, Walk With Luath, The Quest For, Let’s Explore, Luath Storyteller, Viewpoints, Wild Lives) and launched various new writers and poets (Alison Irvine, Daniel Gray, Rab Wilson, Mark Thomson and many more).

We are now situated in Edinburgh and we remain committed to publishing well-written books worth reading.

What made you want to start an independent publisher?

Tom had recently returned to Scotland and, finding there were no good descriptive guides to the popular parts of Scotland, was inspired to write and publish the Luath Guides Series.

What genres do you specialise in?

We publish a variety of genres from fiction to poetry to photography but we especially love politics, history and travel.

Where are you based?

Edinburgh’s famous Royal Mile. 543/2 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 2ND

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

Our submissions are always open!

What is your submission procedure?

If you think you have written a book that may fit with Luath’s publishing programme, and would like to make a submission to us, please post to our offices:

  • A clear synopsis of up to 250 words
  • Which genre you would categorise it as (use our website categories as a guide)
  • Sample chapters or manuscript
  • A short biography
  • A pre-paid addressed envelope large enough for your manuscript to be returned in, should it be unsuccessful

Please try to ensure everything you send can be easily stored together – for example, held together with a paperclip or all put in a cardboard folder.

Please note that we cannot accept electronic submissions, only paper hard copies. Submissions or proposals sent by email will not be accepted.

If you do not enclose a pre-paid envelope, we will assume that you are happy for us to recycle your manuscript. You will still receive a letter notifying you of our decision. Do not send original copies or artwork. Luath Press cannot take responsibilty for any items sent to us. We do aim to respond to everyone who submits a piece of work but if you have not heard from us after a year, you can assume your submission was unsuccessful.

Talk about some of your books if possible?

Our best known book is Darren McGarvery’s Poverty Safari which won the 2018 Orwell Prize and was reviewed by the elusive J.K. Rowling. We have also recently published a fictional retelling of George Orwell’s life (Barnhill: A Novel by Norman Bissell) in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the publication of Nineteen Eighty-Four. And, we have an upcoming book by Ellie Harrison, The Glasgow Effect, which is partially a reaction to Poverty Safari and in part the inspiration for Poverty Safari. The Glasgow Effect looks at many of the same themes of poverty and social mobility as Darren did but Ellie also discusses the climate emergency and what we can do about it.


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Bad Betty Press

When I saw the images that I had been emailed for this feature of the beautiful chapbooks and pamphlets that Amy and Jake produce through Bad Betty Press I had an immediate feeling of desire for them. A well produced pamphlet is always a thing of beauty and it looks as though various award judges agree with that.

MICHAEL MARKS PUBLISHERS’ AWARD, Shortlisted, 2018
SABOTEUR AWARDS: Most Innovative Publisher, Shortlisted, 2018
SABOTEUR AWARDS: Best Pamphlet, Solomon’s World – Jake Wild Hall, Longlisted, 2018
LONDON’S BIG READ: The Dizziness of Freedom, Shortlisted, 2019

I now have another pile of goodies added to my ongoing wish list for birthday and other occasions.

Website: badbettypress.com
Facebook: @badbettypress
Instagram: @badbettypress
Twitter: @badbettypress

In their own words…

When did you start publishing?

We published our first book of poems in July 2017.

What made you want to start publishing?

We’re both poets who perform but also love the page. We have a big network of artist friends and peers writing excellent work, and loved the idea of creating a platform to help their work reach more readers. We felt that there was space in the world of poetry publishing for some more exciting, fresh and diverse voices.

What do you specialise in?

Poetry. We mostly put out pamphlets / chapbooks (short collections of around 10-20 poems), but also publish full-length collections, anthologies, and a series of mini-pamphlets called Bad Betty Shots.

Where are you based?

Tottenham, north London.

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

October – January for pamphlet / collection manuscripts, Feb – April for anthology poems.

Who are you (team photo if possible)?

Amy Acre and Jake Wild Hall. Writers and parents, we set up Bad Betty the year our daughter was born.

Background in the book industry?

Amy came from the world of copywriting, so had a background in editing, art direction and creative production. We’ve both written and performed poetry for over 10 years, working with indie publishers and picking up what we could about the process along the way, as well as running and promoting events.

Talk about some of your books if possible?

Our mental health anthology, The Dizziness of Freedom (2018), was shortlisted for a couple of awards, and is our bestseller to date.

While I Yet Live by Gboyega Odubanjo is our bestselling pamphlet.

She Too Is a Sailor by Antonia Jade King and Raft by Anne Gill are two of our most recent books, respectively exploring womanhood and trauma with delicacy and wit.

The Death of a Clown by Tom Bland and TIGER by Rebecca Tamás were both featured on the ‘Poetry School Books of 2018’ longlist.


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Little Toller

Little Toller

Little Toller

Little Toller Books was born in 2008 as an imprint of the Dovecote Press, a family-run publishing company that has specialised in books about rural life and local history since 1974. Little Toller was started with a singular purpose: to revive forgotten and classic books about nature and rural life in the British Isles.

The success of Little Toller’s Nature Classics has enabled it to grow into an independent publisher, attuned to writers and artists who seek inventive ways to reconnect us with the natural world and to celebrate the places we live in.

Little Toller is based in Dorset, published Dara McAnulty to great acclaim last year, decided to open a bookshop in 2020 (which can be visited at 2 Church St, Beaminster DT8 3AZ) and they can be contacted at:

Website: littletoller.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/littletoller
Twitter: @littletoller
Instagram: littletollerdorset
Telephone: 01308 488930

In their own words…

When did you start publishing?

2009, so 2019 marks our tenth anniversary – something we’re hoping to celebrate all year, with independent bookshops.

What made you want to start an independent publisher?

Gracie and Adrian Cooper, our founders, moved to Dorset- Gracie grew up in the county and her father is David Burnett, who founded and still runs Dovecote Press, which specialises in Dorset history. When Gracie and Adrian arrived they found that they wanted to read books about Dorset and rural life more generally, but many of the classics were either out of print, or were languishing on other publishers’ backlists, somewhat unloved. So they decided to right this wrong, and began by publishing three books – by Edward Thomas, Adrian Bell and Clare Leighton, with new introductions by contemporary writers and beautiful new jackets, all in the spirit of the early editions. These books formed the basis of our Nature Classics Library and are still the backbone of our list.

What genres do you specialise in?

We specialise in books about nature, landscape, place, rural life and culture. From our nature classics we’ve expanded into publishing books by contemporary authors, on a range of subjects – from Marcus Sedgwick writing about Snow to Tim Dee on gulls, or new writers like Alex Woodcock on becoming a stone-mason.

Where are you based?

We’re based in the tiny hamlet of Toller Fratrum in West Dorset. Our location has been very important to us as a publisher, it helps inform the sort of books we publish.

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

We publish books all year round, so no. We also publish an online journal for new writing from established and emerging voices, The Clearing.

What is your submission procedure?

We accept manuscripts from authors directly, or through agents.

Who are you (team photo if possible)?

We are Adrian Cooper, who is the publisher and editor in chief, Gracie Cooper, who is co-founder and who specialises in working with artists and designing our books, a vital part of our publishing, Graham Shackleton who lays out all our books and who also looks after our website and does all our photography for it, and Jon Woolcott who looks after sales, marketing and publicity. But as we’re such a small team – and most of us work part-time – we tend to overlap with each other’s jobs.

What’s your background in the book industry?

Adrian and Gracie were new to books when they founded Little Toller, and began the business in the teeth of a terrible recession, with the book business in the doldrums. Jon has had a long career in books, always on the retail side and has held a variety of shops at many levels. Graham was a photographer (albeit one with two degrees in IT) but also worked on the Bridport Book Prize.

Talk about some of your books if possible? and future projects/dreams if you can?

We’re hugely proud of our authors and the books they’ve written for us. We mentioned a few above but we also publish Horatio Clare, who’s recent book for us Something of his Art, about Bach and the long walk he took across Germany in the winter of 1705 was a big success. We’ve published Adam Thorpe and Iain Sinclair previously, as well as the poet Fiona Sampson (writing on limestone country) and John Burnside. We have two anthologies currently – Arboreal, a collection of essays about woodlands, and Cornerstones, based on the Radio Three series. This year, in addition to King of Dust, we have books from Paul Kingsnorth, Sara Maitland, Peter Marren on the stories behind the names of moths and butterflies. Excitingly, next year we’re publishing the first book by the 14-year-old naturalist and environmental campaigner Dara McAnulty (and we all know how that turned out 🙂 )


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Velocity Press

Velocity PressVelocity Press publishes electronic music and club culture non-fiction and fiction. We aim to create a catalogue that feels like a trusted record label in its integrity and vision and deliver exciting stories to serious electronic music fans who enjoy good literature.

Velocity Press publisher Colin Steven previously co-promoted jungle club Ruffneck Ting in Bristol during the 90s, set up award-winning magazine Knowledge in 1994 and published Brian Belle-Fortune’s seminal drum & bass book All Crews in 2004.

Website: velocitypress.uk
Email: info@velocitypress.uk
Mastodon: @velocitypress
Twitter: @PressVelocity
Instagram: @velocitypress
Facebook: www.facebook.com/velocitypressbooks

Egostrip Book 1

In their own words…

When did you start publishing?

We’ve been publishing since October 2019.

What made you want to start an independent publisher?

I previously published an award-winning drum & bass magazine called Knowledge for 20 years. During that time I published a book called All Crews: Journeys Through Jungle Drum & Bass Culture by Brian Belle-Fortune. The internet killed off the physical magazine in 2009 but we soldiered on as a website but the book kept on selling. I missed the physical days and rather than launch another magazine I decided to pivot and start a new book publishing company.

What genres do you specialise in?

We specialise in electronic music and club culture. Most are non-fiction but we have published one fiction title so far and I’d like to do more.

Where are you based?

We’re based in London.

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

No, we’re open to submissions the whole year.

What is your submission procedure?

Please send a summary of what you have written, or intend to write to info@velocitypress.uk. A separate breakdown of chapters is useful if you have one.

Who are you?

I run Velocity Press on my own and outsource production like cover design, typesetting proofreading, copyediting, printing, etc. Although he’s a freelancer, I have to pay tribute to Paul Baille-Lance from PBL Publishing as not only does he typeset most of our books, but I also use him for proofing and copy-editing too and he does a great job.

Colin Steven

What was your background in the book industry before this venture?

As mentioned above, I published All Crews: Journeys Through Jungle Drum & Bass Culture by Brian Belle-Fortune in 2004. It went out of print in 2020 so I’m looking to publish it again next year with an update on what’s happening now in drum & bass.

Talk about some of your books if possible, upcoming, favourite?

We’ve been really busy the last few years and have published 18 books as of June 2022 so it’s hard choosing favourites. Our first book Join The Future: Bleep Techno & the Birth Of British Bass Music by Matt Anniss was special, it really put us on the map.

Reissuing Trevor Miller’s Trip City in 2021 is worth mentioning too. Not only is it a great book and our only fiction title but we got to work with acid house legend A Guy Called Gerald as we also reissued his soundtrack on vinyl.

More recently, Harry Harrison’s Dreaming In Yellow: The Story of the DiY Sound System has been selling like hot cakes and is shaping up to be our biggest seller.

Most of our books are paperbacks but we’ve done a few beautiful coffee table books like Junior Tomlin Flyer & Cover Art and Who Say Reload: The Stories Behind the Classic Drum & Bass Records of the 90s and the production values of our next book, Members Only: The Iconic Membership Cards and Passes of the Acid House and Rave Generations, will top the lot.


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b small publishing

b small publishingOur business is 100% LGBT and women owned. We are committed members of Inclusive Minds and have signed up to their charter, EVERYBODY IN! This means that we work hard to make sure our business and our books are as inclusive of diversity as possible. If you think we can do better, get in touch and let us know.

Submissions: “Please note that we create and commission all of our titles in house and as such we are not open to submissions. Thank you for thinking of us!”

Telephone: +44 (0) 20 8892 7937
Email: websales@bsmall.co.uk
Website: b small publishing
Twitter: @bsmallpub
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bsmallpublishing/
Instagram: @bsmallpublishing

In their own words

When did you start publishing?

We first started publishing in the early 1990s, originally producing creative high-quality activity books for the Early Learning Centre, before starting to publish bilingual books focusing on first words in English, French and Spanish.

What made you want to start publishing?

Our founder, Cath Bruzzone, started her career as a French teacher before moving into publishing. Cath worked at Pan creating and marketing, among other things, language learning books and CDs for adults and children, promoting her passion for learning a foreign language. Our publisher, Sam Hutchinson, worked in an after-school club for kids as a student where he saw the positive effect a well-made information book can have on a child. Publishing combines his passion for finding things out with his passion for telling people about them!

What do you specialise in?

We specialise in foreign language learning and creative, hands-on information books for kids.

Where are you based?

We are based in Twickenham.

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

We create everything in-house and so do not accept submissions.

Who are you?

We are Cath and Sam, (co-directors and owners), Vicky Barker (Art director) and a small team of freelancers, authors and illustrators.

Sam and Cath Doodle

What is your background in the book industry?

Between them, Cath, Sam and Vicky have lots of years of experience and have worked at Pan, HarperCollins and Usborne.

Talk about some of your books if possible?

This past year has been great for us, with some truly wonderful books published and lots of awards!

Our spooky sensation Real- Life Mysteries (by Susan Martineau and Vicky Barker) won the Blue Peter Book award for ‘Best book with facts’, The Histronauts: An Egyptian Adventure (by Frances Durkin and Grace Cooke) won the NSTBA Information book category, and to top it all off, we’ve also published a brand new language learning series, Hello Languages!

Update!!!

Since sending in their information b small publishing have made it into the Regional Shortlist for a Nibbie, in The British Book Awards new category for Small Press of the Year. Congratulations!


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Centre for British Documentary Photography

HumanityAt the Centre for British Documentary Photography our aim is to inspire and inform the viewer, making available quality documentary images through our online galleries and printed media.

From the outset our aim is to showcase the most relevant documentary photographers be they established names or just emerging. We will endeavour to find and promote the overlooked documentary image makers from Britain and give them and their photographs the space they deserve. In the future we hope to open a gallery space and publish select works from the photographers that are able to be a part of the Centre for British Documentary Photography.

Website: www.centreforbritishdocumentaryphotography.co.uk/
Twitter: @CBDP_Images
Instagram: @the_cbdp
Facebook: facebook.com/CentreforBritishDocumentaryPhotography

Humanity Crowdfunder Advert

In their own words

When did you start publishing?

Way back in 1998.

What made you want to start an independent publisher?

There was and is a need, if we are to look beyond the famous names and obvious stories. Initially I was inspired by the early Surf Magazines. Many of these were actually pure reportage and very nicely designed.

What genres do you specialise in?

Today I concentrate on Bouldering Guide Books and more importantly, Humanity, which is a documentary magazine that fuses concerned photojournalism and the written word.

Where are you based?

Gloucestershire, England.

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

We are always open to submissions, but tend to make approaches, and photographers on the CBDP platform make up 75% of the content.

What is your submission procedure?

Send one image via Wetransfer a block of text and website link.

Who are you (team photo if possible)?

I am essentially a one man band.

What was your background in the book industry before this venture?

I created and published 4 successful bouldering guide books before the Humanity venture.

Talk about some of your books if possible, upcoming, favourite?

Issue 1 of Humanity is a favourite as I had to pull everything together from scratch and worked with total strangers, yet somehow it all came together really well and it sold out. Designing a documentary magazine with such important imagery was an honour and ambition realised all in one. Issue 2 is looking even better.


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époque press

The Groundsman

époque press is an independent publisher based between Brighton, Dublin and New York. Established to promote and represent the very best in new literary talent.

Through a combination of our main publishing imprint and our online é-zine we aim to bring inspirational and thought provoking work to a wider audience.

Our main imprint is seeking out new voices, authors who are producing high-quality literary fiction and who are looking for a publisher to help them realise their ambitions. Our commitment is to fully consider all submissions on literary merit alone.

Our é-zine will showcase a combination of the written word, and other art forms, bringing together artists working in different mediums to encourage and inspire new perspectives on specific themes.

Website: https://www.epoquepress.com
Twitter: @Epoque_Press
Facebook: facebook.com/epoquepress
Instagram: @epoque_press

In their own words…

When did you start publishing?

époque press was established at the end of 2017 with our first title, El Hacho by Luis Carrasco being published in February of 2018 so you could say that we are the new team on the block, hoping to add to the rich and varied list of great independent publishers already out there.

What made you want to start publishing?

I have always been obsessed with literature, something which was fermented in me from an early age when my father would avidly read to me every night. It was this which made me undertake a degree in English Literature and instilled in me my life long passion for great writing.

Over the years I have watched with admiration as independent publishers such as Salt, Galley Beggar and Bluemoose have championed great writing and this inspired me to form époque press. I feel that there is always room for new publishers who wish to champion great writing and it is great to see the family of independent publishers supporting each other, all for the love and passion of literature.

At époque press, we are about seeking out great talent and then forming a close relationship with our authors in order to champion their work and get their writing out to as wide an audience as possible. We have a great team working on the editing and proofreading, and we also do all of our own cover design in-house, overseen by the extremely talented Adam Bentley. Our authors are engaged at every stage of bringing their book to publication and we love the creative spark this brings to us all.

What do you specialise in?

We specialise in Literary Fiction and we are interested in novels, novellas and complete collections of short stories. We appreciate that there is often a blurring of boundaries between genres so we are not ruling anything out.

We are particularly interested in writing which has a unique voice or narrative style. Hopefully, you will see this from our first three publications.

We also host a regular online magazine, the époque press ezine. Each edition is based around a specific theme and we are looking for submissions of short stories, poetry, spoken word, essays, visual art, play extracts and music. This is a multi-medium ezine, established to spark the sharing of creative ideas whilst champion great artistic talent. Details of our current theme and access to our current and past editions can be found at… https://www.epoquepress.com/ezine

Where are you based?

We are based Brighton in the UK and Dublin in Ireland.

Do you have a submission window, if so when?

We currently have an open submission policy for general submissions to our main imprint, although given the growing size of our ‘To Be Reviewed’ pile we may consider having specific submission windows in the future.

Full submission guidelines for both our main imprint and our ezine can be found at… https://www.epoquepress.com/submissions

Who are your team?

Sean Campbell – MD and Head Editor
Adam Bentley – Artistic & Print Director
Melanie McGinn – sub-editor, proofreader and reviewer
Shan Wilkinson- sub-editor, proofreader and reviewer
Louise Yates – sub-editors, proofreader and reviewer
Andrew Bird – Reviewer

Talk about some of our books:

We have been absolutely delighted to have the pleasure of working with three exceptional debut authors during 2018.

We started with the publication of El Hacho by Luis Carrasco. This novella deals with mans relationship with the landscape and the struggles of modernity verses tradition. It is set in Andalusia and has a very distinct narrative voice which soaks the reader in the environment. We were delighted to have received a cover quote recommendation from Jon McGregor for our very first publication, which read…‘El Hacho is a tiny diamond of a novel, told in a voice at once softly-spoken and fearless as hell. Luis Carrasco’s writing is new to me, but he reads here as if he’s been doing this for years; his control and restraint are masterly, and the end result makes for a cracking read.

This was followed by the publication of The Groundsmen by Lynn Buckle, which was launched at the Irish Writers Centre in Dublin in October 2018. This novel a is darkly poetic work which deals with the challenging themes of familial and domestic abuse. it is a powerful piece of work, with a narrative structure which encompasses five different voices from within the same family. June Caldwell, author of Room Little Darker, said of it…’A dark compelling tale of under-the-covers failed decency and warped family relationships. This is a provocative and obsessive set of strange narrative voices that will leave the reader spinning, hurting and feeling utterly scalded. Generations affected by trauma live on in an unrelenting carousel of blame and denial, while hope in the child’s voice and a woman’s desire for change make the story powerful and affecting. Lynn Buckle is a fierce and fearless new voice in Irish writing.

Our last publication of 2018 was The Wooden Hill, a collection of sort stories by Jamie Guiney. As the title would suggest, each story charts a stage in our own life journeys, from the immense of a new birth, through childhood and adolescence, all the way to the death of a loved one. The collection explores what it means to be human at every stage of life. Miranda Dickinson, author of Fairytale of New York, said of the collection…ʻEvocative, lyrical and touching, The Wooden Hill is a stunning collection. Under Jamie Guiney’s pen the smallest detail becomes cinematic; characters breathe; landscapes live. Intensely personal, unflinchingly human, these are stories to savour, lingering long after the end. I adored this compilation.

We are currently working with two authors whose work we will be bringing to publication in 2019, and of course, our submissions are open so who knows who else we will find for publication this year and beyond.

(originally published in 2018)


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