10 Exciting Indie Publishers In The UK
It’s a wonderful truth that the world of independent publishing is as vibrant, diverse and exciting as it has ever been. In this ongoing age of uncertainty, the most dedicated of indie publishers have chosen to not balk, but thrive and represent, and deliver readers the unique invoices, stories, and insights of talented writers across the world.
As is true with the writers themselves, no two publishers are the same. Each has carved a niche in the industry with a finely honed mission statement of what they stand for, the standards they uphold, and the experiences they wish to share. It’s no surprise then that independent publishing is a sector built on pride and passion.
Whoever you are, and whatever books you like to read, you will find the ideal title for you, so long as you know where to look. The list is ever growing. Here are just ten names you need to know about in 2021.
Myriad Editions
Myriad Editions provide readers with engaging fiction and information across a range of printed media, including novels, graphic novels and an impressive catalogue of infographic material. Categories include, crime, poetry, historical, and a section specialising solely in Feminist Nonficiton.
The diverse list of writers under Myriad Editions means that the information provided in their books, comics and other formats offer readers unique insights into previously unattainable perspectives, making for an enriching experience as a matter of course.
Current writers include Hannah Eaton, author of the brooding folk horror, Blackwood, writer of the informative and comedic Science Tales, Darryl Cunnimgham, and Yvonne Bailey Smith, author of the evocative tale of a young Jamaican immigrant, The Day I Fell Off My Island.
For their represented works, Myriad Editions have obtained prizes from the Royal Society of Literature, The Broken Frontier Awards, and The Bridport Prize.
Red Dog Press
If you are a devout lover of crime, thriller, and mystery, then Red Dog Press might be the one for you. It champions a host of authors who delight in writing dark noir, thriller, and cosy mystery, bringing a variety of different styles to all things crime and suspense. The press was founded by Patricia Loofbourrow, who has written an array of crime, psychological thriller, sci-fi, and horror novels, as well as a sprawling epic steampunk saga, The Red Dog Conspiracies.
Red Dog Press encourages authors with new and interesting voices, who can create equally unique and three-dimensional characters to provide some new-found zest to the crime genre. Writers include Mathew Costello & Neil Richards, who collaborated on the bestselling Cherringham cosy mystery series, breakthrough author of In Servitude, Heleen Kist, and romance and crime writer, Mel Gough.
Their catalogue of books continues to expand, with further new releases on the horizon. You can check out the full list here.
Boldwood Books
Boldwood Books is an award-winning publisher of independent commercial global fiction, which was launched in February, 2019. More than two years on, and they have published over 160 titles, signed more than 60 authors, and have sold no less than 4 million books across the world.
Founded by former CEO of Head of Zeus, Amanda Ridout, the publisher was named after Farmer Boldwood, a character in Thomas Hardy’s Far From The Madding Crowd. Their ever-expanding list of authors includes historical romance author, Jina Bacarr, bestselling romance author, Lucy Coleman, and bestselling thriller writer and co-host of Sniffing the Pages podcast, Nina Manning.
Boldwood Books also has a category exclusively for women’s fiction, which includes the author of One Day in Winter, Shari Low, and award winning rom-com writer of Please Don’t Stop the Music, Jane Lovering.
Fans of the publisher can keep up to date with all the latest offers, competitions, events, and announcements at their Book & Tonic space.
Eye/Lightning Books
This two-in-one publisher specialises in stories from the world of geography and travel, using the separate brands of Eye and Lightning to represent stories of journeys across our great planet Earth, of both the fictional and 100% authentic kind. Having existed since 1996, their current catalogue of content is literally world-spanning.
Authors include Yeovil Prize shortlister, Sylvia Petter, writer of suspense thriller, Charity, Madeline Dewhurst, and Tess Burrows, whose novel, Don’t Blame the Yeti, is a gripping children’s tale of one teengager’s hike through the Himalayas. Real life accounts under the Eye publication include A Raindrop in the Ocean, a lively telling of the life of global adventurer, Michael Dobbs-Higginson, and the autobiography of former Zimbabwe President, Morgan Tsvangirai, At the Deep End.
You can visit their new release section to discover and pre-order upcoming titles, as well as Eye/Lightning’s book section to check out their wonderful range of books, and show your support.
Neem Tree Press
There is no doubt that Neem Tree Press lives up to its namesake, as the ‘neem’ species of tree is tough, drought-resistant, and capable of thriving in poor soil conditions, a fitting metaphor for a resilient business amist today’s conditions.
Current acquisitions under this press include Palestenian writer, Ahlam Bsharat, whose complex and fascinating coming-of-age story, Trees for the Absentees, is her second novel to be represented and furthermore translated under this press. Other authors include Anne Richter, writer of the generation-spanning novel set in 20th century East Germany, Distant Signs, and Keith Carter, whose analysis of the world of finance and its effect on the environment, The Umbrella Men, received high acclaim from NB Magazine.
Neem Tree Press also represents The Book Network’s very own Phil Bowne, and his debut novel Cows Can’t Jump.
Neem Tree Press showcases a middle-grade and young adult’s section, under the alternate banner of Seven Seas Press.
Red Door Press
Red Door Press pride themselves on being a wholly new hybrid of two classic publishing business models. They represent writers and their work with the appropriate level of care and dedication found in any reputable traditional publisher. At the same time, authors are granted full freedom and control over the production and marketing of their own work, including the cost.
For this reason, their list of books is small, but of extremely high quality. In the fictional department, they place great emphasis on works of general fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, and crime & thriller. They also have an impressive range of non-fiction titles.
Authors include writer of the medieval Shadow of the Raven saga, Chris Bishop, who released the fourth volume, Bloodlines earlier this year, and comedy writer and author of the quirky drama, The Spectacular Vision of Oskar Dunkelblik, Hattie Holden Edmunds. Red Door Press also has a non-fiction section which covers a range of categories, including memoirs, cookery, self-help, and business.
To find out more, subscribe to their mailing list.
Tramp Press
Tramp Press is an independent publisher who applies true passion and charisma to the works they represent. Based in Ireland and Scotland, they are funded by the Arts Council of Ireland for Literature, and have a formidable reach overseas.
It is their ongoing mission to actively challenge sexism in the publishing industry, with guidelines in place to ensure that patriarchy has no room for growth within their ranks. This crucial detail to the Tramp Press submission process earned them an article in The Guardian, specifically about this topic.
Titles of high praise within the press include Doireann Ní Ghríofa’s century-spanning tale, A Ghost in the Throat, and Sophie White’s candid testimony of mental illness, addiction, and grief, Corpsing. The also represents selected works of the late 19th Century Victorian novelist, Charlotte Riddel, as part of their Recovered Voices series.
To read thoughts, findings, and get to know Tramp Press, you can check out their blog here.
Renard Press
At just over 1 year old, Renard Press represent a group of talented contemporary authors, but have also republished a sprawl of classic literature, poetry, and manuscripts. The names are staggering, with works from Oscar Wilde, Leo Tolstoy, Virginia Wolf, Bram Stoker, and George Orwell being only a few.
Rather than revising the numerous amendments of new additions created by other publishers over the years, Renard Press pay exact tribute to the authoritative edition of classical works, and add additional explanatory notes and extra material where they feel it benefits the reader. They also take great care in style and appearance, releasing lavished editions, which often contain relevant illustrations in order to enrich the experience. Overall, readers get the chance to revisit and discover longstanding works in the form of a refined, yet wholly faithfull new product.
Renard Press also champion equality and diversity within its ranks, and is a proudly queer-led publisher. Followers also have the opportunity to observe the gender split on an ongoing basis, using the site’s gender split counter, which will in turn allow the publisher to maintain its core mission of representation on a fair and even footing.
Legend Press
The acquisitions of authors under Legend Press is ever-expanding. To this day, their strong social media profile and promotional skills guarantees that the brand stays relevant in the eyes of readers. At the same time, they strive to grant their authors the highest levels of notability and coverage available in the world of independent publishing.
Specialising in the categories of thriller and original fiction, they have a wide array of titles both in the original fiction and the thriller categories. Recent books of high prestige include Sarah Penner’s New York Times bestseller, The Lost Apothecary, and global best selling thriller, Pressure Chamber, by Nir Hezroni. Others include Matt Stanley’s suspenseful mystery novel, I Am the Sea, and Jakub Zulczyk’s dark thriller, Blinded by the Lights, which has since been adapted into a hit HBO TV series.
Alongside of this, but by no means secondary, are the list of classics represented by Legend Press. The number of titles in this catalogue and their popularity is truly astounding, with iconic titles such as Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, Jane Austin’s Emma, H.G. Wells’ The Time Machine, and many more that readers will most certainly be familiar with.
Aconyte Books
Aconyte Books is an exciting new name in the world of sci-fi, fantasy and horror tie-in fiction. They stem from the international games distributor Asmondee Entertainment, who specialise in a range of gaming across numerous physical platforms, including board gaming, trading card gaming, party games and a great deal more. Aconyte Books create fiction which ties into much of the sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and horror lore depicted in these gaming worlds, but have also acquired license to write titles for Marvel and Ubisoft, breathing fresh life into the abundance of popular characters already thriving within those respective character universes.
They already have more than 20 titles under the Marvel imprint alone, and a number of novels tied into Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed universe. They also take great pride in representing the specialist gaming worlds created by Asmondee. Lores covered under the Aconyte Books in novel format, include the pulp supernatural Arkham Horror board and trading card games, the roleplaying world of Legend of the Five Rings, and the strategy board game, Terraforming Mars.
To discover the full list of titles, check out their Bookstore.
