Publisher Spotlight: Eye/Lightning Books
We all know that reading is one of the best ways to travel safely to unfamiliar territory, and experience extraordinary journeys through the viewpoints of ordinary people. Lightning Books are an independent publisher who specialise in just that. First established in 1996, they promote writing with great emphasis on geography and travel, and in the past 25 years, have built a formidable catalogue of books. Their goal is to provide readers with eclectic perspectives and fantastic tales, all of which are set right here in the real world.
The expanse of content cultivated by Lightning Books means that the only problem you’ll have is where to begin. Titles include Caroline Kington’s acclaimed novel, A Long Shadow, which tells the decade-spanning story of a farming family who unearth a life-changing secret regarding their farm home’s previous resident. Also worthy of attention is Georgian comedy, A Right Royal Face Off, written by Simon Edge, and telling a tale of a 1777 English portrait artist, Thomas Gainsborough, whose prolific work may or may not have found its way into a modern day TV antiques show.
Other 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. Other stories aimed at younger audiences include Alastair Humphreys’ The Boy Who Hiked the World trilogy.
In more recent years, Lighting Books have also branched out into non-fiction, under the alternate publishing guise of Eye Books. In the sense that it covers geography and travel, it's nearly identical to its fictional counterpart. The only major difference is that these stories are 100% authentic and often autobiographical. Books published under Eye include A Raindrop in the Ocean, a lively telling of the life of global adventurer, Michael Dobbs-Higginson, the autobiography of former Zimbabwe President, Morgan Tsvangirai, At the Deep End, and Tess Burrow’s acclaimed coverage of her journey to the South Pole, Cold Hands, Warm Heart.
With such an amazing sprawl of candid and eye-opening titles, it’s no surprise that this independent publisher has gathered a great deal of attention, from other writers, film & TV personalities, and awarding bodies alike. Emily Maguire’s hard-hitting novel, An Isolated Incident, made numerous shortlists, including the Stella Prize and the Australian Book Industry Awards. Douglas Board’s frank analysis of the business world, Elite, has received a wealth of praise from professors and reputable news outlets, and New Zealand author of In a Fishbone Church, Catherine Chidgey, won Best Book at the New Zealand Book Awards and Best Book of the Year at the Los Angeles Times.
If you dig deeper into the Eye/Lightning Books brand, you’ll soon see that the aforementioned titles are only the tip of the iceberg. Their reach continues to expand and their quest to share unique tales with the world remains strong. They continue to champion writers with original stories, no matter how underrepresented they may be in other aspects of their life. If you have an inspiring story, either personal or fictional, which pertains to travel or a broad geographical scope, then Eye/Lightning Books could be the ideal representative of your work. To contact them, visit the submissions section of their website and follow the guidelines carefully!
You can also go to the book section to check out their wonderful range of releases, purchase titles, and show your support. 2021 sees Eye/Lightning Books continuing to release new novels at a consistent rate, and you can visit their new release section to check out and pre-order this year's current upcoming titles, including K. A. Hayton’s intriguing historical drama, The Other Side of the Whale Road.
To keep up to date with all news, thoughts and other information at the Eye/Lightning Books, visit their Reading Room!
