Introducing Graveside Press, a small publishing press who are also proud members of the IBPA (Independent Book Publishers Association) and the Bay Area Independent Publishers Association.
Who is Graveside Press?
I first came across the intriguing profile of Graveside Press through my new favorite literary space, Threads. I have met so many great authors, readers, and also companies including Graveside Press. What initially caught my eye was seeing so many different horror authors posting about this particular press and speaking so highly of them. Because I like to dabble in the genre of horror myself I wandered over to their page and after scrolling through their feed for a bit I decided to click the follow button. I feel like horror is an under-appreciated genre and I love that a company decided to specialize in working with these authors specifically, as well as, with dark fantasy authors.
Along with browsing through their Threads profile, I also decided to take a peek at their website and I loved what I saw. You quickly get a sense that they are professionals who not only take their craft seriously, but also care a great deal for the community around them. It was evident that they genuinely value, respect, and are deeply committed to the authors that fall under their publishing umbrella. It's also clear that amongst the professionalism they exude, that they also make sure to showcase a side of humor and witty banter. Being in this type of environment can be not only enjoyable but it can also foster an inviting atmosphere, encourage creativity, and create lasting relationships with authors and readers alike. With that being said, I am pleased to present to you, Graveside Press; continue reading to see what they had to say when I sat down and asked them a few questions.
The Interview
Chapter Chirp: Tell me a little bit about your press and how your company got started?
Graveside Press: We are a small, indie horror and dark fantasy press. It all started because Steven Radecki made the mistake of opening his mouth and saying, “I’ve been toying with the idea of starting a horror press.” He said this to Kelley York, who also works with Steven on covers for his other imprints, is a huge horror nerd (and is married to Hannah Rebekah Graves, an even bigger horror nerd). Kell grabbed the idea and ran (well, more like crawled, you’re not gonna see her running) with it. That same day, she presented him with a concept for a logo and they had a name picked out.
Chapter Chirp: What genre does your press primarily focus on and what about this genre does your company love?
Graveside Press: We publish horror of any kind and dark fantasy. We love the creativeness that these genres bring and seeing what kind of weird, messed up things people can come up with. We love how wide the word ‘horror’ can be defined, from supernatural to psychological to a subtle sense of dread.
Chapter Chirp: What kinds of services does your press offer?
Graveside Press: Aside from publishing, we offer high-quality editing, formatting and cover design by people who have been in the industry over 10 years. (And yes, the author gets a say in their cover. We want this to be a collaborative effort and to maintain the author’s vision.) We also offer free promotional materials and free physical and digital versions of their book. We do ARC review campaigns and we distribute worldwide via Ingram Spark. We promote the books on all of our social media accounts, go to as many conventions as we can and are happy to make phone calls to try to get an author’s book into local bookstores.
Chapter Chirp : How does the publishing process work through your press?
Graveside Press: We take submissions through Duotrope and we try our best to review everything within 30-90 days. We take brief looks through every submission for writing quality and blurbs/synopses. When something catches our eye, we set it aside for further review by our Acquisitions Manager, Hannah Rebekah Graves, along with her Slushies. (What we call our slush readers.) We then either send out an acceptance letter with a sample contract or a rejection. (If we really enjoy a story but it isn’t just quite right, we will give custom feedback. We also do revise and resubmit in some instances.) If the author chooses to accept our offer, we send our contracts and various information relevant to being a GSP author. Then it’s just a matter of getting them on the calendar and getting the ball rolling on things like editing, covers, promo, etc.
Chapter Chirp: What do you think makes your press stand out and/or what makes your company special?
Graveside Press: We are a very socially aware press who is very vocal in standing up for and supporting marginalized groups. We are very transparent in how we work and what you can expect from us. We interact with our authors and readers and have built a wonderful community together. We also believe in treating authors the same, whether they have 100 awards or if it’s their first ever submission. We are also very vocal about promoting human creatives (no GenAI is allowed in any of our submissions or covers), #OwnVoices and lifting up marginalized authors. (One obstacle some stories from marginalized authors might face is a language barrier. There are instances where English isn't the author's first language, so the technical aspect of the writing might need more work than some other places are willing to put into it. When we see a good story we have faith in, we'll put the time and effort in to make it happen.) Also, sometimes, we’re funny.😉
Chapter Chirp: Do you currently have any submission calls open and how can authors submit their work?
Graveside Press: We currently have 4 open calls. One is for general submissions, which is used for novel or novella length works. Two is for Tiny Terrors, which are short stories (2k-15k words) that are either published in our biannual Tiny Terrors anthologies or as little standalone books that I hear make great stocking stuffers. Three is for Gradeside, which is for children and YA. Four is for our upcoming witchcraft anthology. You can submit your stories via our website at: www.graveside-press.com/submissions
Final Thoughts
After reading through the thoughtful responses that Graveside Press provided, I have an even deeper appreciation for what their company is doing and stands for. Not only do they run a small press, but they also advocate which is more important now then ever. I hope their sincerity shined through for you as it did for me. I would like to give a big thank you to Graveside Press for the opportunity to interview them and let them know that I appreciate their time, transparency, and kindness. I'd like to encourage my friends, followers, and readers to check out their website, their store (psst....books!), and give them a follow on their socials. I'd love to hear your thoughts, feel free to drop a comment, like, or thoughts below.
Check out their links:
Website: Graveside-Press.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gravesidepress/
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