Indie Publisher Spotlight: Bluemoose Books
Posted on February 7, 2024 in North
Welcome to the world of Northern publishing, where independent houses craft stories that break the rules and embrace the heart of storytelling. In this series, we’re exploring the growth, focus and future of some fantastic Northern publishing houses you should know about. First up is Bluemoose Books!
Introducing Bluemoose Books
Founded in 2006 by Kevin and Hetha Duffy, Bluemoose Books is an award-winning, West Yorkshire-based publishing house. This self-described “family” of readers and writers are passionate storytellers working hard to find bright new talent. Largely dependent upon five freelance editors, Bluemoose Books publishes between eight and ten books annually.
Although their promotional budget might not match the millions of pounds splashed by London-based publishing giants, Bluemoose Books is proud to champion innovative marketing strategies, resulting in multiple titles landing in high street bookshops with reviews featuring in various national press outlets.
Growth and Evolution
As the recipient of numerous bookish awards and longlisted for a tremendous amount more, the resounding success of Bluemoose Books is no doubt indicative of a cultured list featuring stories that have travelled from Moscow to Budapest and Colombia to Greenland.
Despite their intentional lack of focus on producing “orange-headed” celebrity memoirs, instead devoting their time to finding novel voices and quality literature, this publisher is never far from well-deserved praise. Numerous Bluemoose titles have been nominated for major literary prizes, including The British Book Awards, The Royal Society of Literature Prize and The Parliamentarian Book of the Year. Bluemoose Books was also named Northern Publisher of the Year by The British Book Awards in 2023.
Sports and Social by Kevin Boniface
Publishing Focus
The Bluemoose Books manifesto aims to “publish cracking stories that engage and inspire.” Taking an unconventional approach towards ethical and well-researched publishing, the success of Bluemoose Books provides a valuable lesson for aspiring and established publishers.
Their work opposes the conglomerate nature of big publishing, which has become trend-led and risk-averse, leading to shelves dominated by big-name authors, even those lacking in bestseller potential.
Moreover, design and production are central to Bloomose Books because their books are more than mere objects. In response to a recent study from The Booksellers Association, which concluded that book covers have just a fifth of a second to catch the consumers’ eye, jackets must be striking and, ideally, persuade the casual browser to pick up and touch them too. The appropriately named “strokability test” helps Bluemoose Books to know when their designers have been successful.
Hall of Fame
Presently, Rónán Hession stands as Bluemoose’s most successful author. His inaugural work, Leonard and Hungry Paul is a heartwarming and humorous narrative exploring kindness, boasting a global sales figure exceeding 125,000 copies and earning widespread critical acclaim.
Bluemoose Books has further showcased its literary prowess by releasing Benjamin Myers’ The Gallows Pole, a historical thriller that transitioned into a BBC series featuring Michael Socha and Sophie McShera. As of January 2024, Bluemoose has already begun to unveil new publications.
The Gallows Pole by Benjamin Myers
Looking to the Future
Unlike larger publishing houses, Bluemoose Books relishes a distinctive freedom to publish content that revolves solely around the books, investing any profit back into the business. Without pressure to satisfy shareholders, the publisher is unrestrained in selecting titles that mainstream publishers might otherwise avoid.
Their unique positioning allows for an unmistakable emphasis on quality over quantity, uplifting the stories of publishing minorities, such as working-class and older female authors. The substantial time and energy invested helps ensure readers receive the best final product.
The latest Bluemoose titles include Christ on a Bike by Orla Owen and Sports and Social by Kevin Boniface.
Christ on a Bike by Orla Owen
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