Tag: Publisher highlight

Publisher Highlight: Jaded Ibis Press

Posted on by Bee Lehman
Jaded Ibis banner with book covers

Jaded Ibis Press only became a California press five years ago. Debra DiBlasi founded the press in 2008 in the midwest. Wanting to produce significant literature to enlighten, emphasizing empathy and respect, DiBlasi planned on “Ibis Productions” after the James Hurst short story “The Scarlet Ibis.” Frustrated with the state of contemporary literature and the rejection of what DiBlasi thought were “superlatively original books” as unmarketable, they added “Jaded” to the name.[1] While the press’ foundation had been laid, it wasn’t until DiBlasi moved the press to Seattle, Washington, in 2010 that the press took flight. Over the next three years, the press would publish almost two dozen books, featuring memoirs, poetry, and prose.

From its founding, Jaded Ibis Press has focused on mixing media, including visual arts, music, and the written word. Their volumes frequently include collaborations between authors, illustrators, photographs, and other visual artists. They also experiment with technology, producing interactive works for ereaders.[2] In addition, the press currently runs a podcast and the bi-monthly, online literary journal/blog Scarlet.

Today, under Board President Elizabeth Earley and based out of San Francisco, Jaded Ibis continues its mandate to enlighten and encourage. The Press self-defines as a “feminist press” with emphasis on works by people of color, queer individuals, and/or those with disabilities who engage with social justice as an artistic practice.[3]

Books at UC Berkeley’s Doe Library

Additional Books in the UC System

To find additional books from Jaded Ibis Press in the UC System, do an advanced search for the press under “Publisher” and limit the Material Type to “Books.” Here’s the base search!

Notes

[1] Liz Axelrod, “DEBRA DIBLASI and SAM WITT of Jaded Ibis Press with Liz Axelrod,” Brooklyn Rail, August 19, 2024, https://brooklynrail.org/2012/12/books/debra-diblasi-and-sam-witt-of-jaded-ibis-press-with-liz-axelrod/; tim, “Jorge Armenteros, Tom Bradley, Carol Ciavonne, Matthew Cooperman, and Marius Lehane: A Jaded Ibis Press Feature,” Counterpath, September 19, 2014, https://counterpathpress.org/leslie-mcgrath-jorge-armenteros-tom-bradley-carol-ciavonne-matthew-cooperman-and-marius-lehane-a-jaded-ibis-press-feature-friday-september-19-2014-7-p-m.

[2] Debra Di Blasi, “Scenes: Jaded Ibis Press: An Interview with Debra Di Blasi,” American Book Review 33, no. 5 (2012): 31–31.

[3] “About,” Jaded Ibis Press, accessed April 6, 2026, https://jadedibispress.com/about/; “Myriam Gurba with Elizabeth Earley,” Library Foundation SD, accessed April 6, 2026, https://libraryfoundationsd.org/events/gurba.

Publisher Highlight:

Posted on by Bee Lehman
collage banner

Yago Cura founded HINCHAS Press in Los Angeles in 2016. The press comes out of Cura’s Hinchas de Poesia Literary Journal (founded in 2009), a journal Cura began with financial support from one James Foley. Foley, a war journalist, died in 2014 after being detained by ISIS for two years. To memorialize Foley’s support and “honor Jim’s spirit,” Cura collaborated with several writers who also knew Foley to write the anthology Ghazals for Foley (HINCHAS Press, 2016) – the first of HINCHAS press’ books.

From its start as a literary journal, HINCHAS Press has focused on poetry, library science (Cura is themself a public librarian), and zines. The Press is a “bilingual literacy laboratory,” publishing works in English, Spanish, in translation, and/or Spanglish. Honoring its founding, topics continue to focus on social justice and advocacy with recent volumes focused on stories from “Black and Brown writers from around the globe” (e.g., Amorphaville: Stories Outside Time) as well as LA specific authors (e.g., X LA Poets). The Press aims to produce four volumes a year.

Readers can find more about the press on their website or on their Instagram page.

Books in the UC System

UC Berkeley also recently put in an order for several of their additional texts. We also plan on going on a bit of a hunt in the Fall for some of their out of print titles.

 

 

Publisher Highlight: Kelsey Street Press

Posted on by Bee Lehman
Kelsey Stress Press logo collage banner

In 1974, a small group of women founded Kelsey Street Press in the basement of group member Patricia Dienstfrey’s home on Kelsey Street in Berkeley, while another member–Rena Rosenwasser–committed to set type. At the time, Dienstfrey and other women authors were frustrated with the lack of space in the Bay Area for women’s poetry or artistic voices. In response, five members (including Dienstfrey) of the Berkeley Poets Co-op decided to found a press.[1] Their explicit goal was to provide Bay Area women writers “who felt compelled to address the historical marginalization of women writers by mainstream publishers” a space to release their work.[2] Both Rosenwasser and Dienstfrey would dedicate their time and efforts to the press for 50 years, with other members coming in and out. Today, Dienstfrey has stepped back and Rosenwasser is taking a background role while Ching-In Chen, Emgee Dufresne, and Carla Hall steer the Press.

Kelsey Street works with their authors to produce poetry, prose, experimental writing, and collaborative works tying together poetry or prose with the visual arts. Among the first of the latter, Rena Rosenwasser and Kate Delos Simulacra, which is mutual exploration in narrative poetry and drawing of Roman murals.

In their more than 50 years of work, the press has continued to think about their mission and commit to provide space for marginalized women. To promote their efforts, the House held a prize for “FIRSTS!” celebrating first-time authors. In the last few years, the House has held the “QTBIPOC Book Contest” for “QTBIPOC-identified, feminist, innovative writers/poets.” The 2023 award went to Jennifer Perrine for Beautiful Outlaw.[3]

To follow the Press and see their contests or celebrate the winner, readers can check their webpage or their Instagram page.

Recent Titles at UC Berkeley Library

In the UC System

For more titles from Kelsey Stress Press in the UC System, check out our UC Library Search with limit to “Publisher” as “Kelsey Stress Press” in the Advanced Search (sample search).

Notes

[1] Holly McDede, “Berkeley’s Kelsey Street Press Celebrates 50 Years of Experimental, Feminist Poetry,” Berkeleyside, October 30, 2024, https://www.berkeleyside.org/2024/10/30/berkeleys-kelsey-street-press-celebrates-50-years-of-experimental-feminist-poetry.

[2] “The Kelsey Street Press,” text, Poets.Org, February 3, 2005, https://poets.org/text/kelsey-street-press.

[3] “Contests,” Kelsey Street Press, accessed March 23, 2026, https://www.kelseystreetpress.org/contests.

Publisher Highlight: North Atlantic Books

Posted on by Bee Lehman
Collage North Atlantic Books covers and logo

When founding a press in 1974 in Vermont, Richard Grossinger and Lindy Hough claimed the name North Atlantic Books (NAB). They then promptly moved to the Pacific coast and began operating the press out of Berkeley, where they are registered as a not-for-profit. Committed to social justice and community engagement, the press puts its money where its mouth is and pays their “annual Shuumi Land Tax to the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust for their continued work in the rematriation of the land upon which we live and work.”[1] They also contribute to initiatives like the Prisoners Literature Project and Alameda County Community Food Bank, among others.[2]

No longer a two-person operation, the North Atlantic Books is run by a diverse board of directors.[3] Now under that diverse board, the House has been publishing poetry and memoirs as well as books on social justice, health and yoga, anthropology, and spiritual growth. The literature which the House shepherds often tackle topics such as grief, climate change, and wellness.

In addition to their main lines, North Atlantic Books has developed a series of imprints, including Blue Snake Books, one of the largest publishers of internal and historical martial-arts books in the world.

Readers can find out more about the press and their publications through the press’ website or on their Instagram page.

Recent Titles

 

Note

[1] “Who We Are,” North Atlantic Books, accessed March 17, 2026, https://www.northatlanticbooks.com/who-we-are/.

[2] Wendy Werris, “North Atlantic Books Transforms with the Times,” PublishersWeekly.Com, September 28, 2012, https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/54169-north-atlantic-books-transforms-with-the-times.html.

[3] Anisse Gross, “With New Leaders, North Atlantic Books Looks Ahead,” PublishersWeekly.Com, April 10, 2015, https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/publisher-news/article/66228-with-new-leaders-north-atlantic-books-looks-ahead.html.

Publisher Highlight: Desert Palm Press

Posted on by Bee Lehman
Collage of Desert Palm Press Covers with logo, 2026

Founded in 2014, R. Lee Fitzsimmons established Desert Palm Press (DPP, webpage with Pen Light) in Watsonville, CA. At the time, Fitzsimmons was dissatisfied with the limited access LGBTQ+ community members generally–lesbians specifically–had to the publishing world. They created the Press in part to provide women with spaces to be heard. To this day, the Press seeks to present its readers with material that “accurately and respectfully” reflects lesbian and other LGBTQ+ community members’ lives.[1] To meet that goal, the Press publishes across multiple genres, ranging from romance and horror, speculative fiction, and biography. Last year, On January 1, 2025, Jodi Zeramby and Peggy Zeramby took over publishing duties for the Press.[2]

Desert Palm Press is an active participant in the Southern California writing scene. For multiple years, they have supported and/or participated in the Left Coast Literary Conference in Palm Springs. They also have an active Facebook page.

Recent Titles in UC Berkeley Library

More in the UC System

To find more books from Desert Palm Press in the UC Library System, take a look at the UC Library Search with a publisher limit to “Desert Palm Press” and a material type to book.

Notes

[1] R. Lee Fitzsimmons, “Scenes: Desert Palm Press An Interview with R. Lee Fitzsimmons,” American Book Review 43, no. 3 (2022): 195–96, Project MUSE, https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/17/article/884796.

[2] “Desert Palm Press About Us | Empower LGBTQ+ Voices — Discover More,” Penlight Press, accessed March 10, 2026, https://penlightpress.com/dpp-about.

Publisher Highlight: Black Mask Studios

Posted on by Bee Lehman
Collage of Black Mask covers with logo

Black Mask Studios, based in Los Angeles, saw its start in 2012 with the publication of the kickstarter-funded Occupy Comics anthology under leadership of Steve Niles, Brett Gurewitz, and Matt Pizzolo. The three started the publishing house with experiences ranging from punk rock (Bad Religion), to horror comics (30 Days of Night) and film, and business (HALO 8 Entertainment), to name only a few of their efforts. Each with roots in various punk scenes, the three wanted to bring their experiences to start a house that could introduce punk rock values into comics and emphasize the involvement of comics in counterculture.[1]

Since their founding, Black Mask has contributed to the comics scene with some influential titles including Black (Kwanza Osajyefo and Jamal Igle, 2016), Godkiller (Matteo Pizzolo and Anna Muckcracker Wieszczyk, 2016), and Calexit (Matteo Pizzolo and Amancay Nahuelpan, started 2018). As fitting with punk values, the stories frequently explore push-back against cruelty (Liberator, Matt Miner, Javier Aranda Sanchez, Joaquin Pereyra, and Crank; 2014) and government corruption (Clandestino, Amancay Nahuelpan, 2018), and self-expression (Alice In Leatherland, Iolanda Zanfardino and Elisa Romboli, 2022).

Readers can follow Black Mask on their website or their Facebook page.

Titles at UC Berkeley

For more in the UC Libraries

To find additional titles, take a look at the UC Library Advanced Search with a limit to publisher (sample). Note, however, that some of Black Mask Studio’s titles are released in collaboration with Simon and Shuster.

Notes

[1] Borys Kit, “‘John Wick’ Filmmaker Chad Stahelski Tackling California Rebellion Comic ‘Calexit’ (Exclusive),” The Hollywood Reporter, July 23, 2025, https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/john-wick-filmmaker-chad-stahelski-calexit-1236326587/; Scott Thill, “Black Mask Studios’ ‘Old Punks’ Occupy Comics, Creators Rights,” Tags, Wired, March 20, 2012, https://www.wired.com/2012/03/black-mask-studios-occupy-comics/; Steve Foxe, “Black Mask Studios Founders Talk Creator Rights, Punk Ethics and a Very Busy 2015,” Paste Magazine, March 25, 2015, https://www.pastemagazine.com/comics/black-mask-studios-founders-talk-creator-rights-pu.

Publisher Highlight: Aunt Lute Books

Posted on by Bee Lehman
collage banner for Aunt Lute Books

Founded in 1982, Aunt Lute Books has spent forty years contributing to the shape of literature across the continent. Their books–novels, poetry, essays, as well as an array of non-fiction works–are consistently on lists of must-read titles and taught across the world. Those influential books from the self-described “intersectional, feminist press” include Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza (first published in 1987) and The Cancer Journals (1980).

Aunt Lute Books is considered a Bay Area establishment, but Barb Wieser and Joan Pinkvoss initially established it in Iowa City. Four years later, the Press moved to San Francisco to partner with the small lesbian press Spinsters Ink. The two would separate again in 1990, when Aunt Lute Books would begin operation under the newly founded Ant Lute Foundation. Spinster Ink, still a lesbian press, would eventually move away from the coast. Perhaps amusingly, Spinsters Ink would eventually move away from SF, while Aunt Lute continues in the city.

To this day, the House continues to print “literature that voices the perspectives of women from a broad range of communities.” Readers can find out some information about the House through their webpage and Instagram page.

Recent Titles

More in the UC Libraries

You can find Aunt Lute Book’s publications across the UC Library system in just about every edition. To find their books specifically at UC Berkeley, readers can use the UC Library Search with a focus on “UC Berkeley catalog” and a limit by publisher (click here for the search).

Notes

[1] “About Us,” Aunt Lute Books, accessed February 9, 2026, https://www.auntlute.com/about-us.

Publisher Highlight: Atopon Books

Posted on by Bee Lehman
collage of Atopon logo with book covers

With its first books appearing in 2023, Atopon Books is a newer press based out of Santa Monica. This not-for-profit press focuses on “poetry and literary fiction,” releasing new literary publications as well as releasing new editions of classic novels. Building its catalog, the Atopon is more interested in literature that “demystif[ies] moral as well as aesthetic concern[s]” than in worrying about genre distinctions.[1]

Atopon Books does have a Facebook page, but this Literatures Librarian does not and cannot say what’s on it.

Recent Titles

For more at UC Berkeley

You can find additional titles at UC Berkeley’s Libraries through our UC Library Search with a publisher limit.

Notes

[1] Atopon Books. “About Us.” Accessed February 9, 2026. https://www.atoponbooks.com/about-us.

Publisher Highlight: Fieldmouse Press

Posted on by Bee Lehman

Founded in 2019, the comics publisher Fieldmouse Press is based out of Grass Valley in California. Their House focuses on introspective text, exploring inner-emotions and personal experiences. Ranging from micro-comics to full volumes, works like Feather (Cohen, 2024), explore the act of creation and development. a rootbound plant needs space to grow (Zhu, 2025) examines the idea of love. A Scientific Study of Transsexuality (Woodiwiss, 2025), in turn, explores the sensual beauty of the trans body through the medium of a fictional scientific journal.[1]

To produce these phenomenal works, Fieldmouse sometimes runs Kickstarts to raise the funds to publish. Readers can find more information about the House’s book releases as well as their campaigns on their Instagram page.

Titles at UC Berkeley

Additional Titles in the UC System

Readers can find additional titles from Fieldmouse Press through our UC Library Search by limiting results with a publisher search.

Notes

[1] “Two Apple Problem: What ‘Show, Don’t Tell’ Means in Graphic Narratives,” Literary Hub, accessed February 3, 2026, https://lithub.com/two-apple-problem-what-show-dont-tell-means-in-graphic-narratives/; Longtime Comics Critics Announce FIELDMOUSE PRESS, a New Nonprofit Publisher, accessed November 25, 2025, https://www.comicsbeat.com/fieldmouse-press-announcement/; MariNaomi, “Leela Corman on Victory Parade, Genocide and Transgressive Art: ‘This Is My Corner Of Humanity’s Coffin To Carry,’” The Comics Journal, April 1, 2024, https://www.tcj.com/leela-corman-on-victory-parade-genocide-and-transgressive-art-this-is-my-corner-of-humanitys-coffin-to-carry/; Arpad Okay, “Graphic Novel Review: FLEA Is Fearless, Flawed, Dirty, and Excellent,” The Beat, September 10, 2025, https://www.comicsbeat.com/review-flea/; “About,” Fieldmouse Press, accessed February 2, 2026, https://www.fieldmouse.press/about.

Publisher Highlight: Angel City Press

Posted on by Bee Lehman
Collage of Angel City Press covers

Founded in 1992 in Los Angeles by Scott McAuley and Paddy Calistro, Angel City Press (https://acp.lapl.org/) focuses on non-fiction with an emphasis on Southern California’s space, history, art, and music.[1] Under their leadership, the press published more than 100 volumes including Hollywood du Jour (1993, link to UC Library Search).

In 2023, the co-founders decided to retire and donated the press and its catalog to the Los Angeles Public Library.[2] Under the LAPL, the press publishes seven books a year on diverse topics, but each focused on the LA area. Between the volumes, the books offer not only an exploration of the LA area, but an amazing look into some of the LAPL’s collections, drawing on images, illustrations, and more.

Readers can find information about their new releases and book talks on Angel City Press’ Instagram page. The press also posts phenomenal historical photographs and other LA-related ephemera from LA Public Library’s special collections (About the collections). For more digitized material, check out TESSA, the digital collections of the Los Angeles Public Library.

Titles About the Literary Scene

More Titles at the UCs

UC Berkeley’s Doe and Bancroft Libraries as well as UC Los Angeles collect heavily from across Angel City Press’ topical coverage. You can find most of their catalog through the UC Library Search.

Notes

[1] Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library. “Our Story.” Accessed January 28, 2026. https://acp.lapl.org/about-us/.

[2] “Our Story,” Angel City Press at Los Angeles Public Library, accessed January 28, 2026, https://acp.lapl.org/about-us/; Jim Ruland, “The L.A. Public Library Is Getting into Book Publishing. Why It Makes Total Sense,” Books, Los Angeles Times, January 8, 2024, https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2024-01-08/the-l-a-public-library-is-getting-into-book-publishing-why-it-makes-total-sense.