One of the very few silver linings to the coronavirus is a reported upsurge in book sales. We have booksellers, publishers, warehouse staff and posties to thank for getting hard copies to us, despite risks to themselves. You’re probably in the habit of browsing your local bookshop or maybe buying from online booksellers but small publishers are currently struggling to keep their heads above water and many of them sell books direct to the public. Below is a list of ten 
who, at the time of writing, will mail books to you – some also sell ebooks – together with links both to them and to reviews of a few reviews of their titles on this blog. They’re all publishers with interesting lists to explore. I hope it goes without saying that I’ve nothing to gain financially from this post. Just trying to do what little I can to help some excellent publishers in extraordinarily difficult times.
Eye/Lightning Books not only have a great list of both fiction and non-fiction but they’re offering 30% off plus free shipping to UK customers who use the discount code THANKS. They’re also offering bundles of books that will help see you through the long haul plus ebooks of their six bestselling titles at less than £1 a shot.
My recommendations: Good Riddance, An Isolated Incident
Myriad Editions are another favourite of mine and they, too, have an offer to tempt you – 25% off together with free shipping in the UK if you use the MYREADATHOME discount code.
My recommendations: Magnetism, North Facing, To the Volcano
Pushkin Press offer a wonderfully varied list to peruse: lots of interesting fiction, classics and
non-fiction together with children’s and YA books.
My recommendations: Liar, Bird Cottage, Browse
Peirene Press specialise in translated novellas, an excellent way to explore other cultures without leaving the house, and they donate 50p to charity for every book sold.
My recommendations: And the Wind Sees All, Faces on the Tip of My Tongue, Her Father’s Daughter
Salt Publishing hail from Norfolk, a place dear to my holiday heart. They publish excellent contemporary fiction, well worth a look.
My recommendations: Good Day?, Flotsam, The Museum of Cathy
The Indigo Press published one of my books of last year. Their list is short but what I’ve read 
from it has impressed me.
My recommendations: Silence is My Mother Tongue, An Act of Defiance
Reflex Press also have a tiny list which includes one of my books of last year, the beautifully jacketed, Witches Sail in Eggshells
Époque Press publish a handful of titles, two of which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed. They’re currently taking pre-orders for their new title to be published later in the year
My recommendations: El Hacho, The Wooden Hill
Influx Press have a longer list which I’ve yet to explore in depth but I’ve included them because they’re
the UK publishers of the brilliant Percival Everett’s I Am Not Sidney Poitier which has me in tears of laughter last week. Review to follow soon.
And Other Stories are last on my list but only because they’re currently selling only ebooks and subscriptions. They offer a varied list of mostly translated fiction with a few English language novels and some non-fiction.
My Recommendations: Theft, Love,
Janet over at From First Page to Last has a useful list of independent booksellers still posting books which also includes a few publishers. Happy to hear of any favourite small publishers you’d like to help keep afloat, and remember, no matter how grim things seem, there will always be books. Keep washing your hands…
Great post Susan! So many wonderful publishers and they absolutely need our support. Plus we get books when we support them – what’s not to love?
Thanks, Madame Bibi. I hope it helps if only a little. I may do another of these if I have a positive response. There are so many wonderful small publishers out there.
I’m sure you’ll have a positive response! I’d get planning that second post 🙂
That’s great to hear!
Thank you for this list, Susan – there are some real gems on here. I’m looking forward to that review of ‘I Am Not Sidney Poitier’. Charco Press has had a little sale on as well this month, but whether or not they’re offering discounts it’s another brilliant independent publisher that has been keeping me happy this week!
I spotted that on Twitter and it was what made me thing I might do another of these. They’re brilliant, aren’t they. Thanks for jogging my memory!
A super idea Susan. I’m sure the publishers are thankful for any help you can give. If you do another post can I put a plug in for Honno, the women’s press based in Wales.
Thanks for that, Karen. I’ll certainly add Honno to the list if I do another post.
I’ve enjoyed books from 6 of these. Thanks for collating this helpful info!
You’re welcome, Rebecca. I’d miss all of them if they disappeared.
Such a good idea, and a good way to highlight smaller publishers. Some of them I wasn’t fully aware of, despite reading your reviews.
I think I’ll follow your example by doing an overview of the French translations in available in ebook format of Central-European novels for my blog.
Thank you, and please do! Anything that can be done to help keep indies afloat would be great. So much of the interesting fiction I read is published by them.
This is great Susan! I’m ordering books from my favourie independent bookstore No Alibis in Belfast and trying to concentrate on books from small presses. It’s only a small thing, but if we all pay attention to where our money goes at the moment, it could make a real difference.
Absolutely, Cathy! I’m delighted with the Twitter attention this post has had and hope it translates into sales for the publishers.
Lovely post. One of my favourite small publishers is Gallic / Belgravia books.
Thanks, Annabel. Mine, too. I had originally included them but, sadly, they’ve closed their online shop
It’s only the physical shop that’s shut. They have a pinned tweet saying they’re still open online.
Oh, I must have misread that which suggests I do need to do a second post. Thanks, Annabel.
This is an excellent theme for a post, Susan, particularly as these small independent presses need our support now more than ever. NYRB Classics also run a monthly subscription service, both for readers in the US and overseas (although I think the postage charges for the latter are more expensive).
Thanks, Jacqui. They most certainly do. I’ll look into NYRB.
A great post, very timely. I do worry about how some of these small publishers will manage. Some fabulous publishers on they list. Great to see Liar in your Pushkin press recommendations, it was a really good read.
Thanks, Ali. I’d hate to see them go under. If I do another perhaps I should include Handheld Press and Dean Street Press. It does very much depend on whether publishers can continue to mail books out.
Great post – difficult times indeed for small publishers and indie bookshops. Let’s hope they all make it through to the other side. And yes, good to hear that book sales are going up in general. Maybe lots of normally busy people will have time to remember their love of books…
I’d love to think that some might discover the lovely habit of reading and manage to fit it into life after Covid-19.
Thanks for the mention Susan. Great list.
You’re welcome, Janet. You’re doing a brilliant job helping publishers out.
Well done! And much needed!
Thank you. I’m planning another post listing more indies for Monday but will probably leave it at that. I suspect mailing out will get increasinly difficult.
Inspired Quill is great. They also have the merit of being a social enterprise, which is great when we’re all looking for ways to take care of one another. They’ll mail ppbs even to the US for 3 pounds. They also have ebooks. https://www.inspired-quill.com/
Thanks so much for that, Dorothy.
Zuleika 89G Lexham Gardens London W8 6JN was happy to ship to me in Ohio!
Excellent customer service!