Small Beer Press closed to submissions in March 2023, and it looks likely that they won’t open for more submissions, at least in the near future, due to publisher health complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“In 2022 we only managed to publish two books. This year we published four and here at the end of the year I see how much these books missed the old me,” publisher Gavin Grant wrote when asked for comment. “Sarah Pinsker’s second collection was selected for Slate’s Best Books of the Year which is something to celebrate. It’s always hard for small or indie presses to get coverage and no one expects to be on Best of the Year lists but I always hope our books will at least be considered for lists and awards. This year that was more difficult as I wasn’t able to send books out as widely or follow up. Publicity is part of my job and following up takes a fair amount of energy which I don’t have. So unless we want to change our habits and start being unfair to authors, we have to stop.”
In September, Small Beer put out Anya Johanna DeNiro’s sci-fi novel, OKPsyche, and their final book is Kij Johnson’s second short story collection, The Privilege of the Happy Ending.
“I’d thought there was a chance I could keep Small Beer going but it is too much for me,” Grant added. “As long as the authors are happy, we’ll keep the books in print—or sell them on where there’s interest: Random House just released the cover for their new 2024 edition of Karen Lord’s debut novel Redemption in Indigo.”
And while no new books will be going into publication, Grant did say that Small Beer will publish a limited edition of Kelly Link’s The Book of Love next year. They might do more of that, depending on how things go, or also continue their zine, LCRW.
You can see and purchase from Small Beer’s catalog by clicking here.
