Small Press of the Year


WINNER WILD THINGS PUBLISHING


Bath-based travel publisher Wild Things Publishing won the inaugural British Book Awards Small Press of the Year, announced at the London Book Fair, and sponsored by the CPI Group. Wild Things Publishing was one of nine publishers that won a regional/country prize—including three covering Ireland, Scotland and Wales—at the fair, before it won the overall crown. As the winner, the publisher automatically contended for the Independent Publisher of the Year award, won this year by Faber (p15). Founded in 2011, Wild Things Publishing has published 27 titles that


encourage travellers to get off the beaten track, including Wild Swim- ming, Hidden Beaches and The Scottish Bothy Bible; its sales growth has been exponential, from £33,000 in its first year to just below the £1m threshold for this award in 2018, and within the Nielsen TCM it is among the fastest growing dedicated travel publishers. Philip Jones, editor of The Bookseller and chair of the judges for the


British Book Awards, said: “In terms of look and feel, you couldn't distin- guish a Wild Things book from one published by a larger competitor, yet the ambition to first exploit a gap in the market, and then to widen it, is there for all to see. It is exactly why this Small Press award is so impor- tant: these are publishers small in size, but mighty in impact.” Forty-one small presses were shortlisted across the English regions,


and Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Wild Things Publishing won in the South-West against strong rivals including Little Toller Books and Burn- ing Eye Books. Other regional winners were Dedalus (East); Carcanet Press (North); Practical Action Publishing (Midlands); b small publishing (South-East); The School of Life (London); Little Island Books (Ireland); Charco Press (Scotland); and Parthian Books (Wales).


Wild Things Publishing has produced 27 titles on subjects such as wild swimming and hidden beaches


Sales have grown from £33,000 in its first year to just below £1m in 2018


Publisher is the inaugural winner in


this new category that recognises small publishing and regional diversity


SHORTLIST


The winner in the East of England was the 36-year-old publisher of literary fiction and non-fiction Dedalus, beating off strong competition from Galley Beggar Press. In the North, there was a high commendation for the Manchester- based Comma Press, but the winner was poetry press Carcanet Press.


In the Midlands, two high commenda- tions were made, both to children's pub- lishers, Otter-Barry Books and Sweet Cherry Publishing; but the winner was Practical Action Publishing, a Rugby-based press that publishes books aimed at providing practical ways to help alleviate poverty and disadvantage.


THE BRITISH BOOK AWARDS WINNERS 2019


In the South-East, children’s list b small publishing won ahead of September Publishing, Fine Feather Press, Globe Law and Business and SMH Books. In London, The School of Life emerged as the winner from a nine-strong short- list. Finally, in England, Wild Things won in the South-West against Little Toller Books and Burning Eye Books.


In Ireland, the winner was kids’ pub- lisher Little Island Books. In Scotland, the Latin American literature specialist Charco Press took the crown, with a highly commended given by the judges to BHP Comics. In Wales, the winning publisher was Parthian Books.


41 presses were shortlisted


WITH THANKS TO: CPI GROUP


CPI Books is the trade book division of the CPI Group (UK).


CPI has sites in Germany, France, Spain and the Czech Republic, as well as six sites in the UK, where over 150 million books are printed annually with daily distribution to more than 20 UK


locations. CPI has a strong focus on innovation and delivering a first-class service to publishers, at the same time supporting the need to produce increasingly beautiful books.


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