As publishers become more corporate, global and boring, IRON Press champions new quality writing as it has done since 1973. IRON runs events and launches, and thinks literature is both serious and fun.
THE END OF THE IRON AGE
The only place to be, from Wednesday 15th to Sunday 19th May 2013, was the little fishing village of Cullercoats on the North-East Coast. For five days the village hosted celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of IRON Press, set up in 1973 when its founding editor Peter Mortimer was still in loons!
Five Leaves Press's Ross Bradshaw was there: in his blog, he explains why independent publishing is worth celebrating and asks "Is this the first time a rough sea has ever cancelled a poetry event?"
"Waves lashing the breakwater. Heavy mist hiding the church spire. Drizzling rain. Oh but it was worth it!" wrote poet S.J. Litherland. "We were a mad band of poetic fools led onto the beach by an actual band dressed in red and black Salvation Army colours but with merry bonnets and flowers. Only a photo can do them justice. But for the sheer joy released in the heart you had to be there! Wonderful Iron Press Festival - thanks so much to Pete, Kitty, Pauline, Val and all the Stalwarts..."
Now the beach is empty, the party's over: but as part of the celebration, Iron Press published two new books, and these are still available as a souvenir for those who were lucky enough to be there, and to give a taste of the event to those who weren't.
In Through the Iron Age, Peter Mortimer, Iron's driving force and long-time editor looks back over the past forty years and gives us an editor's eye view of what makes Iron such a distinctive and durable voice. Even when looking back, Iron moves forward, seeking out new voices in its search for the best writers in the North East and beyond. Pieces from Eight brings together an octet of poets never previously published by Iron, who were invited to read each evening at the festival club.
What it's all about: read The IRON Age, the full programme or read what Melvyn Bragg said about Peter Mortimer and Iron Press.
WARNING!
Another company is using the name Iron Press, and this company is publishing a range of books aimed at young children. Many of these books contain basic and atrocious spelling errors, and we are regularly chastised for such sloppy work. The company has no link whatsoever to ourselves and is based in Bleasby, Nottinghamshire. Our own IRON Press, which has been publishing since 1973, is not a publisher of children's books. All our publications contain our full postal and email address, web site and phone number, plus our own flatiron logo.
Submissions - No unsolicited submissions please. We are a small press. We do not publish novels. Our range is poetry, (including haiku), collections of short stories, and anthologies of verse and prose. If you think you have something that might interest us, firstly email us with brief details. Thanks!
