Here's the press release:
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2016
Publishing Company Accepts Shamsie Challenge to Only Publish Women’s Writing in 2018
Independence, Oregon – Not a Pipe Publishing, a small independent publishing company headquartered, fittingly, in Independence, Oregon, has accepted Kamila Shamsie’s challenge to only publish the works of female authors in 2018.
In June of 2015, novelist Kamila Shamsie challenged the publishing companies of the world to only publish female authors for a single year, 2018. “Last year a number of readers, critics and at least one literary journal… signed up to a ‘Year of Reading Women’,” Shamsie wrote. “Why not take it a step further? Why not have a Year of Publishing Women: 2018, the centenary of women over the age of 30 getting the vote in the UK, seems appropriate.”
So far, few publishers have accepted the challenge, notably And Other Stories in the UK. Paige and Benjamin Gorman, the co-owners and publishers of Not a Pipe Publishing, wanted to bring the Year of Publishing Women to the United States. “I think the idea of a year of publishing women is exciting!” Paige Gorman said.
“Yes, it is a publicity stunt for us. It’s also something we believe in,” Benjamin added. “As a feminist, I’m very concerned about the vitriolic misogyny is see growing in our culture. As a man, I can speak out against it, but it’s more important for women’s voices to be heard.”
Paige Gorman agrees. “It’s also just good business. We believe there are plenty of great female authors out there who deserve to be read. If our company is going to grow, we will need the voices of women as well as men.”
Not a Pipe has only published two novels, both by Benjamin Gorman (The Sum of Our Gods and Corporate High School), but it is starting to take submissions online and will hear pitches at this summer’s Willamette Writers Conference in Portland, Oregon because the Gormans plan to put out a larger number of novels as the business grows. “We hope a lot of people will send us their manuscripts,” Paige Gorman said. “Women, men, people of color, people of various faiths and nationalities -- anyone who wants their voice heard. Relationship is so important, and we want to start building some great relationships. But in 2018, we’re not publishing anything by men. Including my husband!”
Authors can submit to Not a Pipe Publishing through the company’s website: notapipepublishing.com
For more information, contact Not a Pipe Publishing at:
Not a Pipe Publishing
notapipepublishing@gmail.com
To schedule an interview, contact the publishers directly at:
Paige and Benjamin Gorman
notapipepublishing@gmail.com
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