Frayed Edge Press is happy to announce our partnership with IndieBound, a community of independent local bookstores. Now all book pages on the Frayed Edge Press website will include a link to IndieBound, where readers can find a local, independent bookstore near them.

Independent presses and independent bookstores both struggle in the shadow of Amazon and the glut of self-publication. Support these important parts of the publishing world by shopping local at your friendly neighborhood bookstore, and buying and reviewing books by authors published by legitimate independent publishing houses. The future of the independent press depends on it!

Frayed Edge Press author Rebecca Pritchard will appear at Sherman's Books of Bar Harbor, Maine on Saturday, April 13, 2019. Pritchard will be reading from her recently-published book on Portland, Maine's radical newspaperman: Jeremiah Hacker: Journalist, Anarchist, Abolitionist. There will be time for questions and discussion as well. All those interested in Maine history are encouraged to attend.

The reading will take place from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at Sherman's Books, 56 Main St, Bar Harbor, ME. 

Books will be available for sale at the event, or get your copy here:
https://www.frayededgepress.com/jeremiah-hacker.html 

Rape Jokes, a new adult novel by Louise MacGregor is now available from Frayed Edge Press.

Don't let the title fool you! We know that rape isn't funny--but having a sense of humor after the fact can help. This novels follows Edie, a record label talent scout, in the aftermath of date rape. Navigating sex, pleasure, work, friends, and her forever-changed mental state after of her assault is hard enough. But when the perfect guy turns up at the worst possible time, Edie has to figure out what romance and sex mean to her now. This offbeat feminist romantic comedy moves beyond “girl meets guy,” dealing with sexual dysfunction, the ubiquity of rape culture, and what recovery looks like in a world filled with reminders of your assault.

"Rape Jokes is, without question, the best portrayal of the aftermath of a rape that I have ever read in a novel."–Goodreads

"Rape Jokes was an intense but rewarding read. First off, let me forewarn that, unsurprisingly, this book can be triggering. But, as a survivor, I can also attest that I found it deeply relateable and empowering."–LibraryThing

Find out more here: https://www.frayededgepress.com/rape-jokes.html 

Rebecca Pritchard, author of Jeremiah Hacker: Journalist, Anarchist, Abolitionist has been interviewed on Portland, Maine's WGAN news radio by podcaster John McDonald. In this interview, Rebecca speaks about why she wanted to write about this colorful and controversial 19th century American newspaperman and activist, and what relevance Hacker's ideas still have for us today. Listen in on this lively conversation about Maine history and its continuing relevance.

Listen to the full fifteen-minute podcast on the WGAN site here:
https://wgan.com/podcasts/author-rebecca-pritchard

Learn more about the book here:
https://www.frayededgepress.com/jeremiah-hacker.html

Penn Book Center announces: 

Please join us for a reading and discussion
with two great authors from two of our favorite local presses:

Shelly Brivic, author of STEALING: A NOVEL IN DREAMS (Frayed Edge Press)
&
Barbara Barrow, author of THE QUELLING (Lanternfish Press)

Event date: 
Friday, March 15, 2019 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Event address: 
Penn Book Center
130 S. 34th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104

Rebecca Pritchard has published the first book-length consideration of a little-known 19th-century radical with Jeremiah Hacker: Journalist, Anarachist, Abolitionist from Frayed Edge Press. Well-known and controversial in his lifetime, Hacker has all but disappeared from public understanding. Pritchard brings this colorful figure back to life, detailing his life and career as journalist in Maine, as well as his progressive social activism on a range of topics: abolition of slavery, women's right, prison reform, and pacifism. 

“Jeremiah Hacker: Journalist, Anarchist, Abolitionist opens a window on a fascinating Maine original, as well as on a whole era of thought, social justice, religion, women’s rights, reform and farming. Maine’s 19th century Jeremiah Hacker and his vehement convictions are at last unbound," writes William David Barry in the Portland Press Herald.

"Rebecca Pritchard has crafted a vivid portrait of one of mid-nineteenth-century America’s most colorful public figures. Jeremiah Hacker--teacher, itinerant preacher, journalist-publisher and uncompromising reformer—roamed city streets his ear trumpet in hand. His deafness proved no impediment to a life of impressive moral activism. Pritchard skillfully reconstructs the life of a now forgotten reformer, but she accomplishes much more. She situates Hacker’s wide-ranging commitment to reform in the hothouse of pre-Civil War idealism. Pritchard tells a remarkable story in engaging, lively prose," say Joseph Conforti, author of Imagining New England and Jonathan Edwards, Religious Tradition, and American Culture.

Find out more about this book here: https://www.frayededgepress.com/jeremiah-hacker.html 

Frayed Edge Press author Shelly Brivic will be reading from his novel, Stealing: A Novel in Dreams on February 28, 2019, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm in the 6th floor lounge of Anderson Hall at Temple University's main campus. Refreshments will be served and copies of the book will be available for sale.

This event is sponsored by Temple's English Department. Dr. Brivic is recently retired as a professor in this department, and has long been recognized as a leading scholar of literary Modernism with a specialization in the writings of James Joyce. While he has published a vast number of academic journal articles and scholarly books, Stealing is his first work of fiction. 

This event is free and open to the public. Bring ID to check in at the Anderson Hall security desk and to be directed to the venue.

To learn more about Stealing, visit: https://www.frayededgepress.com/stealing.html

The cover for Louise MacGregor's new adult novel, Rape Jokes is here! 

No, rape isn't funny – but having a sense of humor does help in dealing with the aftermath. When Edie, a record label talent scout, is raped by her date, she has no idea what her post-rape future will look like. Navigating sex, pleasure, work, friends, and her forever-changed mental state in the aftermath of her assault is hard enough. But when the perfect guy turns up at the worst possible time, Edie has to figure out what romance and sex mean to her after her assault. This offbeat feminist romantic comedy moves beyond “girl meets guy,” dealing with sexual dysfunction, the ubiquity of rape culture, and what recovery looks like in a world filled with reminders of your assault.

Louise MacGregor is an internationally-published writer of fiction, pop culture criticism, and feminist social commentary. A graduate of journalism and history from the University of Stirling, Louise brings her passion for women-centric stories to both her fiction and non-fiction. As well as running the long-standing pop cultural blog The Cutprice Guignol and film criticism outlet No But Listen, Louise has written boundary-pushing, genre-defying works such as Ruthless and Trouble Clef under her pen name, Kara Lowndes. She resides in Glasgow, Scotland, with her partner and her cat. 

Rape Jokes is now available at a special price of 20% off list price. For all the details, see: 
​https://www.frayededgepress.com/rape-jokes.html

We're pleased to announce the cover reveal for Rebecca Pritchard's forthcoming book, Jeremiah Hacker: Journalist, Anarchist, Abolitionist. This nineteenth-century radical was well-known and controversial in his day, but few people now know of him. Pritchard's book aims to change that, and introduce a contemporary audience to a man who was ahead of his time in terms of many social issues, including women's rights, prison reform, and questioning the roles of organized religion and the government. He was based in Portland, ME for most of his life, where he served as editor and main writer for The Pleasure Boat, known as Maine's most controversial newspaper.

Rebecca M. Pritchard studied writing at the Salt Institute in Portland, Maine, and American & New England Studies at the University of Southern Maine. In school, she became interested in the stories buried in old newspapers and spent her time in libraries poring over their wrinkled pages. She has worked for the Maine Historical Society, the Abbe Museum, and Acadia National Park. She lives with her husband and daughter in Bar Harbor, Maine where she writes for The Mount Desert Islander. This is her first book.

Jeremiah Hacker is now available at a special pre-publication sales price of 20% off list price. For more information, see: https://www.frayededgepress.com/jeremiah-hacker.html

​Christina Springer, author of The Splooge Factory, a volume of poetry published by Frayed Edge Press in November, has been interviewed by JP Howard at Mom Egg Review -- "The Best Literary Writing About Mothers and Motherhood." 

"This interview gives us some insights into the seventeen year process for Christina’s book to reach publication. She talks freely with MER VOX about home educating her teenage son, how art and activism intersect in her life and gives us insight into her brilliant and always busy creative process."  

Read the full interview here:
http://momeggreview.com/2018/12/15/christina-springer-interviewed-by-jp-howard/  

​To learn more about the book, visit: ​https://www.frayededgepress.com/splooge-factory.html

Peepshow Podcast hosts Jessie and PJ Sage bring you news and stories from the sex industry featuring sex workers, artists, writers, academics, and activists. Each podcast features a roundup of recent news stories and interviews. Episode 31 highlights Frayed Edge Press author Christina Springer: Stories and Poems from a Happy Ending Massage Parlor. 

"Episode 31 features an interview with Pittsburgh-based Alt.Black artist and spoken word poet Christina Springer. Her new book, The Splooge Factory, comes out on Frayed Edge Press this month. It is a collection of poetry exploring her experiences as a receptionist in a “happy endings” massage parlor in Pittsburgh, PA. We talk to her about her experience at the massage parlor; her own history and art; love and intimacy; race, eroticism, and sex work; and motherhood and aging."

Listen to the podcast here: http://peepshowpodcast.com/peepshow-podcast-episode-31
And learn more about the book here: https://www.frayededgepress.com/splooge-factory.html

The Splooge Factory by Pittsburgh poet Christina Springer is now available! This collection of poetry arose from the author's experiences as the fill-in receptionist at an "adult services" massage parlo, and is informed by theories of feminized eroticism and a feminist inquiry of power dynamics. These poems reflect the real stories of the real women who worked in this setting, told with both humor and sensitivity.

Adriana E. Ramírez, 2015 PEN-Fusion Awarding-Winning Author of DEAD BOYS says of this work: "As playful as it is shocking, sexy, and woke, Christina Springer’s The Splooge Factory invites the reader into the daily grind of sex work. And while it takes on race, culture, desire, and power, it also pushes the reader to rethink their own expectations of sex, the body, and the business of wanting."

In The Poetry Question, reviewer Christopher Margolin writes: "Christina Springer’s The Splooge Factory might sound like and be about the price and cost of sex, it’s also about learning the limits of your own power, lessening the breadth of what you’re willing to take, and no longer be stripped of self, pride, sexuality, and so much more."

The author is an Alt.Black artist who uses text, performance, video, and other visual expressions to communicate what the space between molecules in the air wish for you to know. Her work has been published widely in a variety of poetry journals, including Obsidian, Eyedrum Periodically, The Drunken Boat, and Callaloo. She ​was the longest-reigning Pittsburgh Poetry Slam champion.

Find out more here: https://www.frayededgepress.com/splooge-factory.html 

We're pleased to announce the publication of Stealing: A Novel in Dreams, the first work of fiction from renowned James Joyce scholar, Shelly Brivic. This experimental novel explores the interactions of the minds of two Jewish brothers as they  navigate a toxic home environment headed by an emotionally abusive father and an unhappy mother, beginning in 1950s Bronx. Joseph McElroy has called the work "looping, original, anxiously funny…a tangle of yearning & frustration and vivid, bold appetite.”

Writing in the Journal of Modern Literature blog, Janina Levin says, "Stealing can be read as a realistic novel about a dysfunctional family and as a work of experimental fiction in the modernist tradition, elevating the trials of ordinary people into a narrative about freedom and consciousness through art."

Shelly Brivic is an internationally recognized James Joyce scholar and a retired university professor. He has written extensively on Joyce and other modernists from the perspective of Lacanian psychology. His most recent scholarly book is Revolutionary Damnation: Badiou and Irish Fiction from Joyce to Enright, from Syracuse University Press. Stealing: A Novel in Dreams is his first work of fiction.

See all the purchasing options here: https://www.frayededgepress.com/stealing.html 

​Christina Springer's funny, feminist poetry collection, The Splooge Factory, is forthcoming in November, 2018! Check out the cover image for this work, which has been called "As playful as it is shocking, sexy, and woke..." Now available at a special pre-publication price of 20% off!

Christina Springer is an Alt.Black artist who uses text, performance, video, and other visual expressions to communicate what the space between molecules in the air wish for you to know. Her work has been published widely in a variety of poetry journals, including Obsidian, Eyedrum Periodically, The Drunken Boat, and Callaloo. She ​was the longest-reigning Pittsburgh Poetry Slam champion.

For all the details, visit:
https://www.frayededgepress.com/splooge-factory.html 

We're excited to present the cover for Shelly Brivic's experimental novel, Stealing: A Novel in Dreams, due to be published in mid-November, 2018. We think the cover perfectly conveys the complex relationships in this hypnotic family drama. Now available at a special pre-publication sales price of 20% off!

In Stealing, two Jewish brothers growing up in the 1950s Bronx navigate a toxic home environment headed by an emotionally abusive father and an unhappy mother. One brother eventually finds escape through academic achievement and a new life on the west coast, while the other brother remains entangled in the darkness of his existence, his life and mind slowly unraveling. By presenting the conscious and unconscious connections between family members, this experimental novel explores the concept of individuality, the psychological influences of family, and the very nature of reality.

For more information, see:
​ https://www.frayededgepress.com/stealing.html

“Charity begins at home, but it needn't end there—the proper sphere of charity is the world.” 
With these words, newly-graduated nurse Delia Battles embarked on the great adventure of her young life. What is remarkable to the reader is how much of her tale of war, refugees, foreign occupation, and finally, nursing tradition and education, still rings true today.--Denise M. Ferraro, M.S., R.N., F.N.P.-B.C.

Now available as an ebook! Delia Battles Lewis' memoir, A Nurse's Story: Medical Missionary in Korea and Siberia, 1915-1920.  Purchase from Amazon for $3.99 or read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited or in the Kindle Owners' Lending Library.

See all of the ordering options here: https://www.frayededgepress.com/a-nurses-story.html 

Seeking short fiction (10,000 to 20,000 words) with a contemporary urban setting for the Street Smart Series from Frayed Edge Press. 

For this series, we’re looking for manuscripts of 10,000 to 20,000 words – long enough to involve the reader in a good story, but brief enough to be read on a short train journey or long commute. This size manuscript is essentially a “novelette” – a work that is longer than a short story, but shorter than a novella. 

Your story should have a contemporary urban setting, well-drawn characters, and an engaging plot. Action, suspense, and even some sex and violence are great, but not mandatory. Humor is a plus and diverse characters are an expectation. We’re open to various genres as well as cross-over, multi-genre works. Some good models to think about are: hard-boiled detective stories, noir fiction, street lit, and urban fantasy. Elements of mystery, horror, SF, and/or some romance are also fine – but please, no “cozy” mysteries or anything that is primarily romance. Everything published in this series will have a dark underbelly and some grit to it.

See the Frayed Edge Press guidelines for fiction for more information: 
https://www.frayededgepress.com/fiction.html

We're pleased to announce the publication of A Nurse's Story: Medical Missionary in Korea and Siberia, 1915-1920, a memoir by Delia Battles Lewis. This is an unusual story of an early twentieth-century American woman, who left her small town in Ohio to train as a nurse in New York City and then went on an adventure of a lifetime. She found fulfillment in her work as a medical missionary in Korea, training native nurses at the mission hospital in another small town, Haeju. Her life of service there was interrupted by WWI, when she was called to be part of a Red Cross unit on the Eastern Front. She traveled on the Trans-Siberian railroad, encountered fleeing refugees in Harbin, and then worked in a typhus hospital and helped establish a Red Cross hospital in Omsk. At the end of the war, she returned to Korea to work in a hospital in Seoul, just in time to witness the first stirrings of the Korean Independence movement.

​Author Delia Battles Lewis (1888-1959) was an Ohio native who earned her nursing degree at the Presbyterian Hospital's School of Nursing in New York (now the Columbia University School of Nursing). Following her medical mission service in Korea and her Red Cross work during World War I, she returned to Ohio and married William A. Lewis of Ashtabula; they had two children. She later returned to private nursing and remained a staunch advocate for the nursing profession throughout her life.

Welcome to Frayed Edge Press, a new independent publisher located in Philadelphia. Our goal is to publish works that are "a bit on the fringe" -- books that express alternative viewpoints and/or that might find a less welcoming reception in the mainstream press. We will be publishing both fiction and poetry, as well as non-fiction works in history and political science.  We support diverse books and are particularly interested in, but not limited to, works expressing the viewpoints of women, people of color, ethnic and religious minorities, and the LGBTQ+ community. 

Thank you for visiting our website, please sign up for our mailing list (form on the home page), and stay tuned for announcements concerning our forthcoming books, special deals, and other useful information!