why opt indie?Opt Indie Books is a celebration of bookshops, books and the people who read them.
We champion small press publishers from across the UK and Ireland & shine a light on the incredible work booksellers do within their communities, for their high streets & for all their readers. When you choose to support Opt Indie Books you choose to support real people with a passion for great stories. With bookseller interviews, monthly publisher features & a carefully curated list of new books each week. OPT INTO INDEPENDENT THINKING, INDIE BOOKSELLING & INDIE PUBLISHING |
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OPT INDIE BOOKS OF THE YEAR
Featuring a carefully curated selection of 25 of our favourite small press, indie, and self-published reads from the year, chosen from our weekly Featured Five lists and the most popular event highlights from over the past 12 months.
With almost half of the books coming directly from our in-person events and book clubs in the Newcastle area, this year’s list reflects the reading community we serve. As you’d expect, there’s a strong emphasis on reading across borders, with over a quarter of the titles being works in translation. Alongside this, we’re also proud to champion the literary talent on our doorstep, with 20% of the list coming from writers rooted here in the North.
Together, we hope these books offer a dynamic, thoughtful, and truly representative snapshot of our reading year.
Take a look at our year of books below or browse the full list HERE!
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EVENTS
TAKE A LISTEN BACK TO SOME OF OUR FAVOURITE RECENT EVENTS.
WE'RE WORKING ON FINDING A BETTER HOME FOR THESE RECORDING, SO KEEP YOUR EYE'S PEELED ON OUR SOCIALS FOR WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE EVENT HIGHLIGHTS - COMING SOON.
WE'RE WORKING ON FINDING A BETTER HOME FOR THESE RECORDING, SO KEEP YOUR EYE'S PEELED ON OUR SOCIALS FOR WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE EVENT HIGHLIGHTS - COMING SOON.
IN CONVERSATION WITH
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IN CONVERSATION WITH
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IN CONVERSATION WITH
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IN CONVERSATION WITH
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IN CONVERSATION WITH
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In conversation with
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COMING SOON!
Take a look ahead at some of the biggest new titles coming from indie publishers in 2024. Featuring some of the best writers and translators from across the globe - in fiction, non-fiction & children's - brought to you by some of the very best small presses here in the U.K.
While we continue to bring you our Featured Five each week, here you can get a glimpse of the bookshop bookshelves of the future.
Get ahead of the crowd & take a virtual browse today!
While we continue to bring you our Featured Five each week, here you can get a glimpse of the bookshop bookshelves of the future.
Get ahead of the crowd & take a virtual browse today!
Click on the image for more details.
spotlight
shining a light on the UK's best bookshops
Emma & Chris Murphynomadic books, AmblesideFor Independent Bookshop Week, we caught up with a pair of booksellers who’ve taken a truly unique path into the world of indie bookselling. In this interview, we catch up with Chris and Emma of Nomadic Books, who started out selling books from a converted van and are now putting the finishing touches on their brand new shop in Ambleside.
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This is the part of opt indie books where we celebrate an independent bookshop from across the uk & Ireland and the amazing work they're doing; highlighting the vital role indie bookshops play in their communities and on their high streets.
Booksellers are on the front line of the industry. Faced with an endless range of choice, each & every bookshop has their own unique selection of books and their own unique way of representing & presenting them. You won't find two bookshops alike, just like you won't find two booksellers who share the same experiences or backgrounds.
A bookshop is only ever as good as its workforce, and a bookseller's knowledge & passion for books is what brings readers back to their shop time & time again.
Each month we showcase a different bookshop & interview one of the booksellers who calls that shop home...
sometimes both literally & figuratively!
Go take a browse through all our past bookshop features here.
Booksellers are on the front line of the industry. Faced with an endless range of choice, each & every bookshop has their own unique selection of books and their own unique way of representing & presenting them. You won't find two bookshops alike, just like you won't find two booksellers who share the same experiences or backgrounds.
A bookshop is only ever as good as its workforce, and a bookseller's knowledge & passion for books is what brings readers back to their shop time & time again.
Each month we showcase a different bookshop & interview one of the booksellers who calls that shop home...
sometimes both literally & figuratively!
Go take a browse through all our past bookshop features here.
press of the month
We don't just support independent bookshops. we also love indie publishers.
Each month Opt Indie Books features an independent publisher or small press from across the UK and Ireland, helping showcase their eclectic, sometimes radical, often overlooked but always unique and carefully curated stories to a new audience.
Each month Opt Indie Books features an independent publisher or small press from across the UK and Ireland, helping showcase their eclectic, sometimes radical, often overlooked but always unique and carefully curated stories to a new audience.
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The Emma Pressmeet the publishers: James Trevelyan & georgia wallFor our Press of the Month feature, we’re delighted to shine a spotlight on The Emma Press, an independent publisher known for its lyrical, innovative, and carefully curated books and pamphlets. This interview was recorded live during our first in-person Meet The Publishers event on Monday 23rd June, in Newcastle upon Tyne, where we had the chance to talk in depth and openly with Georgia and James about the press’s journey and vision.
From their early days championing poetry and translated children’s books, to expanding into fiction and creative nonfiction, The Emma Press balances artistic risk-taking with a genuine commitment to supporting emerging and underrepresented voices. We hear about the realities and rewards of small press publishing—from the joys of editorial care and design collaborations, to navigating funding challenges and the thrill of prize success. Rooted in Birmingham and dedicated to fostering community, The Emma Press is not just publishing books; they’re creating connections - between authors, readers, and the wider literary ecosystem. Whether you’re a writer curious about submitting your work or a reader eager to discover fresh voices, this feature offers insight into a press that values craft, care, and diversity at every step. |
