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Welcome to the home of RomaReadsPublishing!

The complete origins of RomaReadsPublishing


From a young age, I loved having my eyes glide over the tattooed paper. Reading and writing have always been a part of who I am, my personality, and my identity. Scribbling in journals and leaving half-finished stories around like discarded sweet wrappers, it is surprising I didn't foresee this career path a lot sooner. 

During my MA in Theatre Practise, I had a module called 'Writing for Theatre,' where my assignment was to write a twenty-minute play. I came up with the idea for 'Teacher's Pet' then, and my classmates encouraged me to submit this play to the playwriting competition at our university. I did so, and it got selected and put on at the Lakeside Theatre. I cannot tell you the pride I had, in myself, in my actors and their dedication to rehearsals and line learning, and to the theatre crew who managed the technical aspects and paperwork that went way over my head. I heard of a book writing competition during quarantine and started my manuscript. In disappointment, I realised the deadline was much too soon to finish it, so I turned to my existing story of 'Teacher's Pet,' as it was already completed. 


Easier said than done, translating the twenty-minute play into a book turned out to be much more time-consuming than I thought, and as I wrote, the story carried on far beyond the pages of what I had initially written. The deadline for the competition came and went, but I didn't mind. I carried on writing for the majority of quarantine, my own little project, and now it is finally done at 207,000 words.


It has been such a joy writing these characters, experiencing their troubles, and in many ways, I will be saying goodbye to a bunch of friends who never knew me. And I look forward to starting my next book, 'Pacemaker,' a Steampunk fantasy set in the gritty streets of Victorian London. 


I sent 'Teacher's Pet' off to one or two agents, neither of which got back to me. Rejection is fine, but the waiting is unbearable. I would rather have a solid 'no' than weeks of waiting and ghosting. The publishers and their agents are incredibly busy people with no time to send a 'no' to the thousands of manuscripts that get sent to them. If they did say 'no,' then they wouldn't have time to be a literary agent! And so, it is always best to never take these things personally because they are never personal. As the saying goes, 'It's just business,' and the silence is not by choice but by necessity. And in those weeks of waiting, I got to thinking about the world of publishing and wondered if I should be waiting around for people to kickstart my career or whether I should take the reins and do it myself. As I looked more into the world of publishing, the more I fell in love with the process of publishing a book. I'm fascinated with how a group of people can take a manuscript and polish the words through various types of editing, how they can make the manuscript have a professional appearance through type-setting, how people can use limitless imagination with cover design, and how people can showcase the manuscript to the world with inventive marketing campaigns.


I wanted to do this not only for myself but for other people. To collaborate and workshop with authors, experience their passion for a project, and bring this project to fruition. It became clear very early on that this publishing company was not about money. It was about creating a platform for authors to share their art, proudly watch them bring an idea into the world, see others become inspired by their message, and use this message for good. I love seeing people's inspiration, confidence, and belief in an idea, and if I can help make that concept a reality, I know it was something that went beyond a 'want' to do. It was a need. As corny as it sounds, the more I have been in the process of setting up this company, the more I realised it was something I was meant to do. Publishing felt right in every sense of the word, and I have fully invested my blood, sweat, and tears into this start-up with the hopes of bettering people's lives.


That is what RomaReads Publishing aims to do.

Upcoming Event!

I am excited to announce RomaReads Publishing's very first book fair! 

After looking through my list of book fairs, I ended up thinking, 'There just isn't enough book fairs in Essex!' With such creative minds in the area, I wanted to organise an event that brought together everyone interested in reading and writing, and to celebrate the creative talents people have to offer! I also thought it would be a nice way for people to meet RomaReads Publishing, and to answer any questions that people might have about writing. 

There will be refreshments, stalls, and guest speakers. Some of our stalls feature creative illustrators, writers and authors, and even photographers who have their pieces featured in published books and there will be guest speakers telling us about all manner of fascinating subjects!

There are some spaces for stalls left. Stalls are £10 each (to cover the cost of hiring the hall), and speaking is free, though it is limited to 20 minutes maximum. Spaces are selling out fast, so if you are interested, please email: lauren_ilbury@romareadspublishing.com to secure your spot.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

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It's Here...

 

In 1962, four teenagers commit a harmless prank on their teacher the day before the summer holidays start. But as hidden truths come to light, events take a sinister turn, and the teenagers are forced into making a decision that would haunt their lives forever...

We're going to the Hay Stall Book Festival, and sponsoring Stig Abell, Elly Griffiths, and Mick Herron!

I am SUPER excited to announce that RomaReads Publishing is going to the Hay Book Stall Festival (keep an eye on your tickets, you might just see a familiar cat curled up there!) and we'll be sponsoring the exciting talk given by Elly Griffiths, Stig Abell, and Mick Herron! 

It's going to be wonderful to see what these incredible writers have to share about their writing processes, maybe I can pick up a few tips for myself too! And hey (is 'Hay' too predictable a pun?), if you're around, come say hi! 

 

Note: The image is a screenshot from the official Hay Stall website. If you would like to book this event, please go to: https://www.hayfestival.com/p-20355-stig-abell-elly-griffiths-and-mick-herron-talk-to-stephanie-merritt.aspx

The Astrology Journal Collection just dropped!

This 12 set of Astrology journals makes a great gift for someone who is passionate about astrology, or as a way to learn more about yourself.

Pick your own zodiac journal and immerse yourself in the beautiful artwork and positive personality traits. Each Astrology Journal is designed around a different celestial body, and each page of the journal is lined for you to note whatever your heart desires! Key words describe each of the signs characteristics. No matter what time of year you open one up, or which astrological sign you align yourself with, these journals will fill every night with a bit more magic than the last.

(Pre - order only!)

'A Sign from the Stars'

Be one of the first to know when new books launch!

Joining our mailing list also lets you know about future book launches, exclusive discounts, blog posts, writing competitions, and more! 

Thanks for submitting!

Our Bookshelf

This is our beloved bookshelf, containing all of our published works! They have been split into various genres to make browsing this library easier to navigate. As we're brand new, the shelves are looking a little bare, but with a few projects in the works, this is definitely temporary! Keep a look out for our fresh-off-the-press books coming very soon!

Bookshelf
Roadtrip Collage
Journals
old quill pen with inkwell and papers on wooden desk against vintage bookcase. retro style
Stationery
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