I was a shapeshifter, worshipped for my pluralities. Without, within. So many stories of self, huddled together to wander the void of my own uncertainty, fleeing and seeking in equal measure. Transcendent.
— Avi Silver, Pluralities (source link)
Welcome
This month, I’m going to do something a little different and talk about independent press Atthis Arts. I always greatly enjoy the titles they release, so if you’re new to the press, I hope you’ll find a new book that calls out to you!
Atthis Arts is currently running a crowd-funding campaign to offset publishing costs. Please go and support them if you’re able!
About Atthis Arts
Atthis Arts isn’t just any small publisher. They’re a press with a purpose, informed by their strongly defined and clearly articulated core values of authenticity, thoughtfulness, and community.
What are these values? Here’s a summary based on the press’s website:
- authenticity – a focus on the author’s unique voice, rather than what “sells”
- thoughtfulness – an intentional, reflective approach to all aspects of publishing
- community – building connections between people both real and fictional
What do these values mean in practice? In my experience, it means that the books they publish are unlike most titles you’ll find on a bookstore shelf—and that they’re willing to take risks on works by authors that larger, more commercially-focused publishers wouldn’t touch.
Those risks pay off. The books I’ve read from Atthis Arts have stayed with me, changing my worldview and helping me to better understand myself and those around me.
My Favourite Atthis Arts Titles
To be clear, every title I’ve picked up from Atthis Arts has been fantastic. I can’t remember reading something from one of their authors where I put the book down halfway out of boredom or distaste.
That said, here are three of my absolute favourites
Night Ivy
Written by the press’s executive editor E.D.E. Bell, Night Ivy follows Xelle, a mage who can’t quite force herself into the rigid boxes her world insists on.
With its focus on character relationships and quiet, but sometimes intense, approach to storytelling and description, you’ll quickly lose yourself in this book. Add to that the lush, loving description of places I totally want to visit, and a deft eye for “ma” (negative space) that reminds me of beloved Studio Ghibli films like Spirited Away, this book is a must-read. If you’re looking for fantasy that centers neurodiversity and queerness–or just a memorable story in a unique setting–you’ll definitely want to check out Night Ivy.
Pluralities
Written by author, editor, and poet Avi Silver, Pluralities is a dazzling tale that melds our mundane world and a distant galaxy (which may or may not exist) as it explores its two main characters’ journeys into gender euphoria and their own inner truths.
Like Clerks meets Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Pluralities is an astonishing and empowering blend of SFF and literary storytelling with themes of anticapitalism and gender euphoria that will change how you view yourself and the world around you. With a positive review in The New York Times and critical recognition from Locus, BSFA, and the Aurora awards, you owe it to yourself to go give Pluralities a read!
Embroidered Worlds
Even for a press like Atthis Arts, Embroidered Worlds is something different. Dreamed up in the months after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, this collection gathers stories from authors in Ukraine and the Ukrainian diaspora.
If you’ve never read Ukrainian fiction before, you definitely don’t want to miss Embroidered Worlds.
Other Great Books from Atthis Arts
These are just a handful of the great books that Atthis Arts has put out over the years. Here are teasers for some others!
- One Arm Shorter than the Other – a novella set in a Delhi market that mixes human relationships with fantastical events
- The Dragon of Ynys – a heartwarming fable about a dragon and a knight that’s lovely no matter your age
- Alia Terra: Stories from the Dragon Realm – a gorgeously illustrated book of bilingual fairy tales about dragons (English/Romanian)
- Be the Sea – follow a trio of unlikely sailors on a voyage through the future seas
- Rosalind’s Siblings – a collection of stories and poems about scientists from marginalized genders, edited by Lambda and Hugo Award Winner Bogi Takács
Support Atthis Arts!
As I mentioned earlier, Atthis Arts is currently running a campaign to offset some of the costs they have incurred in the pursuit of their mission and values.
In particular, the campaign will allow them to fund a translation for The Factory, a book by Ukrainian author Ihor Mysiak, who was killed during Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The money raised will go primarily to translation and publishing costs for that book, but also will help Atthis Arts get a boost it badly needs to pay for ongoing printing costs, travel to conferences in their professional roles as booksellers and publishers, and more.
Things are tight for everyone right now, of course. But if you have anything to spare, please do consider donating or sharing the campaign in your social circles—or picking up some of the great books listed above!
I don’t have any updates on the writing front this time around (still just keeping my head down and putting down words on Gigantea: Age of Rot, for the most part), but I should have something to announce next month.
Thanks for reading. See you soon!