Thirty West Newsletter - December 2024
New faces, statistics, gifts of reviews, and good wishes to all.
Happy Holidays
Hello. I’m sure you noticed a lot of changes with Thirty West these days. The rebrand/site redesign/step forward the press is taking is no easy task, but a necessary one. While the outdoors may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I and many of the team & catalog embrace this direction with open minds and arms. It’s an honor and a privilege to champion debut and experienced authors from all over the world.
There are still many risks involved: replacing The Workhorse printer with a new one, budget constraints, corporate monopolization, and politically charged censorship encroaching on our door. A small press is still free speech and we plan on pushing forward with as much courage and ambition as we did over 9 years ago.
In online literary magazine time, that is ancient. At any time, I could’ve folded all this up and taken a different path in life. Scores of you wouldn’t have congregated at our readings, read thousands of pages, or become friends outside of the internet. Anyway, there is much work to be done. Sleepless nights to overcome. Joys to embrace with others. It will all be a net positive this time next year.
I understand the holidays may be tough for some of you. No explanation is needed. My wish for you is to find some peace as we traverse into the future of the new year. Hopefully, some of these positive feelings will arrive. Until next time, take care of yourself and your loved ones.
-Josh
Time to get a bit off-kilter
Taking Care of Business. TW sat at 13 vendor opportunities, including local favorites A Novel Idea, Lot 49 Books, & Tattooed Mom (2x).
Study Group. TW mentored 3 interns in one calendar year, online and in-person events.
Just Joshin' Ya. TW published two authors (Josh/Joshua) who share the name with our editor-in-chief.
To read every title in 2024, you have to turn about 1,187 pages. That’s 77% of “Clarissa"!
Afterimages News
The Afterimages schedule for December is live. Fresh and dramatic prose will come to your inbox every Friday from 12/13-12/27. As always, our submission window is open 365 days. Currently reading for January and February. Guest editing, Best Small Fictions, and Best Microfiction announcements are coming soon.
TW Tales
Thirty West Tales 3: Winter Solstice Special on 12/19 at 8 PM EST is open for registration. Like the last two installments, it’s free to sign up and 1 person walks away with a free book (well, mailed to them.)
Featuring: ALISE VERSELLA, ESÉNIA BAÑUELOS, KRISTINE ESSER SLENTZ, STEPHANIE KING, and TW forthcoming chapbook author, RAYNI K. WEKLUK.
Scan the QR code or click here to register.
Extra Bits
Did you meet our authors? Please view our 2025 catalog: eight new authors and two publishing schedules. We’re very excited for our 10th year in publishing.
ARCs for ON THE TIP OF YOUR MOTHER’S TONGUE are now available in PDF form. JP Infante’s second edition is a special book of new and selected prose. Blurbs are appreciated. Email us now in our new publicity form.
The best gift for an author—and a publisher—is a Goodreads review. Here is our 2024 catalog of 9 books. We were quite busy! Take a few minutes to rate and review a TW book this holiday season. We all greatly appreciate it.
