Thirty West Newsletter - July 2025

Sizzling summer sale, an intern's insight, and the month of memoirs

Listen to This Verse: A Reflection on Thirty West, Reading Poetry, and Emotive Storytelling

Representation is arguably the core of publishing, and this has been the forefront of my experience with Thirty West Publishing House. In arranging ARC readers, public relations techniques, and marketing to suit authors’ goals, I have come to realize that all members of any publishing team are responsible for piecing together the life’s work of a passionate artist. This process may seem fragmented at first, but it comes together after working through various editorial revisions, seeking outreach support, and building the network, because it takes a village to enhance work that can then be moved into the hands of our readers.

After reviewing several Afterimages submissions, it is impressive how many different writing styles can come out of the throes of our happiest, angriest, saddest, and most peculiar moments of our lives. This is why it is so important to craft emotive storytelling. The stories that contain unreliable narration with substantial plot twists will always leave readers wanting more, which is what we should strive for in every writing style. This kind of storytelling can be both heartbreaking and a heart-song that is necessary to get readers invested in your work.

This heart-song is found in lyrical undertones present in poetry and novels-in-verse. You might recall your favorite poets as the ones who string together words that feel relatable to what you’re going through, but also ask that you take their call-to-action seriously. Most poets are philanthropists who live through their work, and not just write pretty lines that rhyme. Poetry is an art that transcends beyond the performative sense, and rests in that space that allows you to recalibrate your mindset towards growth and global awareness. In fact, emotive storytelling is just the same, and this is a consistent theme that I have seen through the Thirty West masthead—working to help authors realize the philanthropic impact held in their craft so that they can fly.

—Kinsey K, summer intern

Summer Sizzler Sale

It’s that time of year. Clearing our in-house & warehouse stock for new and exciting books. Front or backlist, these books will surely make you sweat. Use code SIZZLE at checkout for 25% off any order. If you spend over $20, you receive a ‘trail pack’ on us (stickers and bookmarks). Want a larger selection? Head over to our distributor, Asterism Books, for instant savings and international shipping. Good from 7/3 to 8/7 & while supplies last.

Afterimages News

We’re getting personal with a slew of memoirs, hybrid works, and a chapbook review. A bonus newsletter right in the middle, you do not want to miss. Writers, we’re currently reading for August and September, so get your prose in soon. You’re not seeing double, just quality literature.

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Extra Bits

Be on the lookout for our mid-July bonus newsletter. It will contain presale and early hype information for our next two books.

We’re still looking for opinions in our 2025 survey. Some questions are optional, yet all are anonymous. Help transform our next 10 years.

A book vending event may be coming in August…stay tuned if you're local to southeast PA.