It’s always exciting to see a fellow indie press setting out to do things differently (especially outside the London bubble).

Carnyx Press is a brand-new micropublisher, based in Tyne & Wear in the North-East, founded by writer, designer and publishing all-rounder, Nathaniel Spain.

Carnyx publish speculative fiction in the form of anthologies, short fiction collections and novellas. We first got to know Nathaniel through his work with Inpress. More recently, we’ve been able to work with him as a Sidekick author in Ten Poets Get to the Bottom of Some Grisly Crimes. We caught up with him to ask a few questions about Carnyx’s mission.

First things first: Can you tell us how you chose the name Carnyx?

Nathaniel: The carnyx was an instrument found across Celtic Europe: a horn shaped like a boar’s head. I enjoy those links to paganism, to animal symbolism. These instruments were beautifully crafted and the replicas produce a lovely sound. But there’s also something kind of goofy and alien about them. I like the weirdness of ancient art, and I love the idea of artpieces surviving for centuries, the way that past cultures linger in the imagination in surprising ways.

Obviously this sort of symbolism works well for projects like the upcoming folklore anthology, but I like the idea of juxtaposing, say, a sci-fi novella with this sort of ancient iconography. And also there’s a fun combination of letters in the word. You’d get a good scrabble score out of ‘carnyx’.

What made you focus on publishing speculative fiction, and what does this kind of storytelling do uniquely well?

N: Because I read a lot of speculative fiction, and write in and around speculative genres, it felt like something I could approach with expertise. There’s also a real boom in the popularity of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror at the moment, so it made sense to try and tap into that. People enjoy the escapism and the imagination of these sorts of stories, but I think a good work of speculative fiction is well-placed to talk back to our world and what it’s like to live in it; to create fantastical worlds that are actually extended metaphors. Not having to meticulously represent our world in a factual way also means you’re free to explore the world of ideas more.

“A good work of speculative fiction is well-placed to talk back to our world and what it’s like to live in it; to create fantastical worlds that are actually extended metaphors.”

You’ve worked to support plenty of other indie presses, most notably with Inpress, so it’s really exciting to see you launching your own. What’s been the most interesting part of setting up the press so far, and what do you wish more writers knew about indie publishing?

N: Creating an identity – through the visual branding, the way the press presents itself, the publications you want to release – has been really interesting. Positioning yourself in a busy ecosystem is difficult, it’s a work in progress, but it’s rewarding to start building a little community around your vibes and values. I think it’s always important for writers to understand the business of publishing, so they can be informed about the deal they want and the editorial support they’ll get. An indie might not be able to shift thousands of copies of your book, but because they’re publishing fewer titles per year you’re likely to have a more focused and personal relationship. I think indies are natural friends to writers who put the art first, or who want to get weird. But no two indies are the same, so it’s important to do your research, to be informed about who they are and what they can offer you.

“[Indie publishers] are natural friends to writers who put the art first, or who want to get weird.”

Can you recommend some speculative fiction favourites that speak to Carnyx’s style?

N: Ursula K. Le Guin is probably the premier speculative writer. I love that blend of beautiful prose, of human stories in strange and fantastical settings, and themes that are carried so thoroughly through the text that they change the way you look at the world. Some other favourites: Italo Calvino, Angela Carter, Ted Chiang, Susanna Clarke, Ann Leckie, Thomas Ligotti, Emily St John Mandel…

What’s the literary scene like in North-East England, for those living elsewhere?

N: The North East doesn’t have the same concentration of publishers as other parts of the North, but we’ve got some absolute gems. Bloodaxe in Hexham consistently publishes some of the most respected poetry in the UK. There’s another micropress here called The Braag, who I’ve worked with loads and absolutely adore. They put out really genre-pushing, beautiful pamphlets of spec fic and poetry. We’re home obviously to Inpress, who represent dozens of indies, and the Poetry Book Society, where I worked previously. There’s The Word (National Centre for the Written Word) in South Shields, New Writing North, book festivals in Durham and Hexham, some lovely independent bookshops… And the North-East is producing some great writers. Lucy Rose’s The Lamb is making waves at the moment. I’m really impressed by how Lucy balanced such a human story with utterly uncompromising gore, and so pleased for her that it’s got so much attention. I also read a neat folk horror story recently by a local author called Jacob Kerr, The Green Man of Eshwood Hall, set in a reimagined Northumberland called Northalbion. Hopefully we can do our part to bring more stories from North Eastern writers into the world, alongside writers from across the North of England!

Where can folk find information about new Carnyx releases and calls for submissions?

N: We’ve got a website over at carnyxpress.co.uk which has all our submissions info. We’re open between July and September for submissions for our first anthology, on the theme of folklore. And you can also find us on instagram @carnyxpress and on Bluesky at @carnyxpress.co.uk!

If you’re not on the socials, you can also sign up to the Carnyx email newsletter for news and calls.