Small Press Interviews: Meet Sley House Publishing

Tell us a little bit about your press and what inspired you to start it up.

Back before the pandemic, I was getting short stories published and querying publishers and agents with my completed novel, A Mind Full of Scorpions. It was picked up by a small press, only for the owner to fall sick, and then by a second, who had to close after they couldn't receive the funds they needed for their projects. When the pandemic hit, I thought I'd start up my own publishing house. I never intended to publish myself, though. I wanted to publish other authors as well. I'm proud to say that we have published anthologies and novels/novellas from a number of other authors in our five years. 

Indie publishers have a distinct personality. How would you define the personality of your publishing house, as well as the core brand/vibe?
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We've been fortunate to work with some talented artists with regard to branding. I enjoy the literary and the pulp, and I love the '90's aesthetic (especially grunge), so our website uses color and textures that reflect these sensibilities. We also created the Sley Siblings, who introduce our anthologies in a nod to EC comics titles like Tales from the Crypt. Our most recent anthology, Tales of Sley House 2025 best represents that. The print version is $16.99, and the ebook is free to download off our website, or you can buy it for $3.99 through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or wherever you buy your books. 

What kind of horror do you publish?

I'd like to say we publish all kinds, and to an extent, this is true. But I tend to write horror/southern gothic, and quite a few of our titles fall under that broadscope. Black Echoes is SG/H, focused on the relationship between a father and his son, and drug addiction. Persephone's Escalator is SG/H that deals with family, witches, and curses. Godfestation is an upcoming novella set in Appalachia, dealing with grief and family. 

The horror landscape is constantly changing. What do you look for in a book you want to publish?

I look at characters and setting. I look for themes being explored. I want to make sure that the characters feel real and their choices drive the plot. I teach my students that conflict is driven by the choices characters make in trying to resolve that conflict, so any good story should show this clearly. 

We all know the small publisher is a champion for marginalized voices. How does your press help uplift these voices? 

Our anthologies have published authors from all over the world. We've published women and people of color regularly in those anthologies. We also have a lot of women-authored books out now and soon to be released. Jendia Gammon has several books with us, and has several more coming out. Jay Townend's upcoming novella is an LGBTQ+ horror story, and K.A. Hough has one science fiction novel with us with another ready to come out soon. We are also publishing a middle grade horror novel with Abby Vail. 

What are some common things that will get a quick rejection from your press? On the flip side, what are some things that make a submission stand out?

We don't want anything AI and we don't use AI. We also don't tolerate hate speech. We don't want to see racist, misogynistic, or any writing that denigrates people. I'm not looking to chase sales trends. I want strong writing, strong characters, and stories with something to say. I like beautiful prose. 

What is one of the biggest challenges your press is facing these days?

Honestly, I want to be better with marketing. We have monthly newsletters and we do press releases for upcoming books, but if we could get our books in front of more readers, I know people would enjoy them. 

What projects do you have coming out soon?

11 August 2026 -- Godfestation by Jendia Gammon -- a southern gothic (Appalachian) horror novella. 
2027 -- HAUNTING AND MURDER! at Hilltop Manor -- JR Billingsley
2027 -- Paper Moons by KA Hough -- science fiction and women's lit
9 February 2027 -- Latchkey Monsters by William Sterling -- horror novel (southern focus)
23 March 2027 -- Girls, Girls, Gore by Jay Townend -- LGBTQ+ horror novella
8 June 2027 -- Bad Manor by Abby Vail -- middle grade horror novel
2028 -- Mr. Haunt by Brandon Robbins -- horror novel (southern focus)
...and more, so stay tuned!

When is your next open call and what are you looking for?

We have monthly open calls for our Patreon page where we publish short stories and poems. Our website (www.sleyhouse.com) details what we're looking for each month, but we accept horror/fantasy/ sci-fi. 

What advice do you have for authors?

Read everything, read often, and read outside your chosen genre. And make a habit to write every day. 

Where can authors find you?
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Our website: www.sleyhouse.com
Twitter: @SleyHouse
Meta: @sleyhousepublishing
Blue Sky: @sleyhouseeditor.bsky.social