By William Swift, Priyanka Joshi and Jess Fisher
Wrecking Ball Press, established in 1997, is the culmination of many iterations of a cultural hub. Starting its life as a jazz club that hosted poetry readings, founder Shane Rhodes discovered the wealth of poetry being written in his local Hull, much of it lacking editorial insight. Providing critique for others was difficult for Rhodes at first, but as the jazz club grew, and he took on a poetry magazine, he grew more confident in identifying greatness in work shared by first-time or unpublished authors.
Although he did not set out to enter the industry, Rhodes’ press has received huge numbers of manuscript submissions since it opened its doors, and he looks for “live” works – works that jump off the page as though read aloud. In a world with so many poets and so few readers, it’s easy to feel the pressure of oversaturation, but at Wrecking Ball, Rhodes reminds us that great literature should be recognised and discussed.
This invaluable space preserves a beautiful artistic sentiment, a pocket of the industry based on poetic passion, and is an established indie press for those who share Rhodes' vision. Born in Hull, Wrecking Ball maintains a national reputation for both esteemed literature and the opportunities it provides to first-time authors.
New Releases
Cycling Proficiency by Alice Lushington
Cycling Proficiency is a wildly entertaining and deeply personal memoir of a young woman's chaotic cycling journey across Europe. Armed with sheer naivety and a knack for getting into bizarre situations, Lushington takes readers through a 4,500-mile adventure filled with laughter, love, loss and self-discovery. Her writing is raw, humorous and heartbreakingly honest, blending moments of deep reflection with comedic misadventures. Each chapter is vividly illustrated, adding a unique charm to her storytelling. This book is a must-read for those who enjoy candid, quirky travel tales that balance light-hearted fun with profound insights into mental health and resilience.
What Is It Like? by Lidija Dimkovska
What Is It Like? is a powerful poetry collection by Lidija Dimkovska, a Macedonian poet living in Slovenia. Known for her sharp, gritty voice, Dimkovska explores the horrors of 20th-century Europe with outrage and urgency. Her poems are filled with rhetorical questions and striking imagery, capturing the inexpressible weight of history and suffering. Through vivid, etched vignettes, she portrays the shrinking of the self amidst trauma, turning people and memories into disposable fragments. Her language is raw, unsettling, yet profoundly moving. This collection is for readers who seek poetry that grapples with difficult truths and transforms pain into art.
Bed Table Door by Csilla Toldy
Bed Table Door is a captivating debut novel by Csilla Toldy that delves into Hungary's hidden counterculture under Communist rule, weaving a tale of young misfits yearning for freedom in Thatcher's England. Toldy's narrative is fluid and immersive, taking readers from Budapest’s underground resistance to the gritty streets of Manchester and the multicultural corners of eighties London. Her style is both clean and melancholic, reminiscent of Andre Kurkov’s Death and the Penguin. With multiple voices and a rich tapestry of characters, Toldy explores themes of resilience, defiance and the enduring human spirit. It is a compelling read for those drawn to stories of rebellion and hope.
Notable Releases
Another Time In Space by Toria Garbutt
Toria Garbutt is a poet and educator whose previous collection, The Universe and Me, was published by Wrecking Ball Press in 2018. Her works have been featured at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and have appeared in a Guardian article called “Generation next: the rise – and rise – of the new poets.”
Garbutt is passionate about working with young people and prisoners to make their voices heard, no matter their background or upbringing, and to help them turn their anger or pain into poetry. Another Time In Space was described by poet Benjamin Zephaniah as “powerful, accessible, intelligent and musical,” and by poet and writer Salena Godden as “an extraordinary love letter to us all.”
Scouse Brows by Madelaine Kinsella
Scouse Brows is the debut poetry pamphlet written by Liverpudlian poet Madelaine Kinsella. She is the editor of the poetry zine JARG and focuses on exploring Scouse identity, vernacular and culture through her work. Scouse Brows is thirty-six pages long and packs a punch through a razor-sharp representation of Liverpool. The pamphlet was described by poet Matthew Thomas Smith as “Carefully-crafted radical missives from North Liverpool. A vital broadcast,” and by poet Kevanté A. C. Cash as leaving readers “yearning for more.”
Psychomania by Kirsty Allison
Psychomania is Allison’s debut novel, but she has an impressive career behind her. She has been a journalist, copywriter, model, a band member (Vagrant Lovers) and even had work featured in the Tate. She has also featured on TV as a broadcaster and presenter, as well as DJing internationally alongside Irvine Welsh.
The punchy and powerful tagline for her novel is “brutal female drug-lit at its finest,” being tagged as the “first novel of the real nineties.” The narrative pre-dates the #MeToo movement and is spread over the locations of Ibiza, Paris, London and New York, exploring the journey of a woman who is tired of being treated as a commodity.