Building a Fierce Independent Press: A Conversation with Read Furiously’s Samantha Atzeni {ep. 178}

Alexa's Publishing Chat

In this episode of Alexa’s Publishing Chat, Alexa sits down with Samantha Atzeni, multi-genre award-winning author and co-founder of Read Furiously, an independent press dedicated to overlooked voices and literary activism. They discuss the realities of running a small traditional press, the challenges of distribution and returns, building sustainable author relationships, and the joy of creating community in publishing.

In this podcast, Alexa and Samantha discuss:

• The origin story of Read Furiously—why Samantha built her own publishing house out of frustration with “no room at the table”
• What makes Read Furiously different: hands-on, collaborative publishing with a focus on overlooked and multi-genre authors
• Their signature One and Done pocket-sized book series and why it resonates with modern readers
• The challenges small presses face: returns, Amazon algorithms, distribution hurdles, and rising printing costs
• How anthologies and niche publishing create surprising opportunities (and sometimes frustrations)
• The role of literary activism, from book bans to Little Free Libraries
• The importance of community—how Women in Publishing Summit and peer connections help presses survive the tough days
• Why joy and passion still keep small publishers going, even when profits are slim
• W(h)ine & Cheese by S. Atzeni - a One n'Done (Amazon aff link)

Resources & Links

• Read Furiously
• Women in Publishing Summit
• Book Award Pro – bookawardpro.com
• FAIRE Wholesale Marketplace – faire.com
• CLMP – Community of Literary Magazines & Presses – for small independent traditional presses
  

Sam Atzeni (she/they) is a multi-genre, award-winning writer of prose, comics, and academic scholarship. They are also the co-founder of Read Furiously Publishing and serves as its Editorial Director and its head of acquisitions, including serving as co-editor of the bestselling Life in the Garden State NJ anthology series. Through Read Furiously, Samantha is proud to publish great books, be a part of an amazing independent literary community, and participate in literary activism. In 2024, she was a part of the “40 under 40 in Publishing” list by BookCamp magazine.