HUSHMARK
About Hushmark
Who we are. What we stand for.
Why We Publish
We publish because some books ask to be made differently.
We started Hushmark because we saw a gap between how most books are made — and how they should be made. Too often, important work is rushed. Writers are asked to fit a season, a trend, or a content calendar. But the books that stay with us don't come from urgency. They come from intention.
At Hushmark, we publish fiction, nonfiction, and poetry that are emotionally honest, carefully crafted, and allowed to take the time they need. We work closely with each author. We keep our list small. And we move deliberately — not to be slow for its own sake, but because trust, clarity, and quality don't happen on a clock.
We publish work we believe in — not because it's loud, but because it carries something worth holding. We retain no rights from our authors. We don't outsource decisions. And we don't release anything we wouldn't put our name on, fully and without hesitation.
This isn't a catalog press. It's a commitment. Every title we release is one we'd fight for — and stand beside.
What We Publish
Fiction
Literary novels that center presence over pace — character-driven stories that explore memory, interiority, and the relationships that define us. Work that unfolds slowly, with emotional precision.
Guides
Presence-centered nonfiction for people navigating hard things. Practical work written with care, clarity, and emotional steadiness — designed to meet the moment without noise.
Poetry
Collections that carry what can't always be said directly — grief, stillness, inheritance, care. Poetry shaped by restraint, presence, and emotional truth. Language that stays.
Our Values
Care Over Scale
We don't publish on volume. We publish what matters. Every title is developed with attention, partnership, and clarity.
Author Ownership
Writers retain their rights. Always. We exist to support authors, not to take from them.
Creative Pace
We work slowly on purpose. We give each project the time it needs to become what it's meant to be.
Emotional Truth Over Performance
We publish work that's honest — not performative. Presence matters more to us than posture.
Small List, Real Support
We don't acquire more than we can carry. If your book is with us, we're in it with you.
Design With Intention
Typography, pacing, production — every decision is made to serve the work, not distract from it.
Our Process
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1
We read slowly.
We don't take on many submissions, and when we do, we read carefully — with attention to the voice, the rhythm, and what the work is really carrying.
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2
We commit fully.
We don't acquire more than we can support. If we say yes, it means we're with you from the beginning through design, production, and launch — no handoff, no scale-based shortcuts.
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3
We shape together.
We believe in editorial collaboration built on trust. Notes are thoughtful. Conversation is welcome. The goal isn't perfection — it's integrity.
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4
We protect your rights.
All rights remain with the author. Always.
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5
We produce intentionally.
We move from manuscript to final book with care: typography, cover, pacing — every part is built to support the work, not distract from it.
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6
We release on your timeline, not the market's.
There are no seasonal lists, no rush to fill slots. We release when the book is ready.
Where We Are
Hushmark was founded in Altadena, California — in a quiet space shaped by foothills, light, and a lot of books.
After the fires, we relocated. We're still based in California, still small, and still working close to the work itself. Hushmark isn't built around a building. It's built around what the books need — and the time and care to make them right.