About Us
Improbable Press almost didn’t start.
A small press in the big city of London, when we began publishing books, we focused only on Sherlock Holmes and John Watson romance stories. We were met immediately with homophobia from traditional Holmes writers, and almost to a man they were straight white men. Ones who insisted a gay Holmes somehow ‘tarnished’ their work.
Thank god for those small-minded writers. Because that initial push-back helped Improbable focus hard on what we really wanted to do:
Tell the stories of everyone else.
We want to tell the tales of women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, and neurodiverse people. We want tales about asexual transgender vets, bi space princes, hetero werewolves.
Stories focused on straight white men are published by every publisher out there, what we want are all the other stories, the art, the marvelous tall tales.
Tell us about your aromantic couple meeting a Senegal vampire. Your tale of queer lovers who can talk to Indigenous spirits. We want to read about everyone and anyone from whom we don’t yet hear enough.
Our stories aren’t for homophobes.
Or for sexist, racist, or ableist people. Oh sure your characters can include all of those, but your protagonists? Those are people we’re rooting for, who get a happily ever after. Or at least a happy-right-now.
Improbable Press almost didn’t start, but start we did, and we mean to go on, telling mysteries, adventure, contemporary supernatural tales.
Stories about us.
This is our why, why we do what we do.
Our how is you.
We want you. Learn more about who we are below, then be part of our story.
Atlin Merrick — Commissioning Editor
An editor and writer for thirty years Atlin Merrick (aka Wendy C Fries) is Improbable Press' commissioning editor, director, and provider of fiery encouragement. She's interested in acquiring mysteries, romance, and adventure books with supernatural twists, both adult and YA, by or about women, LGBTQIA+, BIPOC, disabled, and neurodivergent people, and all those who need a greater voice. Atlin is writer too, and devoted to sharing the strength and joy to be found in good stories. As stated, Atlin's kinda passionate and inclined to SHOUT encouragement at you, so maybe stand back a little. Got a great book idea, check out Improbable Press' submission guidelines and contact her.
Narrelle M Harris — Consulting Editor
Narrelle Harris writes fiction as Narrelle M Harris. Narrelle has also been providing writing, proofreading, quality assurance editing, and editing services for 20 years, for clients ranging from business-to-business magazines and council websites, to universities and government departments. Narrelle advises on books for Improbable Press, edits for Clan Destine Press, and lives in Australia.
Lindy Cameron — Publisher
Lindy Cameron founded Clan Destine Press in 2010, with the aim of publishing the best Aussie genre fiction she can find. A writer and editor herself, after acquiring Improbable Press in 2019 Lindy's expanded her remit to publish the best supernatural, romance, and mystery/adventure/genre fiction through Improbable, too.
Verena Höhn — Associate Editor
Verena Höhn comes from Germany by way of Germany. She is a writer, a teacher, a reader, and the finest weeder-outter of concepts when even you don't know what you're trying to say. As associate editor she works with Improbable Press' editors to help make our books their tippy-top best.
Dimitra Stathopoulos — Book Layout
Dimitra Stathopoulos hails from the wilds of Melbourne and likes to use her science degree to inform her baking and compost pile more than her work. She has been eyeballing other scientists' words for 18 years to make them readable, has written both science-y and fictional words of her own, and is now gently placing piles of words down in lovely tidy rectangles for Improbable Press.