I have suddenly realised that it was almost five years ago that Priory Press came into existance, initially to publish my own books, after my first publisher had curled up it's toes and the second had been about as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Five years on and I have around 25 writers currently beavering away in garrets writing short, medium and fairly long manuscripts and have almost without noticing become the dreaded 'publisher' myself. A process which gets really bizarre when trying to sort out my own occasional forays into literature. I've gone on my first book tour, 1,800 miles in a red nissan micra called Mr Bumble. Given various talks on how to write creatively and the pitfalls of publishing, the bullet points of which I've stuck on the News page and found myself on local radio assisting in the hosting of an off beat book programme with Bob Harrison and well known writer Chris Ewan (The Good Thief Guides).

Last year apart from trying to keep the old head above water we published a new collection of short stories, the best so far, a reprint of 'The Tidemaster' and Steve Wood's book 'The Angels of Mona Terrace.' was longlisted for the Portico Prize, making the final 10 fiction which included Simon Armitage 'seeing stars', Sarah Hall 'How to paint a deadman', Reg Hill 'Midnight Fugue', Joanne Harris 'Blue Eyed Boy', Matt Haig 'The Radleys', Jude Morgan 'A Taste of Sorrow', Nicola Barker 'Burley Cross Postbox Theft', Tony Bianchi 'Bumping', MJ Hyland 'This is How', Jacob Polley 'Talk of the Town' and Tony Williams 'The Corner of Arundell Lane & Charles Street'.

This year we have a new book comming out in November by Steve Westcott 'Of Light and Shadows'. This is a great read which Steve has spent four years on, I have spent a year polishing and Frances will now give the final edit shine to. Details are on our comming soon page. Our local W H Smith has very kindly agreed to launch the book and if you would like to pre-order a copy just nip into the Douglas, Strand Street branch and stick your name down. All the other bookshops on the Island will be happy to do the same and if you are in Bristol at the end of October Steve has a limited number of signed press copies to give away. Further details will appear on our website shortly.

As for newly commissioned books we have two collections of short stories featured on our news page including the next volume of Tails which will from now on be published once every two years. I've also decided to be a full time publisher and so my new books written in the spare hours between teenage taxi runs and bed will be published elsewhere.

Linda Mann      

Hopefully this year we can celebrate the launching of Steve Westcott's new book with an even larger cake!