broke press

broke press broke press is a small chapbook press located in Vernon, British Columbia, and operated by Clare Thiessen.

2 weeks left to submit your chapbook manuscript!!!! check pinned post or website for more details xo
02/14/2025

2 weeks left to submit your chapbook manuscript!!!! check pinned post or website for more details xo

02/14/2025

valentines friendship bracelets ❣️

i’ve just been faking it this whole time!! hehe !! the 5 year celebration merch drop
02/06/2025

i’ve just been faking it this whole time!! hehe !! the 5 year celebration merch drop

last rerelease of the celebration: Words I don’t say aloud, a personal essay by Miriam Cummingsthis was another first of...
02/01/2025

last rerelease of the celebration: Words I don’t say aloud, a personal essay by Miriam Cummings

this was another first of a genre for broke press: personal non fiction. it feels extra special to publish that, to be trusted with something so close to someone. forever grateful, Miriam, that you chose to share this with me, and trusted me to help you share with others.

20 copies :)

love u broke press besties ###x

rerelease #7: Risotto, a short play by Brandon Shalansky, originally published in October 2022this chapbook marked a co...
01/31/2025

rerelease #7: Risotto, a short play by Brandon Shalansky, originally published in October 2022

this chapbook marked a couple very cool milestones for broke press: new genre (drama!!!!!!) and expanding the reach of broke press (the first author who wasn’t bc based!!!!!)

I’m so obsessed w this play. I think Brandon low key (high key?) is a genius for this, and I was amazed to be sent this submission.

12 copies :) xoxox

rerelease #6: I HAVEN’T WRITTEN A POEM IN A LONG TIME, BUT IF I HAD IT MIGHT’VE LOOKED SOMETHING LIKE THIS, poems by ke...
01/30/2025

rerelease #6: I HAVEN’T WRITTEN A POEM IN A LONG TIME, BUT IF I HAD IT MIGHT’VE LOOKED SOMETHING LIKE THIS, poems by kevin mcpherson eckhoff

KEVIN IS MY WRITING BESTIE AND MENTOR AND HE IS EVERYTHING TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my writing instructor turned literary mischief maker bff ❤️❤️ I love this chapbook so fkn much. I love Kevin so much!!!!!

it’s wacky and weird and a little sad! and funny!! and all the things!!!!

12 copies of this one

getting to the latter half of the rerelease celebration: “Taking Care of Dead Plants,” a short story by Marissa Thompson...
01/29/2025

getting to the latter half of the rerelease celebration: “Taking Care of Dead Plants,” a short story by Marissa Thompson .thom originally published in June 2022

This was the FIRST break from poetry I made with broke press, and it turned out WONDERFULLY. this short story chapbook sold out maybe faster than any other release, and the broke press community loved it. it helped me be brave with accepting more than just poetry from the submissions i am sent, and it turned am so glad for that!! broke press turned multi-genre baby!!

only 12 copies! this story is the perfect winter read 🪴

rerelease #4: to make it whole again, poems by Erin Scott .h.scott now, this chapbook might be my PROUDEST broke press ...
01/28/2025

rerelease #4: to make it whole again, poems by Erin Scott .h.scott

now, this chapbook might be my PROUDEST broke press chapbook. Erin sent me this insanely gorgeous suite of poems, and I knew I had to make a really beautiful book with it. I feel like I had some growing pains as editor for this, but with Erin’s patience and trust I am forever proud of being the press to bring this into the world. (also it’s my fav cover I’ve ever designed I think hehe)
h.scott these poems are so feminine and stark and cutting.

🍓🍓🍓20 copies available on the shop :)

rerelease #3: What You Did Is All It Ever Means, by Cole Mash .a.mash this suite of poems might just remain my favourit...
01/27/2025

rerelease #3: What You Did Is All It Ever Means, by Cole Mash .a.mash

this suite of poems might just remain my favourite thing I’ve published. it’s SO flipping gorgeous. originally published in October, 2021, this was the first chapbook I published based on an open call for submissions, and started the broke press way of biz as it is now. I was amazed by the amount and quality of submissions I got that first year!!! I still feel that way now!!!

$13/chappy. rerelease print run of just 20 copies :)

love Cole forever for trusting me w this little wonder

rerelease #2: The Pin-Thief and the Sunflowers, island poems by Sofia Fedorova!! originally published in spring 2020the...
01/27/2025

rerelease #2: The Pin-Thief and the Sunflowers, island poems by Sofia Fedorova!! originally published in spring 2020

these poems follow the memories of growing up on Vancouver Island. if you love place-based poetry, or the island, you’re gonna love this one.

this was the first REAL chapbook I published w broke press: I asked emerging writers I knew if anyone would be will to give it a shot and try letting me publish their manuscript! Sofia, then living in Kelowna, graciously trusted me with her work.

12 copies of this. live on the online broke press bookshop!

the first rerelease…the chapbook that started it all… “stoopid,” first released in December 2019this little number was c...
01/26/2025

the first rerelease…the chapbook that started it all… “stoopid,” first released in December 2019

this little number was created when I was still a student in the Writing and Publishing program at Okanagan College!! it features a stupid poem by some Okanagan writing GOATS: John Lent, Hannah Calder, Anne Fleming, Amy Thiessen, Jake Kennedy, Kaitlyn Forth, and JP Baker.

this school project was an “oooooohhhhhh I can publish s**t all on my own!!!” experience for me. and inspired me to keep going and try to make something of a chapbook press!!

12 copies of this one from the broke press archive are live in the shop!! $10/chappy

this winter marks 5 YEARS OF BROKE PRESS?!?!? idk how I’ve managed to keep this little baby up and running so long….but ...
01/25/2025

this winter marks 5 YEARS OF BROKE PRESS?!?!? idk how I’ve managed to keep this little baby up and running so long….but somehow here we are!!! in the past 5 years I’ve worked with 29 Canadian writers to publish 19 chapbooks and various ephemera…..and I’m so grateful for all of it. for all of the trust and relationships it has brought me, to the cool opportunities (documentary! podcasts! conference w my writing bestie ! speaking gigs!! readings!) I feel very very grateful ❤️

to celebrate, over the next week I’m going to be dropping some tiny rerelease print runs of some of the publications that hold a special place in my heart, for whatever reason…..and keep ur eyes peeled for a commemorative merch drop too!!

thank u most deeply to my writers. where would this be without you! you inspire me! thank u for writing wonderful things and trusting me to put them in small literary homes ❤️

we are halfway through the annual broke press submissions period, folks!!! get em in! Xo
01/17/2025

we are halfway through the annual broke press submissions period, folks!!! get em in! Xo

BONUS FINAL RELEASE OF THE YEAR! Morel, a poem and block print broadside by Jennifer Blake. These broadsides are around ...
12/16/2024

BONUS FINAL RELEASE OF THE YEAR!

Morel, a poem and block print broadside by Jennifer Blake.

These broadsides are around 8x10 inches, with the poem digitally printed, and the block print added to each with an oil based inked afterwards. So grateful to work with amazing multitalented artists.

This one is MOSTLY a thank you gift to my Patreon supporters, but there are about 15 available for purchase hehe. $12. local drop off available :)

TMI BOOHOO POST INCOMING! ngl guys the Canada Post strike has been hurting this little press at Christmas time a lot mor...
12/13/2024

TMI BOOHOO POST INCOMING! ngl guys the Canada Post strike has been hurting this little press at Christmas time a lot more than I anticipated!!! I usually count on Christmas time orders to help me hit that break even level of the broke press $! it’s been a TOUGH book selling year to begin with but my usual flurry of pre Christmas orders never came this year ! all this to say: broke press doesn’t exist without people buying chapbooks :) I don’t get any govt funding (I have too many publications for some publishing grant eligibility but no full lengths publications to get the other side of grant eligibility) so my goal is to just sell enough books that I can reasonably keep broke press chugging along and support writers and projects that excite me :) I’m proud to pay my writers, even if it’s only a small honorarium, so supporting broke press is supporting writers too

so this is a little PSA that art and indie publishing doesn’t exist without support :) if you can swing a $12 chapbook I’m forever grateful! doing local drop off to try to still get people orders within the okanagan so that you can get them before Christmas :) any orders w shipping will be mailed ASAP once the Canada Post workers can get their bread.

ilysm :) thank you for supporting a tiny indie press. it means everything to me!!!

xo, clare

PROUDEST RELEASE OF MY LIFE:Day Song, a long poem, by the great Sharon Thesen In quintessential Sharon Thesen fashion, D...
12/05/2024

PROUDEST RELEASE OF MY LIFE:
Day Song, a long poem, by the great Sharon Thesen

In quintessential Sharon Thesen fashion, Day Song is at once both grounded and existential, both concrete and metaphysical, both cheeky and referential. Sifting through memory and grief after the experience of a wildfire evacuation, Day Song poses the questions: how does art withstand catastrophe? How does remembrance hold hands with loss? - me

Sharon is one of my poet idols. Seriously, a dream come true for me. Feeling incredibly grateful.

copies are $12 :) local drop off available while we wait for the Canada Post strike to be resolved…other orders will ship as soon as I can!

BROKE PRESS SUBS NOW OPEN BABAYYYYY!! hit the link in bio for full submission guidelines. can’t to see what you send me ...
11/26/2024

BROKE PRESS SUBS NOW OPEN BABAYYYYY!!

hit the link in bio for full submission guidelines. can’t to see what you send me this time around ###

-clare

‼️🗣️coming soon!
11/22/2024

‼️🗣️

coming soon!

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Vernon, BC

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