Manderley Press

16/08/2024

Multi-tasking Friday!

Today is a momentous day for Manderley Press and I feel I should mark the occasion with an ad hoc post.

The business has grown so much over the past year that I have decided to rent space in a nearby warehouse - there were just too many book boxes to deal with anymore at home…

For the first time in nearly three years - since I set up Manderley Press - we will have our house back and the storage of eight titles will move to a much more professional environment!

So while I wait in the salon as my daughter has her hair styled, I am simultaneously checking the running pages for the reprint of The House in Cornwall, waiting for confirmation that the reprint of Appointment of Venus has been booked into the new warehouse AND feeling grateful that my wonderful assistant Izzy is driving a new shipment of titles down to Gardners in Eastbourne on my behalf (the wholesaler that sends out our books to shops all over the country).

I never imagined that all this could happen and am incredibly grateful to each and every reader, bookseller, reviewer, logistics expert and all-round wonderful helper that has crossed my path. Thank you!

And I can’t wait to tell you about our future plans too - learning a little delegation and taking on new help feels like a big jump and potentially a bit scary, but means I am free to embark on more exciting adventures. There’s a lot to do and I can’t wait to get started on the next phase of publishing, commissioning and celebrating rediscovered books.

Thanks for joining me, and have a fabulous weekend,
Rebeka x

12/08/2024

Unleash the magic of London with a brand new collection of Joan Aiken’s stories and novellas - each set in a magical “other” London ✨
Tales of London Town is the wonderfully designed and curated book by Manderley Press
https://www.stanfords.co.uk/tales-of-london-town-9781919642178?

12/08/2024

A huge thanks to everyone at for this photo, and for stocking our summer title - The House in Cornwall by Noel Streatfeild.

The support we have received from indie booksellers and chain bookstores in Cornwall - and beyond - has been nothing short of amazing. Thank you all!

That, plus a fabulous recent review in (when this title was chosen as children’s book of the week) and of course direct pre-orders and sales from all you wonderful readers too, means we are reprinting the book already.

We have one box left in our office and the final ten boxes are heading to our wholesaler tomorrow. New books will arrive in a week or two. Hopefully the stock transition will be smooth but if you need a copy urgently I suggest placing an order this week.

In the meantime, thank you all so much for the incredibly positive reviews of, and enthusiastic support for, this wonderful book.

It’s been eighty-five years since it was first published but it’s proving just as popular with today’s kids, parents and grandparents.

Long live the summer holidays, good books and seaside adventures!

06/08/2024

And then there were three!

All of our children’s books celebrate steadfast, resilient, imaginative and characterful girls as well as boys - perhaps unusual for the time in which they were written - and still make for page-turning reads over half a century after they were first published.

Each of these three publications was written for children but really they are perfect for anyone aged 9 to 90!

We have republished each book to be enjoyed on one’s own, but also read aloud en famille too.

They can be a nostalgic treat for all the family, or a summer read all alone with a cup of tea (or a glass of lemonade…).

Whether you are discovering them for the first time right now, or reading them to someone special as a bedtime story, it is my utter pleasure to be able to pass on these stories once more.

Joan Aiken’s daughter explained to me recently that her mother wrote many of the stories included in our latest book - Tales of London Town - specifically as read-aloud novellas for adults and children to bond over.

And one of them - ‘The Jewel Seed’ - was originally passed down to Joan from her own father Conrad Aiken. So really this book is a continuation of the wonderful tradition of story-telling that accompanied their creation.

I hope each and every title in our collection - and especially those designed for kids, big and small - will go some small way to divert, entertain, amuse and enthuse. And soothe too.

With all at Spellow Library in mind right now,

Rebeka x

03/08/2024

Good morning and happy weekending one and all!

Just a heads up that our website seems to be having some problems this morning. I’m not sure why, and am looking into it, coffee to hand. Fingers crossed it will be back up and running very soon.

In the meantime, if you need to order any books, art prints or greetings cards, please head over to our Etsy shop instead:

https://manderleypress.etsy.com

As always, please do feel free to message me here, or via email - [email protected] - and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Rebeka x

30/07/2024

They are here and they are gorgeous!

Voila our brand new book: a collection of magical stories by one of my all-time favourite authors - Joan Aiken - each set in a mysterious other-worldly London.

They have been wonderfully introduced by - another of my favourite writers (swoon) - and illustrated to perfection by

Normally it’s raining when I get deliveries but today it was blisteringly hot, so before I start packing all the advance orders and sending special review copies, I’m indulging in an ice lolly. To match the books of course 🌈🍦

More info, details, photos, thank yous and celebrations to follow, but in the meantime, simply huzzah! I’m feeling so unbelievably honoured to be in a position to publish these fabulous stories and can’t wait to hear what you think too.

Huge thanks to for the design and so much more, to and all at .m.heath for kick-starting the project, to for entrusting the precious work of her mother to our fledgling press, and to Kiran and Annabel for helping me to bring these stories back to life and into the hands of a whole new generation of Joan Aiken readers, young and old.

Oh, one last thing (!) - there’s a list of the stories included over at manderleypress.com - do ping on any questions as per usual!

Rebeka x

26/07/2024

26/07/2024

“Florence: Ordeal by Water was absolutely indispensable during my research for Still Life. Here, finally, was a vivid eye-witness account of the 1966 flood that devastated Florence. Utterly compelling.”
- Sarah Winman

For those of you who love books set in Florence, I am absolutely delighted to be adding to your reading lists with our November publication: Florence - Ordeal by Water by Kathrine Kressmann Taylor.

I am utterly delighted to have found the perfect writer-illustrator dream-team to help me bring this powerful diary back to life.

The wonderful author Vanessa Nicolson () and the fabulous artist have drawn on their Florentine heritage and history to introduce and illustrate to perfection this brand new edition of Kressmann Taylor’s vivid account of the flooding of the river Arno in 1966.

So dramatic, and indeed traumatic, was this event in the history of the city that it has inspired writers and artists ever since, including Sarah Winman’s epic novel Still Life. As she describes in the quote above, these diaries formed an indispensable part of her research for the book.

When I first discovered this title on the shelves of the I was bowled over by its page-turning qualities and powerful descriptions of people, events and personal emotions.

When I realised it was by the author of one of my favourite (yet utterly devastating) novellas Address Unknown, it was a lightening flash moment - I knew immediately that I would have to bring this book to life for a brand new audience.

Behind the scenes we are putting the final flourishing touches to the book and we can’t wait to show you more details very soon. In the meantime, a huge thanks for all your pre-orders, messages and general interest in this title.

There will be various events to celebrate its publication, both in London and Florence, so do sign up to our newsletter over on manderleypress.com where you will be among the first to find out more!

Rebeka x

20/07/2024

What an utter delight to wake up this morning to a wonderful review of our brand new children’s book by in !

Our summer read - The House in Cornwall by Noel Streatfeild - has been chosen as children’s book of the week. And I am over the moon!

In essence, says Lucy: “The Famous Five but better. This old-fashioned Cornish adventure by the Ballet Shoes author leaves Enid Blyton in the dust.”

Thanks to for her gorgeous cover illustrations and Myfanwy at for the book series design, which Lucy mentions in her review as well.

I’m off to have a large coffee and track down a hard copy of the paper. In the meantime, if you’re a subscriber to you can read the review online via the link in my profile.

Here’s to the summer holidays, full of books and adventure!

Rebeka x

12/07/2024

So yesterday I signed off the running pages for our forthcoming Joan Aiken short story collection - Tales of London Town.

For some unknown reason the cat refused to budge from the endpapers. But I got a glimpse before he sat on them, and they are gorgeously zingy.

The book will be printed over the next few weeks and all your pre-orders will be posted out in August! You can still place an advance order over at manderleypress.com

I really can’t wait for this title to arrive - it’s been a real labour of love. The cover is absolutely stunning, and I’m just so incredibly grateful to for bringing to life the magic of Joan Aiken’s very own London Town.

Then there is the wonderful introduction from who has perfectly and beautifully detailed the legacy of Joan Aiken’s writing on her own books and the landscape of children’s literature.

It feels like the perfect way to honour one of my favourite authors, on this special centenary year of her birth.

And finally, with huge thanks to - Joan’s daughter - for her wonderful Afterword, and to all at .m.heath, especially , for kickstarting the whole project.

08/07/2024

As the summer holidays begin I will be following in my daughter’s footsteps - by revelling in the joy of reading (possibly not upside down though…), celebrating rainbows and making the most of family time. Normal service will resume in August.

I’ll be posting a little less often until the end of July, and while the Manderley Press shop will be open all summer long, postage will be on hold just for the last two weeks of this month while we head away on holiday.

And then August promises to be a corker of a month - new books will arrive, new art prints and gist wrap too, plus new announcements. Newsletter updates to follow (you can sign up over on manderleypress.com).

In the meantime, I’m trying to see the bright side of a completely unforeseen setback and maybe the best thing to do is remember exactly why I set up Manderley Press in the first place - to try something new, to share my love of a good read, to meet new people and make new friends, to find joy in art and history and buildings and places and above all - to make the most of the unexpected!

I hope your week is jam-packed with good books, great friends and rainbow tights too. Please do email with any queries and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Rebeka x

03/07/2024

A huge thanks to for sharing our news this morning!

“Manderley Press has snapped up a new collection of stories by Joan Aiken, featuring an introduction by Kiran Millwood Hargrave”.

The book is in production and will hit the shelves in September to celebrate the centenary of Joan Aiken’s birth this September.

With the hugest of thanks to , whose introduction to this new collection of short stories and novellas is superb, heartfelt, engaging and inspiring. Readers, you are in for a treat!

And more thanks to Joan’s daughter for her support, encouragement and enthusiasm. It is an immense honour to be publishing this book and I can’t wait to bring these stories back to life for a whole new generation of Aiken fans.

None of this would have been possible without the wonderful and Harmony Leung at .m.heath - we are so grateful to be working with you both.

Finally, the gorgeous cover - illustrated by to absolute perfection and all coordinated and designed by the amazing designer Myfanwy. I could not be happier - this one is an absolute stunner of a book, and so watch this space if you would like a signed copy of the accompanying art prints which will pop up on the online shop very soon.

In the meantime, pre-orders for the book itself are already open if you fancy getting your hands on an advance copy in August - just head over to manderleypress.com

01/07/2024

27/06/2024

Tregon Hall - the home that inspired the drama and mystery of ‘The House in Cornwall’ by Noel Streatfeild - our brand new summer read.

Swipe right for our new edition (as seen in ) and check out these illustrations of the story in Girl’s Own Paper where it was first serialised in 1939.

The brand new illustrations by Cornwall-based artist were carefully planned and designed to match the unfolding of characters and events within the story.

And as you can see from Elly’s interpretation of Tregon Hall on the front cover, it is almost a character itself - and certainly it is the focus of the most extraordinary wartime adventure in Cornwall!

We love the cover so much that we have created a short run of limited edition A2 gicle art prints, each of which will be signed by Elly and available to pre-order soon. Message below or DM me to reserve one in advance.

Happy Thursday,
Rebeka x

25/06/2024

Reprint ahoy!

Our best-selling wartime classic - written and set on the channel island of Sark - has almost sold out.

It’s a bonkers but heart-breaking tale about the rescue of a cow from under the noses of N**i occupiers … inspired by a true story!

“Appointment with Venus is one of best books written to show what might have happened if Britain had been occupied, as much for what is glossed over and romanticised as included. I strongly recommend a read.”
- , New York Times best-selling author of Les Parisiennes, Ethel Rosenberg, That Woman, and many more besides

“What a treasure! What a find! Like an especially beautiful time-travel device, Appointment with Venus
took me back to the Channel Islands during World War II, where I reveled in every character (even the bovine ones) and every twist of fate that befell them.”
- , co-author of ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’

Our edition of Jerrard Tickell’s thriller is expertly introduced by , who also spent time living and writing on Sark.

We are delighted to have signed copies of Rosa’s first novel ‘The Last Kings of Sark’ - which was described by as “A lithe, shimmering novel… full of sensuality and wit.”

Rosa is also the author of the epic and brilliant ‘Dreamland’, which is currently being adapted for the BBC: “a coming-of-age story with a twist … The Dream Lands is a thrilling voyage of romantic awakening and self-discovery, a defiant community fighting back. Part conspiracy thriller and part relationship drama, the story blazes with the enduring power of love and hope, in a world spinning out of control.“

And yes, a front cover featuring the fabulous ‘Tree and Cow’ print by Edward Bawden. Also available as a wallpaper from … just saying!

24/06/2024

We’ve just had a big delivery of art prints and gift wrap - created especially to match each of our books - and we’re trying out some new product shots accordingly.

This first photo was taken by my wonderful sister - and we posed all the artwork on my mantelpiece yesterday to try and show what sizes the prints are cards are compared to the books.

This art print of our bestselling Edinburgh book by Robert Louis Stevenson, was created - and signed - by fellow Edinburgh resident .

Each A3 giclée print is produced in Edinburgh itself to the highest fine art quality, printed on ph neutral paper using an 11-colour pigment ink set, which has been specially designed to allow for a faithful reproduction of the original artwork with no loss in colour, clarity or detail over time.

The prints are packaged in acid-free tissue paper, and posted out in sturdy cardboard mailing tubes or envelopes.

Look carefully and you can see Stevenson himself, striding through the city of Edinburgh!

Our motto: do judge a book by its cover, and then make those covers beautiful as art prints in their own right!

Rebeka x

23/06/2024

I love spotting our books in the wild - thank you so much for choosing our titles to fill some of your wondrous shelves.

I am the publisher at Manderley Press, but also the sales rep, logistics mum, marketing director, PR person and the office dogsbody.

It’s full on working solo, but I can’t get enough of it: seeing our titles on shelves makes it all worthwhile!

I should probably add a note here to thank to my super encouraging family and friends who are endlessly supportive and offer practical help all the time - especially my sister - and also Myfanwy at who has always taken my bonkers ideas on board and turned them in actual books, cards, printed and paper to swoon over. You guys are all amazing. Thank you!

Happy sunny Sunday,
Rebeka x

21/06/2024

Just taking a moment to quietly appreciate my pen pots (thank you and ) before this morning’s packing and posting begins.

I want to report that it will be a calm and collected procedure but there will no doubt be a flurry of cardboard, tape and tissue paper activity as I race to meet the postal collection!

(Also, behind the camera is a vat of coffee…)

This week has been unbelievably chocka with exciting news and plans and I can’t wait to share some forthcoming titles, artworks and literary collaborations with you. Next year is shaping up to be rather wonderful. Do sign up to our newsletter over on manderleypress.com and you’ll be the first to hear about them (although of course I will keep you updated here as well!).

Anyway, wishing you all a sunny segue into the weekend, and a huge thanks for all your recent orders which are keeping me very happily on my toes, and most importantly, able to plan ahead and add to our ever-growing list.

Rebeka x

18/06/2024

Brand new cover teaser!

‘Tales of London Town’ by Joan Aiken, introduced by and illustrated by

Every single Manderley Press title is carefully crafted to be jewel-like, both inside and out.

The book must look and feel utterly magical, and reflect not only the text inside, but also the author’s attention to detail and - sometimes - the whimsy alluded to therein as well!

So, a few weeks ago we decided to update the cover for Tales of London Town to make absolutely sure that the magic would begin as soon as the cover caught the eye...

This collection of other-worldly stories is set in an “alternative” London, and will be published in September this year to celebrate the centenary of the author’s birth.

The original illustrations by artist Annabel Pearl were stunning, and perfectly reflected the mystic nature of Aiken’s ‘London Town’, using pen and ink line drawings enhanced by multi-coloured rain drops.

But, we decided to highlight one particular story in the book (The Happiest Sheep in Town) - and especially the rainbow skies it describes, as well as the iconic London setting of Piccadilly Circus - by making a deliberate feature of this on the front cover.

We are totally smitten with Annabel’s brand new watercolour additions, and love the new cover so much that we have created not one but two special art prints, as well as wrapping paper and gift wrap to match her designs (more to follow soon on this).

Pre-orders are open - and we hope to send out advance copies of this title over the summer.

To finish up, we love this quote about the book drawn directly from its new introduction (by the best-selling author and totally-fabulous-in-every-respect Kiran Millwood Hargrave):

“Tales of London Town will carry you away a while and let you linger in unheard-of corners of London so immaculately conjured you could swear you’ve just not checked the tube map hard enough.”

16/06/2024

The Cornwall Collection

We are now the very proud publisher of not one, but two, books, set in (and inspired by) Cornwall.

This pair of titles cover a fair few bases: China Court by Rumer Godden is located near St Austell and inspired by the country houses and gardens (plus the iconic landscape and history) of Cornwall.

Whereas this novel is for adults, our new summer title is a children’s book - a forgotten classic by the author of such gems as ‘Ballet Shoes’ and “White Boots’ - this time set near Truro.

Noel Streatfeild wrote The House in Cornwall at the start of the Second World War, and while it never references the wider conflict, there is a backdrop of wartime drama throughout.

The children in Streatfeild’s adventure band together, work as a team, overcome their own anxieties and upend traditional gender roles in children’s stories of the era.

Rumer Godden’s China Court characters, in contrast, demonstrate some of the less applaudable of human characteristics and traits. And yet, with its multi-generational tale, both books are family-based page-turners, fascinating and oddly relevant even decades after they were first written.

So whether you are looking for nostalgic feel-good diversion, or engrossing holiday doorstops, we hope you enjoy our Cornish duo and this celebration of the places, landscapes and history of Cornwall.

Now, which Cornish classic should we add to the mix next…?!

Do get in touch with any queries or reviews - we love to hear from readers, armchair travellers and intrepid adventurers alike!

Happy Sunday,

Rebeka x

15/06/2024

“It is a great thing to start life with a small number of really good books which are your very own.”
– Arthur Conan Doyle

04/06/2024

The House in Cornwall
By Noel Streatfeild

It’s finally here and it’s stunning - thanks to the dream team duo (the book’s Cornwall-based illustrator) and Lucy Mangan, the journalist and author who has introduced it to perfection.

When I first discovered the existence of this title, I couldn’t believe that it had been forgotten about, and fallen out of print. But thanks to the assistance of and her fabulous team at .m.heath, along with the archivists at in Newcastle, I am delighted that this wartime classic is back on bookshelves.

It is set in Cornwall, and is as much of a page-turner today as it was back in 1939, when Streatfeild first wrote and published this adventure story, serialised in The Girl’s Own Paper.

There is sun, sea, sand … and mild peril too! The theatre of war is not mentioned but ever-present in the plot line and background details of the book - this is the tale of four siblings working together as a team to fight a dictator, save a European state and battle their own anxieties all at the same time.

We have copies in stock, pre-wrapped and ready to go. Each one includes a matching bookmark designed exclusively for Manderley Press readers.

We can’t wait to share this summer read with you!

28/05/2024

Wow - a huge thank you to the bookseller at who chose to showcase our new edition of ‘Letter from New York’ by Helene Hanff - inviting readers to “revel in the quotidian as well as the glamour of New York”.

Publisher swoons 💛

24/05/2024

Well, goodness gracious, check out today's freshly unboxed arrival!

It's only The House in Cornwall, a recent reissue of an under-loved children's novel by the tremendous Noel Streatfeild. This has been given a fresh boost by , whose beautiful books have had a little 'spotlight' on at Shrew for a while now - and we couldn't be happier to add this to the list!

A grand old Cornish house, four children, and a daring mystery...

22/05/2024

And so it begins!

I have spent the last few months gathering everything we need to put together the perfect parcel when we send out copies of our long-awaited summer book: The House in Cornwall by Noel Streatfeild.

Each book will be wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a silk ribbon. We’ll pop in a matching bookmark and hand-write you a quick note to say thank you for your order!

And for the outside of all mail order parcels - a mini sticker of course.

is the design mastermind behind the gorgeous front cover of this forgotten children’s classic - and the matching postcards and bookmarks too (expertly tailored by our designer Myfanwy at ).

The book was written and set in wartime Cornwall and Elly’s artwork reflects this.

Tune in to tomorrow at 11am to hear us chat all about it.

And in the meantime, thanks so much for all your pre-orders. The official publication date is June 1st but we will send all pre-orders out before the weekend (and these can still be purchased over on our website).

Rebeka x

20/05/2024

We’re going to be on the radio!

Tune in to hear illustrator and me talk about ‘The House in Cornwall’ by Noel Streatfeild - our brand new summer title.

We’ll be chatting to at on Thursday at 11.10am and we can’t wait to tell you more about this rediscovered children’s classic set by the Cornish seaside.

“Cornwall is not so much a setting as a state of mind… It is shorthand for sun, sea and sand.” Or so says
Lucy Mangan, who wrote the introduction to this brand-new edition of a forgotten children’s book written at the start of the Second World War and brought back to life for a brand-new generation of readers.

Noel Streatfeild – author of many other well-loved children’s classics such as ‘Ballet Shoes’ - wrote this thrilling story about one summer holiday in the life of the four Chandler siblings, who have been sent to stay with a long lost uncle at Tregon Hall – his grand old house near Truro in Cornwall.

Initial excitement quickly wears thin as John, Sorrel, Wish and Edward arrive by train only to discover that uncle Murdock is unfriendly, the servants are behaving strangely and they are prisoners in their new seaside home.

When they hear the unmistakable sobs of a crying child at night daring adventures ensue – by land, sea and air…

Tune in to find out more! This book will be published on June 1st.

Have a great week,

Rebeka

18/05/2024

A Manderley Press feature in today

I’m trying to play it cool, but there’s no denying that I’m over the moon about this wonderful article in the How To Spend It section of the Financial Times.

It’s a dream come true for a small company and indie press to be featured in the press like this, and when the preview went online earlier this week, it had an immediate, direct - and electrifying! - effect on my inbox, my social media, and my sales too.

So a huge thank you to for her wonderful words, and to for her stunning photography. It was so much fun to chat about Manderley Press, and give you an idea of why I set up the company and how we do what we do.

Of course none of this would have been possible without my amazing family, friends and neighbours who have supported me from the very beginning, and all you amazing readers, customers, bookshops and reviewers who have taken my twinkle-in-the-eye idea and helped me turn it into a reality.

As Kate picks up on in the article - “the world, then, is Manderley’s oyster” - and that really is the way I see things. I can’t wait to share more bookish pearls with you very soon.

In the meantime, thanks to Yvonne at for the gorgeous dresses I am wearing in the photos, to for the dreamy interiors and all those authors, dead and alive (!) who have allowed me to publish their words and illustrate them to perfection with artists who are connected and inspired by the places each book was written. I am so deeply honoured to have worked with every single one of you.

Happy weekend-ing one and all,

Rebeka x