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Asteria Press

Asteria Press is an independent publishing house specialising in feel-good fantasy.

24/12/2024

As 2024 draws to a close, we want to thank you all for being part of our publishing journey 🥰

This holiday season, may your days be filled with the same warmth and wonder we love to see in our fantasy titles. Whether you’re curled up with a good book or sharing laughter with loved ones, we hope you find joy in every moment 🎄✨

We're so excited for another year of magical stories and cosy adventures together. Happy Holidays!

Aimée & Wendy 💙

18/12/2024

✨ Dawn's Top Tips for Submission Success ✨

Are you curious about the ingredients that go into a successful manuscript submission? We recently caught up with Dawn on her top tips for approaching the process whether you are looking to query an agent or a small press. Here's what made it to her top five... 👀

1. Make the synopsis simple but holistic, pick up all the most important plot points of the story (it’s hard to leave stuff out, but it has to be done.）

2. Write the first few chapters and make them pop! (Especially after rounding back from the end. Does the first chapters set the tone of your story up for intrigue?)

3. Don‘t be afraid to go outside the box a little - I feel like the best stories are the one that don’t alienate the reader but also have unique bits that belong to the writer‘s vision.

4. Be sure that your story's worldbuilding and characters are consistent. It’s easy to tell if stuff are broken bits fixed together or if they are meant to be one thing.

5. Don‘t be afraid to go through with submission, even just to test your luck. It sounds easy but usually it’s the hardest part to let one‘s story be known .

If you are looking to query your manuscript soon, best of luck! You can check out more tips for submissions over on our blog @ asteriapress.com 💙

This post is part of our new 💫 Guiding Star content series. For more publishing tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes, make sure to follow us on our journey as we bring to life our next cosy fantasy title. 🥰 If you’re ready to launch your own stories into the stars, don’t miss our next instalment! Until next time! 👋

02/12/2024

🎄🎁 Christmas Cut Off Date Reminder 🌠

Planning to treat a friend to the magic of cosy fantasy this Christmas? A Case of Dragons and Kingdom of the Moon are available to order as paperbacks this holiday season💙

As we use a print-on-demand service to fulfil our orders, please make sure to place your order by 10th DECEMBER in order to receive the books before Christmas. If you are not based in the UK, please do allow for extra time for international shipping 📦✈️

Help us spread the joy of indie publishing and support the works of our brilliant indie authors this holiday season 🎁🥰✨

29/11/2024

✨ 2025 Title Announcement ✨

Happy Friday everyone!

We’ve been teasing you all for far too long... 🤭 We’re excited to share that next on the horizon is the publication of our third book, THE WITCH WHO CHASES THE SUN by Dawn Chen, landing SUMMER 2025. And, friends… this one will set the cosy fantasy genre ablaze 😍🔥️‍🔥

SYNOPSIS ⭐

This story starts at the very end… Two witches, born to opposing sides of a blood feud, meet again a decade after the war that ripped their found family apart. Will this chance reunion enable them to pick up the pieces and rekindle the flames of their yearnings? Or are shattered dreams best left buried?

A fate-torn story of love and grief, publishing Summer 2025.

🌠 You can join our publishing journey for THE WITCH WHO CHASES THE SUN step-by-step in our new Guiding Star series. Jam packed with publishing tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes, you’ll even have a chance to shape our final novel. Follow us on socials or sign up to our newsletter to not miss our latest updates!

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27/11/2024

💫 Submissions (Pt. 3): Making Decisions📄⚖️

Making the call is the toughest part of submissions. We receive so many wonderful stories and only have so much time and resources to publish books. It can feel impossible to choose. Here is how we approach making decisions on submissions as an indie publisher.

Rejecting a submission 🙅

Rejection is a central part of publishing, but it isn’t easy or fun. Authors have taken the time and made themselves vulnerable by sending their manuscripts to us for review. Even when a submission isn’t right for us, there is always something good to say about it. We recognise that a plain rejection can also leave an author floundering and lacking confidence. Where possible, we do try to include a constructive reason why it wasn’t right for us.

Making a full request 📜

We make full requests when a manuscript is ticking most of our boxes and we’re excited to see more of it before making a final decision. We make sure to include a piece of constructive feedback alongside sharing what we loved about the piece. A full request is something to be incredibly proud of. But it is our responsibility to manage expectations. Every book we publish sees every stage of editing. We think it is important to be transparent with our authors about expectations with developmental and line editing from the very beginning.

The acceptance emails 🎉

We love an acceptance email. It is actually incredibly nerve wracking for us as the response we are awaiting is essentially an acceptance email of our own. We hope our acceptance emails come across as virtual party streamers when they open it up. We also think it is important to continue transparency at this point, meaning open discussions about expectations in terms of editing, marketing, royalties and timeframes. Authors are part of our team, we love to get in a call to chat about expectations and visions. Indie publishing with a small, albeit dedicated, team at the beginning of their adventure is not for everyone. The message of our acceptance emails is very much: we want to invite you on our journey, would you like to join us?

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This post is part of our new 💫 Guiding Star content series. For more publishing tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes, make sure to follow us on our journey as we bring to life our next cosy fantasy title. 🥰 If you’re ready to launch your own stories into the stars, don’t miss our next instalment! Until next time! 👋

24/11/2024

🎄🎁 Christmas Cut Off Date Announcement 🌠

Fancy treating a friend to the magic of cosy fantasy this Christmas? Both A Case of Dragons and Kingdom of the Moon are available to order as paperbacks this holiday season💙

As we use a print-on-demand service to fulfil our orders, please make sure to place your order by 10th DECEMBER in order to receive the books before Christmas. If you are not based in the UK, please do allow for extra time for international shipping 📦✈️

Help us spread the joy of indie publishing and support the works of our brilliant indie authors this holiday season 🎁🥰✨

22/11/2024

💫 Submissions (Pt. 2): Reviewing Manuscripts 📄🤔

Each submissions call sees a healthy flood of brilliant submissions. Wendy and I read every single submission that comes through to our inbox. Each manuscript is approached with care and enthusiasm, which can mean a lot of work when there is so many. Here is our take on reviewing submissions as a small press.

Our tiered submissions process 🪜

Submissions are three chapters, a synopsis, and a cover letter. While I can speed through three chapters of a published book, it does require more time, care, and attention to consider a submission. If the initial extract piques our interest, we then request the author to submit the full manuscript. Afterwards, we need to leave time for Wendy and I to discuss each of the submissions in relation to our list and our plans. We only take on projects that have the “sparkle factor” for both of us ✨

How to read a submission? 🔎

A published book has typically seen a lot more editing than a submission. As an editor, I’m not just considering what is on the page, I keep the author’s potential in mind as well. At this stage, what a story could be is as important as what it is. My developmental editing brain has already started ticking.

Meanwhile, Wendy will be reading with an eye for marketing. We can do best by an author when their manuscript slots neatly into our cosy little niche! We have a few other things in mind as we read. We keep track in a spreadsheet with ratings out of seven for each category and a section to share our freeform notes.

Keeping a fresh brain 🧠

Every submission deserves to be met with energy, enthusiasm and care. Leaving enough time comes into this massively. It would be incredibly draining to squeeze all of the reading into tiny gaps in a busy schedule. It also involves looking after ourselves. We like to encourage each other throughout the process and make sure we’ve scheduled in enough time to have fun outside of work.

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This post is part of our new 💫 Guiding Star content series. For more publishing tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes, make sure to follow us on our journey as we bring to life our next cosy fantasy title. 🥰 If you’re ready to launch your own stories into the stars, don’t miss our next instalment! Until next time! 👋

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15/11/2024

💫 Submissions (Pt. 1): What We Look For 🔍🤔

Excitement comes hand-in-hand with busyness here at Asteria Press, and the submissions window is no exception. When our submissions window is open there is a palpable sensation of potential and creativity between Wendy and I. 🤩 We don’t know what is going to come through our door or how that is going to influence the course of our journey.

Wendy and I devote a lot of time and energy to Asteria Press. It is a labour of love, which makes it all the more important that we love every book we sign💙

Knowing what books we want to see is the most important part of a submissions call. We want authors that align with our backlist, our ethos and our journey.

We are a cosy fantasy publisher with an edge. We want to see books that are set in familiar and homely settings. Just because we want low stakes, doesn’t mean we want no stakes. We like to explore the limitless nature of fantasy.

Our must-haves are simple, the manuscript must be:

1. Fantasy
2. Warm and comforting
3. Striking and original

We don’t just sign books though, we sign authors. 💙 Wendy and I are committed to putting our all into every element of publishing and championing the books we work on. We look for authors who are excited about independent publishers. We love authors who are brimming with enthusiasm and ideas. The easiest way to reach the right authors is to be loud about what you’re about!

—

This post is part of our new 💫 Guiding Star content series. For more publishing tips, tutorials, and behind-the-scenes, make sure to follow us on our journey as we bring to life our next cosy fantasy title. 🥰 If you’re ready to launch your own stories into the stars, don’t miss our next instalment! Until next time! 👋

08/11/2024

✨ Introducing our new author for 2025, Dawn Chen ✨

Happy Friday everyone! We’ve had some truly excellent submissions over the Summer and are delighted to share that we have signed our next author, Dawn Chen! 🎉🎉

It’s been a tough secret to keep under wraps, we have adored getting to know Dawn, falling in love with her manuscript, and we can’t wait to share more with you! 🥰 This Sunday, our lovely newsletter subscribers will be in for a treat… (swipe across for a sneak peek! 👀)

In the meantime, here are 3 fun facts about our new author 😍

✈️ Dawn has lived in the UK, Germany and is currently based in Beijing, China.

👻 Alongside her love for cosy fantasy and obsession with witches, Dawn also writes cosy horror.

📚 In her free time, you can find her haunting her local indie bookshops.

To be the first to see Dawn’s special video message this Sunday, and to hear more about her upcoming book, make sure you are subscribed to our mailing list. Head on over to our link-in-bio! 📬💙

06/11/2024

🌠 Introducing our new Guiding Star Series! 🌠

Hello everyone, it's Wendy here! Aimée and I have been brewing an idea for a new content series and we're so excited to finally share it with you 🤩

In our first year of running an indie press, we quickly realised that there aren't many resources out there on how to start and run your very own small press. 🤔❓ We had to learn many things quickly through trial and error and draw from our existing knowledge of the publishing industry, purely trusting our gut at times. 😅 Although there is always more to learn, we'd love to shed more light on the ins and outs of running a small press and publishing indie titles for those who may find it helpful or interesting 💙

Whether you're an aspiring author, a new indie publisher, or just curious about the publishing world in general, come along with us as we share each step of the indie publishing process for our next cosy fantasy title 💫

Packed with our learnings, tips and insights on editorial, design, production, and marketing, you’ll even have the chance to guide us in our journey and shape our next publishing project 😍

We hope you look forward to our new series and can't wait to hear your thoughts. If there is anything in particular you would like us to feature, don't hesitate to let us know! 🥰

31/10/2024

Happy Halloween everyone!

Today we're also celebrating a special book birthday🥳🎉 Our very first cosy fantasy novel, A Case of Dragons by Holly Moeller, was published this day last year 🌠

Over the past year, we've grown and learned a lot. Although we're still at the very beginning of our publishing journey, today we're taking a moment to celebrate the book that started it all 💙

Asteria Press was founded, in part, because Aimée and Holly believed in A Case of Dragons. Belief in authors and the magic of storytelling is something that continues to guide us a year on.

If you are new to our community and would like to check out our debut novel, you can find out more on our website💙 https://buff.ly/4eLAxnC

---

A royal murder. Long-held secrets. The need to clear your name.

Alara ala Kafta dreams of being a physician one day. Meanwhile, she's stuck as the Queen's personal maidservant, harbouring a feud with the royal caretaker to boot.

But when the Queen is murdered and the evidence points squarely at her, Alara is forced into a situation she never could have dreamed of.

In her quest to find vindication, Alara discovers new friends and companions, including a certain tall, brown-eyed wizard who just can't keep out of her way. As she and Alek grow closer, Alara must draw on her inner strength to face the long-held secrets she uncovers. At the end of the day, will she decide whether the new found family she's coming to treasure is worth giving up her old life for?

A Case of Dragons is a tale about finding your identity and your home in the world, even in the unlikeliest of places.

28/10/2024

Our first lot of reader reviews are in!! 💫 💫

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

"A cozy fantasy with all the fairytale influence one loves. While Hazel and Finn’s story is at the main stage, I fell in love with Jinx, Scáth, and the fae’s stories. The ending left me begging for more. I hope to get even more world-building and back story for all the characters as the story continues. This was definitely a set-up for something even grander and I can’t wait to see what comes next!"

Kingdom of the Moon: The Stroke of Midnight is OUT NOW in paperback and Kindle eBook! You can order a copy via our website 📚🛒✨

🌠🌠🌠

Once upon a time there was a prince who did not want to become King…

When a curse descends on the Kingdom of Aiobhneas, royal orphans, Phineas and Hazelina Aylin, must decide whether they will follow the paths forged for them or take this opportunity to escape their looming destiny.

While Finn must protect the very throne he resents being thrust towards, Hazel is forced to come to terms with magic she’s rejected her whole life. Navigating the complexities of magic, love, and familial relations, Finn and Hazel must disentangle knots of the heart and mind before time runs out.

As the shadows draw near, does saving the Kingdom have to mean relinquishing their freedom?

23/10/2024

What's not to love about a sexy wizard?? Holly Moeller's writing excels at weaving a dream so sweet and earnest, it'll leave you breathless... ❤️‍🔥

"My breath was coming fast and uneven... I stared up at this gorgeous, wonderful man. And had no words."

A Case of Dragons by Holly Moeller is available in paperback, head on over to our website and curl up with a copy this cosy season 💙 https://buff.ly/4eLAxnC

21/10/2024

Most of the main characters featured in Holly Moeller's debut novel are.... (you guessed it!) DRAGONS 🐲 How many cosy fantasy books have you read that feature mythical shapeshifters?

Let us introduce you to the dragon-lore featured in A Case of Dragons... do any come as a surprise? 💙

A Case of Dragons by Holly Moeller is available in paperback, head on over to our website and curl up with a copy this cosy season 💙 https://buff.ly/4eLAxnC

16/10/2024

What would you do if you were accused of a royal murder..? 🗡️🩸 More than just a whodunnit, A Case of Dragons is a cosy mystery that will leave you guessing.

"If you can survive down here, I can survive a trial for a crime I didn't commit. They'll find out who really did it. Or I will."

A Case of Dragons by Holly Moeller is available in paperback, head on over to our website and curl up with a copy this cosy season 💙 https://buff.ly/4eLAxnC

14/10/2024

Our first lot of reader reviews are in!! 💫 💫

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

"A classic fairytale with a beloved cast of characters and some delightful surprises, the first Kingdom of the Moon book is not to be missed.

I loved the nostalgic adventure of this tale, full of reluctant royalty, faeries, magic, and fellowship among friends. This debut novel is both comforting and enchanting - and I can’t wait to read the sequel!"

Kingdom of the Moon: The Stroke of Midnight is OUT NOW in paperback and Kindle eBook! You can order a copy via our website 📚🛒✨

🌠🌠🌠

Once upon a time there was a prince who did not want to become King…

When a curse descends on the Kingdom of Aiobhneas, royal orphans, Phineas and Hazelina Aylin, must decide whether they will follow the paths forged for them or take this opportunity to escape their looming destiny.

While Finn must protect the very throne he resents being thrust towards, Hazel is forced to come to terms with magic she’s rejected her whole life. Navigating the complexities of magic, love, and familial relations, Finn and Hazel must disentangle knots of the heart and mind before time runs out.

As the shadows draw near, does saving the Kingdom have to mean relinquishing their freedom?

09/10/2024

Are you are fan of slow-burn romance? A Case of Dragons by Holly Moeller sizzles with delicious tension... ❤️‍🔥

"I understand you don't want me, but please... if you won't let me be with you, then do me the favour of letting me leave."

A Case of Dragons is available in paperback, head on over to our website and curl up with a copy this cosy season 💙 https://buff.ly/4eLAxnC

07/10/2024

A very special book birthday is coming up this month...
💙

Our very first cosy fantasy novel, A Case of Dragons by Holly Moeller, was published on 31st October last year 🙌

Asteria Press was founded, in part, because Aimée and Holly believed in A Case of Dragons. Belief in authors and the magic of storytelling is something that continues to guide us a year on 🌠

Throughout October, we'll be celebrating by sharing with you titbits about the book that started it all. If you are new to our community and would like to find out more, stay tuned or visit our website!💙 https://buff.ly/4eLAxnC

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🌠 Introducing our new Guiding Star Series! 🌠 Hello everyone, it's Wendy here! Aimée and I have been brewing an idea for a new content series and we're so excited to finally share it with you 🤩 In our first year of running an indie press, we quickly realised that there aren't many resources out there on how to start and run your very own small press. 🤔❓ We had to learn many things quickly through trial and error and draw from our existing knowledge of the publishing industry, purely trusting our gut at times. 😅 Although there is always more to learn, we'd love to shed more light on the ins and outs of running a small press and publishing indie titles for those who may find it helpful or interesting 💙 Whether you're an aspiring author, a new indie publisher, or just curious about the publishing world in general, come along with us as we share each step of the indie publishing process for our next cosy fantasy title 💫 Packed with our learnings, tips and insights on editorial, design, production, and marketing, you’ll even have the chance to guide us in our journey and shape our next publishing project 😍 We hope you look forward to our new series and can't wait to hear your thoughts. If there is anything in particular you would like us to feature, don't hesitate to let us know! 🥰 #insidepublishing #smallpress #smallpresspublishing #publishingbehindthescenes #selfpublishing #indiepublishing #publishingtips #cosyfantasy #fantasybooks #howtopublishabook #howtopublish #bookstagram #fantasybookstagram #publishingtips

Unbox our book orders with me! 📚📦✨ Originally, I was planning to add uplifting music to this video but the SOUNDS were too satisfying not to share! 🤗💙 Turn your volume up ⬆️ and enjoy this little snippet of our our indie publishing joy! 🥰 We’ve only got 10 COPIES LEFT that will come with an author signed bookplate and letter. Order yours today via our link in bio to ensure your copy arrives by 30th August 💙📦✨ 🌠🌠🌠 Once upon a time there was a prince who did not want to become King… When a curse descends on the Kingdom of Aiobhneas, royal orphans, Phineas and Hazelina Aylin, must decide whether they will follow the paths forged for them or take this opportunity to escape their looming destiny. While Finn must protect the very throne he resents being thrust towards, Hazel is forced to come to terms with magic she’s rejected her whole life. Navigating the complexities of magic, love, and familial relations, Finn and Hazel must disentangle knots of the heart and mind before time runs out. As the shadows draw near, does saving the Kingdom have to mean relinquishing their freedom? The first instalment of the Kingdom of the Moon series, The Stroke of Midnight is a cosy coming-of-age story, merging star-crossed love with fighting for what is right. #indiepublishing #indiepublishinghouse #indiepublisher #indiepublishers #cosyfantasy #cosyfantasybooks #cosyfantasymystery #fantasybooks #fantasybookstagram #fantasybookstagrammer #newfantasybooks #2024books #2024bookreleases #KingdomoftheMoon #KoM #publishingbehindthescenes #behindthescenes #preorders #bookmail #unboxing #asmr

Post is exciting enough at the best of times. And we can all agree that book post is the best. But I was bursting with pride as I opened this. Well done, team! We did it ❤️❤️ — Aimèe 🌠🌠🌠 Publishing 30TH AUGUST. Pre-orders come with a signed book plate and author letter, order now via our link in bio. We’ve only got 11 MORE LEFT so don’t miss out! 💙✨ Once upon a time there was a prince who did not want to become King… When a curse descends on the Kingdom of Aiobhneas, royal orphans, Phineas and Hazelina Aylin, must decide whether they will follow the paths forged for them or take this opportunity to escape their looming destiny. While Finn must protect the very throne he resents being thrust towards, Hazel is forced to come to terms with magic she’s rejected her whole life. Navigating the complexities of magic, love, and familial relations, Finn and Hazel must disentangle knots of the heart and mind before time runs out. As the shadows draw near, does saving the Kingdom have to mean relinquishing their freedom? The first instalment of the Kingdom of the Moon series, The Stroke of Midnight is a cosy coming-of-age story, merging star-crossed love with fighting for what is right. #2024bookreleases #fantasybookstagrammer #cosyfantasybooks #fantasybookstagram #newfantasybooks #indiepublishing #indiepublishinghouse #fantasybooks #unboxing #bookmail #bookmailunboxing #editingcommunity #editorpov #freelanceeditor

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