Good to see you here at the website of Black Pear Press (BPP).
BPP is a small press dedicated to promoting and selling books and looking after their authors.
Black Pear Press publish quality books of fiction and poetry but regret that it is not in a position to consider submissions for the foreseeable future.
Where did Black Pear Press begin?
Prof Rod Griffiths
Rod Griffiths is an ideas man, ‘Let’s start a publishing company,’ he said, ‘we know too many excellent writers who’ve never been published’. Tony and Polly agreed that the idea was sound and would draw on their previous careers, and so BPP came into being. Their combined experience in writing, editing, proofreading and publishing make them a good team. This was in mid-2013 and by December of that year plans were in place and Black Pear Press was born.
Rod has published novels and collections of short stories. He contributes structural editing and cover design. He is company chairman.
Rod’s previous career was in the NHS as Regional Director of Public Health and Deputy Chief Executive for the West Midlands. He was awarded the CBE in 2000.
Dr Anthony Judge
Tony is an experienced writer of non-fiction and fiction, and a member of the UK Society of Authors. His first novel, Sirocco Express, was published by Wet Zebra Media and his children’s novel Lost was published in 2021. He has a strong background in critiquing and editing and deals with obligations to the legal deposit libraries.
Tony is the BPP company treasurer. From 1998 until 2006, he ran a successful telecoms consulting family business, Judge Consulting Ltd.
Tony takes the lead in assessing the cost and profitability of each proposed book, before it’s accepted for publication. He is also involved in selecting and editing books and cover design.
Tony selects suppliers of printing services and orders volume print runs of books.
Polly Stretton M.Ed
Polly returned to writing following careers in management and education. She specialises in quality in education. Polly, alongside Tony and Rod deals with editing, specialising as poetry editor, PR, design and communications for Black Pear Press and is the company secretary.
Polly spent six years as a director with Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe. She was a creative resident at Croome Court in 2014. She organised 42Worcester for many years handing it over to Suz Winspear in 2021. Polly has been the Chair of the Open University Poetry Society for the past six years.
Her publications include a first collection of poetry Girl’s Got Rhythm and limited first edition Chatterton a series of poems about the tragic teenage poet. Four years were taken up with collating WWI pamphlets and Polly collaborated with Charley Barnes in Pressed Flowers and Amanda Bonnick in the Call and Response anthology. Her collection The Alchemy of 42 launched on Zoom in August 2020 and Growing Places was launched in 2021. She’s a member of the Society of Authors.
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With extensive connections in West Midlands writing communities, BPP is pleased to promote and sell quality books. Marketing principally through book launches, signings and at regional spoken word events, the company uses social media and networking to advise of new publications.
BPP encourages all writers to promote their work regularly at spoken word events and through social media and networking; other promotion opportunities arise and BPP will give advice and support.
Black Pear Press 