Good to see you here at the Black Pear Press (BPP) website.
BPP publishes quality books of fiction and poetry but regrets that it is not in a position to consider submissions for the foreseeable future.
We are a small press dedicated to promoting and selling books and looking after our authors.
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. Alongside Tony, she deals with layout and all aspects of creativity leading to publication and is the poetry editor and company secretary.
She was a creative resident at Croome Court and spent six years as a director with Worcestershire LitFest & Fringe. She organised 42Worcester for many years passing it on in 2021. Polly has been the Chair of Open University Poets for the past nine years.
Her publications include a first collection of poetry Girl’s Got Rhythm and a limited first edition Chatterton a series of poems about the tragic teenage poet. Four years were taken up collating WWI pamphlets and Polly collaborated with Charley Barnes in Pressed Flowers and Amanda Bonnick in the Call and Response anthologies. Her collection The Alchemy of 42 launched online in August 2020 and Growing Places was launched in 2021. She’s a member of the Society of Authors.
Their combined experience in writing, editing, proofreading, and publishing makes them a good team.
Dr Charley Barnes
Charlotte Barnes, known as Charley, is a poet, author, academic, and editor who adores writing in its many forms, whether that be poetry, fiction, or nonfiction, and she is especially keen to help other writers on their creative journeys. Charley will be dealing with social media for BPP and will also be involved with editing scripts ready for publication.
Charley is a well-published author with numerous publications to her name, from fiction to essays to poetry, you can catch up with her here: http://www.charleybarneswriter.com/
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. This was in mid-2013 and by December of that year, plans were in place and, founded by Rod, Black Pear Press was born.
Rod has published novels and collections of short stories. Whilst he no longer takes an active part in publishing he contributes to structural editing on occasion and remains an associate of Black Pear Press.
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.
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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 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 