About Apis
Apis Books was conceived in 2005 as a development of Tales of the DeCongested’s commitment to shorter fiction. Agents and publishers are quick to inform authors that there is no market for shorter fiction in Great Britain, but the success of Tales of the DeCongested told us otherwise. With a room full of shorter fiction enthusiasts turning up every month to listen to short stories, it was clear that further action on our part was needed.
In January 2006 we were awarded an Arts Council Grant to establish Apis Books and to publish our first short story anthology, Tales of the DeCongested, Volume One. In our quest to distil shorter fiction, we intend to work with promising new writers, helping them to transform their ideas into crystal-clear prose.
Apis Books partners:
Paul Blaney : Editor
Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone : Editor
Justine Shaw : Marketing / Publicity (currently on sabbatical, for marketing/publicity queries please contact Rebekah or Paul)
Short Story Festival and Launch of Desperate Remedies
Apis Books and Tales of the DeCongested proudly presented a one-day festival of readings, workshops and discussions to celebrate the power and charm of the short story on Saturday 5th April 2008. Hosted by Foyles Bookshop, Charing Cross Road, the Festival was sponsored by Booktrust as part of Get London Reading 2008.
With over 36 writers, including Toby Litt, Tom McCarthy, Matt Thorne, Geoff Nicholson, Mick Scully, Heidi James, Shaun Levin and Paul Blaney, and an audience of more than 200 strong throughout the day, the short story was shown to be very much alive and kicking.
The Festival started with a free Bucks Fizz Breakfast, thanks to Lanson Champagne, with readings, a workshop and a panel discussion, and culminated in a special Tales of the DeCongested live reading event. Audio downloads and soundbites from the day are available on the Tales of the DeCongested website. To hear extracts from Apis Books' latest publication, Desperate Remedies, see the download page.
For further information on this and a possible Festival next year, contact Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone on rebekah@apisbooks.com / 07751 892 825.
Literary High Tea
“…Tea, though ridiculed by those who are naturally coarse in their nervous sensibilities, or are become so from wine-drinking, and are not susceptible of influence from so refined a stimulant, will always be the favourite drink of the intellectual…”
Thomas DeQuincy – Confessions of an English Opium Eater
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." Henry James - The Portrait of a Lady
Sunday April 6th 2008 marked the second in the popular salon series, Literary High Tea, a combination of readings and afternoon tea for those whose hedonism comes in a teacup. Supported by the Booktrust as part of Get London Reading 2008, April’s Literary High Tea was set in the beautiful Fitzroy Dolls Restaurant at Hotel Russell. Tea lovers were transported into a world of elegance with marble pillars and chandeliers.
From the independent presses of Social Disease and Apis Books, Literary High Tea focuses on unusual voices not always promoted by mainstream publishing houses. New independent voices are brought to London's literary heart, Bloomsbury, supported by other well-known writers.
April’s readers were: Kirsty Gunn, Travis Jeppesen, Paul Blaney and Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone
For more information on Literary High Tea events contact:
Heidi James at heidipsjames@mac.com / 07710 715853 Rebekah Lattin-Rawstrone at rebekahlr@hotmail.com / 07751 892825
The Launch of Two Tall Tales and One Short Novel
The launch of Two Tall Tales and One Short Novel took place on Tuesday 10th July 2007, 7pm, at Foyles Bookshop, The 2nd Floor Gallery Space, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0EB with readings, wine, and book signings.
Authors also read from the collection on:
Thursday 12th July, 7pm, at Crockatt & Powell Booksellers, 119-120 Lower Marsh, London SE1 7AE
Tuesday 17th July, 7pm, at The Bolingbroke Bookshop, 147 Northcote Road, London SW11 6QB
Thursday 19th July, 7pm, at The Cella, The Sanctuary Cafe, 51-55 Brunswick St., East Hove, East Sussex BN3 1AU. This event also marked the launch of The Small Press Review a new magazine devoted to the English language small presses.
The Apis Books Launch
Apis Books launched the Tales of the DeCongested anthology to mark its birth as a new independent publishing company for shorter fiction. Held at the 2nd Floor Gallery Space, Foyles Bookshop, the launch was accompanied by an exhibition celebrating the anthology, the Tales event, and the short story in general. The exhibition included: pictures of Tales of the DeCongested events; a listening station with stories read by the authors; a flash fiction section; and various art works inspired by stories in the anthology. You can find out more about the artwork and artists involved in the exhibition here. As you can see below, the evening was a great success.
