Last updated 12:59, Tuesday, 13 January 2009

HANDSTAND Press is a specialist publisher of books by Cumbrian authors. Reporter JO DAVIES met its founder and author of it frst children's title, poised to become a bestseller

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CROUCHED in her dining room surrounded by books stacked to the ceiling Liz Nuttall is being photographed with her new company’s first titles.

It later transpires she’s injured her ankle and is walking with crutches but only after the photoshoot ends.

Nothing is too much trouble for Liz.

She’s passionate about her company, Handstand Press, and is currently promoting its first children’s book, The Drover’s Boy.

After 10 years running The Bookshop at the Tinners’ Rabbit in Ulverston, Liz has an established reputation locally – in fact, she has so much in the pipeline she’s not looking for any new titles this year – but marketing is a new venture.

She had just approached The Guardian and Words by the Water literary festival the day we met at her Braddyll Terrace home in Ulverston.

“I want this book to become a national bestseller,” said Liz, of The Drover’s Boy.

“I believe it’s got the potential to be.

“If I can’t make this a bestseller I’m not good at publishing.

“This is an opportunity not many people in small publishing will get.”

Enjoying coffee and home-made biscuits in Liz’s cosy kitchen is the book’s author, Irvine Hunt.

Handstand Press is based in Dent but most of the work takes place at Liz’s home.

Working out of her kitchen three people produced The Drover’s Boy in just over two months.

Kate Kirkwood, from Broughton, did the editing and Anne Weeks, from Broughton Mills, provided the illustrations.

Irvine lives with his family in Cumbria and the novel is set in the county. The company has a reassuring cottage industry aspect to it.

“I think Liz is very courageous in these times, doing this,” said Irvine, the author of seven books including Road to Paradise and Norman Nicholson’s Lakeland, a prose anthology.

“I do think there’s a place for independence these days,” said Liz.

“It’s like retail. The vast majority are employed by small retail outlets.

“It’s becoming like that in publishing.

“We can afford to take risks the big ones don’t take.

“I think it’s interesting times.

“If you do something well the word will get out there.”

Despite its homely charm, this first offering from Handstand Press looks fresh and appealing.

Anne Weeks has produced an eye-catching cover and the £6.99 price tag is not beyond the means of young readers.

“Crucial to the success of the book is the way it looks and the way it feels,” explained Liz.

“I was put in touch with a printer in Wiltshire, Antony Rowe.

“They had printed Ashlack, The History of a Small Cumbrian Estate by Mark Keegan and it sold so well.

“Part of its success was they had produced it so beautifully.

“I particularly wanted a matt cover, not shiny and they understood that.

“Like any good piece of work it’s been a really good collaboration.

“We didn’t start work until last September and it came out for Christmas.”

Serendipity brought Liz and Irvine together.

The Drover’s Boy had been rejected by a London publishing company and had been consigned to a drawer when Irvine called into the bookshop and casually enquired whether they published books.

Liz explained: “I was just about to sell the bookshop. I had started the publishing company and was looking forward to concentrating on publishing.

“Irvine came along at the perfect time. He left the book for me to read and as soon as I read it I thought this is the most fantastic opportunity. The finished script needed very little editing.

“I was honoured and privileged to be handed this opportunity.”

The Drover’s Boy is the absorbing tale of 13-year-old Henry who is pushed out of his home by his stepfather to walk 600 geese to market with Torse, an Irish drover.

It’s a tale about a lost way of life in Cumbria gleaned while researching his picture book The Lakeland Pedlar.

“I must have talked to hundreds of shepherds, mole catchers, maids, all Cumbrians,” said Irvine.

“I’ve got a huge body of knowledge.

“What a pity not to use it.

“I got tired of picture books and wanted to tell a story.

“I went to a place called Fingland in North Cumberland. A lady started talking about the old days. As a young woman she used to be there when they came by with the geese.

“Her dad would buy 50 geese.

“The geese came from Dublin on the steam ship Yarrow to Silloth and were walked to Carlisle.

“Torse and Henry in the book don’t get on well together but as they travel they change a little.

“Torse is never quite trustworthy but I think he’s likeable.

“I hope he is. But there’s a good deal more to it than that.

“Underlying this I’ve tried to put something of the old feel of Cumbria in.”

Liz added: “One of the things I liked about it is it’s an old fashioned tale and it takes you back to the books your mum might have read to you at bedtime.

“There’s a bit of danger, a bit of tension, but a sense that things will be all right in the end.

“It’s interesting to see if there’s still a market for that among young people.

“There’s so much sex and violence in young people’s literature today.

“I still firmly believe there’s a place in children’s hearts for good, old fashioned, heart warming stories full of adventure.”

Handstand Press’ niche will be books by northern authors, primarily Cumbrian.

Others in the pipeline include a story book for small children from a series of drawings by self-taught Ulverston illustrator Kenny Bower and a history of Ulverston by Lesley Anne Rose.

“I want to establish a reputation for good quality, local publishing,” explained Liz.

“It’s obviously very helpful to have had a bookshop.

“It started because I knew we needed a book on the history of Ulverston. The last was by Dorothy Ashburner and had gone out of print.

“Jack Layfield came to me with a book about the history of the Hoad (2005). We did that and it was a success.

“June Whitehead came to me with a book about the history of Ulverston workhouse. It was a piece of research she’d done at Lancaster University and it didn’t need any editing.

“All I needed to do was set it out nicely and get some nice pictures.

“That was a great success. It’s being reprinted.

“I’ve also had requests from people who are thinking about getting published and I’m happy to give advice.”

The Drover’s Boy is available from The Bookshop at the Tinners’ Rabbit, in Market Street, Ulverston.

Read the first chapter at www.irvinehunt.co.uk