What do you think?
Rate this book
A Tale of Two Publishing Houses: A behind-the-scenes look into the publishing industry
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 22, 2026
Read this and Hilary McPhee’s ‘Other People’s Words’ for the joy of discovering (or remembering) the optimism that fuelled small publishing houses in the 1970s and 80s.
For local readers, this is a particularly welcome addition, as Martin provides a comprehensive overview of the establishment and early years of Fremantle Press, through conversations and her own experience.
Her current role as co-publisher and editor, with Laura Keenan, of the innovative Night Parrot Press (which they founded in 2019 and the more recent tale of the title) is explored with enthusiasm and passion and really is the highlight of the book.
This is a hugely inspiring story, and if you’re a if you’re a fan of micro/ flash fiction, get on board!
For local readers, this is a particularly welcome addition, as Martin provides a comprehensive overview of the establishment and early years of Fremantle Press, through conversations and her own experience.
Her current role as co-publisher and editor, with Laura Keenan, of the innovative Night Parrot Press (which they founded in 2019 and the more recent tale of the title) is explored with enthusiasm and passion and really is the highlight of the book.
This is a hugely inspiring story, and if you’re a if you’re a fan of micro/ flash fiction, get on board!
April 19, 2026
A Tale Of Two Publishing Houses is a fairly niche history book, but one that covers a period and subject of vital importance to all creatives and arts professionals living and working in Western Australia. Even if you’re not familiar with the cultural scene of WA, there’s a lot to be gleaned from this one, not the least of which is the staggering amount of unpaid and underpaid labour that goes into producing the books we love. Reading this book will compel you to write to your local representative and demand better arts funding, pronto.
My full review of A Tale Of Two Publishing Houses is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of A Tale Of Two Publishing Houses is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
May 16, 2026
A Tale of Two Publishing Houses is a book that belongs in every Writers' Centre in the country, if for no other reason than Marion May Campbell's advice for aspiring writers:
Alarm bells rang in my head when I read that. It's not the first time I've seen that advice about having the MS edited before submitting it to a publisher, but it is the first time I've seen a professional editor acknowledge it in print. The industry is defensive about the minimal editing that contemporary books are given, but we readers know that it is true and it isn't just sloppy proofreading. The 'financial reasons' that Campbell refers to are the consequences of corporatisation and globalisation of the publishing industry, i.e. the profit motive. The cost of book production is lower when a publisher can offload the editing onto the author.
Nobody wants the publishing industry to be unprofitable, but still...
Why should it matter? Well, one reason is that authors are paid very little for their work, and if they bear the cost of editing, that reduces any financial benefit they get for their work. For all but a few authors of bestsellers, that in itself limits the pool of authors to those who can afford to write for the love of it. The other reason is more insidious... it's about whose voices we get to hear in Australian publishing. Anyone with a social conscience can see that marginalised writers on low incomes are going to be excluded by a process that demands that they bear the cost of professional editing.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/05/16/a...
'I teach a lot of editing, too, at university, because a lot of students think, 'I want to be an editor,' Marion says. 'I don't think publishers necessarily spend enough time on good editing procedure.'
I think of a few bestsellers that I've recently read that were highly publicised but that lacked strong editing. I tell Marion that I believe many authors now need to have their work edited before it goes to a publisher because, for financial reasons, many publishers look for books that don't require a lot of editing.
Marion replies, 'Everybody needs a good editor, I'd say, to understand the poetics behind what you're attempting to do and where you stray from that.' (p.175, underlining mine)
Alarm bells rang in my head when I read that. It's not the first time I've seen that advice about having the MS edited before submitting it to a publisher, but it is the first time I've seen a professional editor acknowledge it in print. The industry is defensive about the minimal editing that contemporary books are given, but we readers know that it is true and it isn't just sloppy proofreading. The 'financial reasons' that Campbell refers to are the consequences of corporatisation and globalisation of the publishing industry, i.e. the profit motive. The cost of book production is lower when a publisher can offload the editing onto the author.
Nobody wants the publishing industry to be unprofitable, but still...
Why should it matter? Well, one reason is that authors are paid very little for their work, and if they bear the cost of editing, that reduces any financial benefit they get for their work. For all but a few authors of bestsellers, that in itself limits the pool of authors to those who can afford to write for the love of it. The other reason is more insidious... it's about whose voices we get to hear in Australian publishing. Anyone with a social conscience can see that marginalised writers on low incomes are going to be excluded by a process that demands that they bear the cost of professional editing.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2026/05/16/a...
April 26, 2026
Fell in love with the writing and editing world of Perth all over again reading this. What a thrill to reimmerse!
July 2, 2026
This is a very West Australian centred book of cultural history and memoir, set in the 1970s through to the current day, about two publishing companies - Freemantle Arts Centre Press & Night Parrot Press - and about Linda Martin's lifelong career in books - production coordinator, to editor, to freelance editor, to lecturer in book publishing, to PhD candidate, to publisher. I learned so much reading this book. I have a young friend who is studying creative writing at the moment, and I think this would be an excellent book to give them. If you are an Australian interested in writing and book publishing there are interesting stories, both contemporary and from the past, that reflect on these pursuits. Some of the material is filled with a nostalgia and respect for a time in book publishing long gone. The opportunities and technology of the 1970s and 1980s are fascinating if you are interested in Australian cultural and creative history, which I am, but maybe don't have much bearing on a world sitting on the precipice of poorly regulated and soon to be super intelligent AI. I think there's been a book published about how to use AI in book publishing.
The book is composed of four parts - Part 1 - the Publishing Companies' respective origin stories are interlaced in alternating narratives. Part 2 - Practices of publishing are described in relation to publishing in the past and current times - Editing, Design & Typesetting and Marketing & Distribution. Part 3 - Five ground breaking books, and their stories from manuscript, through publication, to cultural and historical relevance are discussed - A Fortunate Life by A.B.Facey (Memoir), Reading the Country (Cross cultural narrative non-fiction), Lines of Flight (New fiction), My Place by Sally Morgan (Indigenous writing), and Twice not Shy (Flash fiction). Finally Part 4 - Conclusions - in which the author describes crisis points in both publishing houses that threaten their financial security and how they were resolved.
This book is an easily read slender volume of Australian cultural history and contemporary niche publishing. I found myself out of depth in relation to the West Australian focus as I had no particular background in it, but I did understand that the project of these publishing companies is to elevate the writers and creatives of West Australia. Going into the book, I was familiar with the following WA writers - Dorothy Hewett, Tim Winton, Elizabeth Jolley, Katharine Susannah Prichard, Randolph Stow, AB Facey and Sally Morgan - so, the ones who have made a big splash on the East Coast. The list also reflects that I have not kept up with contemporary WA writing, as most of these I read in my 20s and 30s. I have a big queue of books to read so not sure I am going to suddenly dive into fixing that issue but I am very interested in reading more about the history of publishing in Australia.
The book is composed of four parts - Part 1 - the Publishing Companies' respective origin stories are interlaced in alternating narratives. Part 2 - Practices of publishing are described in relation to publishing in the past and current times - Editing, Design & Typesetting and Marketing & Distribution. Part 3 - Five ground breaking books, and their stories from manuscript, through publication, to cultural and historical relevance are discussed - A Fortunate Life by A.B.Facey (Memoir), Reading the Country (Cross cultural narrative non-fiction), Lines of Flight (New fiction), My Place by Sally Morgan (Indigenous writing), and Twice not Shy (Flash fiction). Finally Part 4 - Conclusions - in which the author describes crisis points in both publishing houses that threaten their financial security and how they were resolved.
This book is an easily read slender volume of Australian cultural history and contemporary niche publishing. I found myself out of depth in relation to the West Australian focus as I had no particular background in it, but I did understand that the project of these publishing companies is to elevate the writers and creatives of West Australia. Going into the book, I was familiar with the following WA writers - Dorothy Hewett, Tim Winton, Elizabeth Jolley, Katharine Susannah Prichard, Randolph Stow, AB Facey and Sally Morgan - so, the ones who have made a big splash on the East Coast. The list also reflects that I have not kept up with contemporary WA writing, as most of these I read in my 20s and 30s. I have a big queue of books to read so not sure I am going to suddenly dive into fixing that issue but I am very interested in reading more about the history of publishing in Australia.
May 8, 2026
Linda Martin has taken the quote of ‘Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life’ to the next level. Linda fully understood what truly empowered her inner self, followed her passion and took on the challenge, making it her purpose, her life’s work and built a successful, fulfilling career.
It’s only fitting that this inspiring book is published and released by Fremantle Press in it’s fiftieth year.
Linda’s one on one interviews with the integral masterminds responsible for the publishing house we now know as Fremantle Press, were diplomatic, empathetic, honest, kind, mindful and very respectful in re-living those glorious, sometimes tumultuous, days for all involved.
Reading about the natural evolution of Night Parrot Press by both Linda and Laura was an amazing amalgamation of two dedicated likeminded women with a diverse skillset, publishing and editing backgrounds, with a vision that they turned into a reality.
With plenty of hiccups along the way, these extremely resourceful time poor, women juggling motherhood with career, eventually found the balance and it worked.
Thank you, Fremantle Press, Beauty and Lace and Linda Martin, for introducing me to the intriguing, unknown wonderful world of the publishing business.
To any aspiring authors, established authors and avid readers, I highly recommend reading ‘A tale of TWO PUBLISHING HOUSES’ as a must read, move it to the top of you TBR pile, you will be so glad you did.
It’s only fitting that this inspiring book is published and released by Fremantle Press in it’s fiftieth year.
Linda’s one on one interviews with the integral masterminds responsible for the publishing house we now know as Fremantle Press, were diplomatic, empathetic, honest, kind, mindful and very respectful in re-living those glorious, sometimes tumultuous, days for all involved.
Reading about the natural evolution of Night Parrot Press by both Linda and Laura was an amazing amalgamation of two dedicated likeminded women with a diverse skillset, publishing and editing backgrounds, with a vision that they turned into a reality.
With plenty of hiccups along the way, these extremely resourceful time poor, women juggling motherhood with career, eventually found the balance and it worked.
Thank you, Fremantle Press, Beauty and Lace and Linda Martin, for introducing me to the intriguing, unknown wonderful world of the publishing business.
To any aspiring authors, established authors and avid readers, I highly recommend reading ‘A tale of TWO PUBLISHING HOUSES’ as a must read, move it to the top of you TBR pile, you will be so glad you did.
April 23, 2026
Linda Martin’s 'A Tale of Two Publishing Houses' is a brilliantly observed and engaging, quick-read novel that illustrates the inner workings of the publishing world that she had lived with wit, intelligence, and surprisingly emotional depth. Set between two iconic Western Australian publishing firms, the story explores ambition, loyalty, and the background behind the books we love.
Martin writes with authority, authenticity and flair, capturing the personalities that populate the industry with affectionate precision. Highly recommended for anyone involved (or aspiring to be involved) in the publishing world in Australia and beyond.
Martin writes with authority, authenticity and flair, capturing the personalities that populate the industry with affectionate precision. Highly recommended for anyone involved (or aspiring to be involved) in the publishing world in Australia and beyond.
August 11, 2026
I'm glad the author shared her history and wrote this, and I'm glad, as a professional editor, I read it to find out more about the history of the WA publishing scene, but it is going to have limited appeal beyond a niche market. Lots of insights about how publishing has changed. Perhaps it has a future on the reading lists of writing, editing and publishing courses.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews