Indie Presses I Love
I don't view publishing as a competition; there are sooooo many awesome presses out there doing amazing things. Below is a list of presses whose work I'm familiar with, and whose ethos I love.
Please note: this list is likely to grow. If you are a publisher and are not on this list, it doesn't mean I don't love your work. It may mean I've not yet come across you—so reach out and let's change that!
A sister imprint to Slashic, SQUIRM launched in 2025 and focuses on YA queer horror. Check them out!
From their website: PWaB is devoted to expanding the queer horror space. We are passionate about providing a safe and positive publishing experience for writers and artists to share their unique perspectives.
From their website: TGP is an independent publisher 🦄 specialising in QUEER 🌈 YOUNG ADULT fiction 📚 and NEW ADULT ROMANCE ❤️, with a taste 👅 for all things spook-tacular 👻.
From their website: Lethe Press is one of the oldest publishers of the strange, the eerie, and the queer.
From their website: We're a women-owned independent publisher specialising in queer horror, crime and dark fiction
I couldn't see an about us, but they are a really cool publisher and also a small bookshop! Click their name above to see their site and all the cool things they're doing.
From their website: HS is dedicated to the provocative, scary, and strange–dark fiction that challenges boundaries, assaulting readers’ expectations and violating their comfort zones. We do all types of horror, from the quiet to the extreme, and love horror-adjacent areas like the surreal, the weird, and dark fantasy. We believe horror is important, even when, or perhaps especially when, it revels in the unthinkably bizarre and disgusting limits of the imagination. QUEER-OWNED
From their website: GHP is a small press dedicated to bringing readers quality books in the genres of horror, bizarro, science fiction, and dark fantasy. We are an inclusive outfit that celebrates diversity, and as such, we seek titles from a variety of creatives throughout the scene. Gloom House is an indie press with a punk ethic, so we are interested in working with both emerging and established authors. QUEER-OWNED
From their website: Truborn Press believes horror should never play it safe. Our mission is to publish stories that disturb, provoke, and stay with readers long after the last page. We thrive on the strange and the unsettling, the kinds of tales that refuse to fit neatly into boxes. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Horrorsmith Publishing is a small traditional publisher who releases horror, thriller, mystery, young adult, and sweet romance fiction. But our mission goes beyond releasing unforgettable stories. Horrorsmith exists to strengthen the entire indie writing community. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: At Undertaker Books, our mission is to provide publishing services to indie authors worldwide, spotlighting new and unique voices within the realm of horror fiction. We strive to offer a seamless publishing journey from submission to publication while providing valuable feedback every step of the way.
We believe in collaboration between authors, publishers, editors, and designers to bring diverse voices to the forefront of the horror genre. Our passion lies in creating a long-lasting partnership with authors by focusing on the “less is more” concept: quality releases, not the quantity of them. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: We are a collective of creatives who believe in the power of the written word. We work with our authors to create something special, and each one of us brings something unique to the table. With a focus on crafting quality books to house beautifully dark stories, our passion is evident in our projects. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: MAM publishes ADULT HORROR/THRILLERS/YA 90S NOTALGIA HORROR. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Terrorcore Publishing is a publishing house specializing in resurrecting vintage-inspired horror paperbacks from the 1980s. Our mission is to bring spooky titles to readers that spark nostalgia. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
A growing queer-owned horror press.
A wonderful press publishing all things horror. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Archive of the Odd is a zine that celebrates the weird and wonderful both in terms of story and format. We want to provide stories that engage readers and inspire them to look at both fiction and the world around them in a new way. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: TENEBROUS PRESS AIMS TO DRAG THE MALLEABLE HORROR GENRE INTO NEWER, WEIRDER TERRITORY WITH STORIES THAT ARE PROVOCATIVE, INTELLIGENT AND TERRIFYING, DELIVERED BY VOICES DIVERSE & UNSUNG. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Character-driven stories that merge the horror of existentialism and grief is our coffee and cream. LGBT-owned.
From their website: We’re bringing you the best independent horror, crime, and dark-fantasy fiction. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Queen of Swords is an independent small press based in Minneapolis, Minnesota and specializing in queer swashbuckling tales of derring-do, bold new adventures in time and space, mysterious stories of the occult and arcane and fantastical tales of LGBTQ+ people and lands far and near. All of our titles feature at least one LGBTQ protagonist.
From their website: Filthy Loot Press is an independent boutique publisher based in Ames, Iowa, dedicated to publishing misfit fictions, transgressive literature, existential horror, and other cult / underground genres. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: We strive to bring you the best in horror, one uncomfortably dark page at a time. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Whether it’s a murder that needs solving or an adventure worth risking your happiness for, I’m looking for women-forward and LGBTQA+ fiction and poetry from inspiring women, BIPOC, and LGBTQIA+ voices (see our submissions page for our list of acceptable work). I am looking for stories that celebrate strong, vulnerable women, the BIPOC community, and LGBTQ+ persons. I want stories that inspire me to do better, be better, and understand more.
From their website: Our purpose is in being a family-centric publisher of highly creative books, audio books, and digital/video content using our three core belief systems: integrity first, excellence in all we do, and service before self. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Cloaked Press is an independent publisher of dark, whimsical, and boundary-pushing sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. We champion queer, diverse, and marginalized voices while delivering immersive, reader-forward stories with teeth. From ghost-punching adventures to cosmic mysteries and folkloric nightmares, our books celebrate the wonderfully weird. Step into our worlds—and discover your next obsession.
From their website: We are an inclusive company that accepts submission from anyone regardless of race, gender or sexuality. We want unique, well-crafted stories with compelling plots, explosive worlds, thrilling ideas, terrifying twists, and entertaining characters, for mature audiences. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Publishing splatterpunk, extreme horror, gore smut, and transgressive horror. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY.
From their website: Curious Corvid Publishing is a community of artists who enjoy the darker side of life. We care about our authors, our partners, and our readers, and we want to bring uncommon delights to everyone who appreciates them. If you're a little weird, a little dark, and delightfully creative, you'll fit right in with us. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY
From their website: Moonstruck Books is an independent, queer-run press that publishes otherworldly, haunting fiction.
From their website: LVP Publications publishes horror, dark fiction, thrillers, steampunk and pulp fiction with supernatural, paranormal, psychological or occult elements. Unless otherwise stated in the specific project guidelines, submissions must fit into one of these categories and include at least one element. LGBTQ+ FRIENDLY + A QUEER IMPRINT LAUNCHING SOON.