In this episode of Shelf Discovery, I do something a little different.

Instead of interviewing an author, I step into the spotlight and answer the same questions I usually ask my guests—this time about my own magical realism novel, Son of the Axe.

The result is a more personal, reflective episode that explores not just the story itself, but the deeper questions behind it: identity, legacy, and the quiet tension between the life we live and the life we feel we were meant to live.

A different kind of episode

This episode is part of Self-Made Stories, where the focus is usually on indie authors building their work outside traditional publishing.

But instead of a traditional interview, I walk you through the core ideas behind Son of the Axe by answering a simple set of questions:

• What is the book about?

• What other books is it similar to?

• Why might readers connect with it?

• Where did the idea come from?

It’s a format designed to give you a clear sense of the story—without overexplaining it.

The story at the centre

At its core, Son of the Axe follows Jacob Machado, a man who appears to have a stable, complete life—until something shifts.

A midlife crisis, or perhaps something deeper.

When Jacob acquires a mysterious axe linked to his 12th-century ancestor, what begins as curiosity turns into obsession. He starts tracing his family history across Portugal, Spain, and Colombia, searching for meaning in the past.

But the deeper he goes, the more the line between history and something… less explainable begins to blur.

The journey comes at a cost.

His work, his relationships, and his sense of reality all begin to unravel.

And at the centre of it all is a question he cannot avoid:

Do you hold on to the past—or do you let it go?

A story grounded in real questions

While the novel includes supernatural elements—a cursed object, ghostly visions, echoes of the past—the heart of the story is deeply human.

It explores questions many readers will recognise:

• Where do I come from?

• How much does my past define me?

• What does it mean to live a meaningful life?

• What kind of legacy am I leaving behind?

As I explain in the episode, this is not just a story about a man and an object.

It’s about identity.

And the tension between the life we have… and the life we imagine could have been.

Books that shaped the story

To give listeners a sense of the tone and themes, I compare Son of the Axe to a few well-known novels:

• The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab — for its exploration of memory and legacy across time

• The Midnight Library by Matt Haig — for its psychological depth and focus on regret and alternate lives

• The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón — for its atmosphere and connection between past and present

Each comparison highlights a different aspect of the novel, from its emotional core to its narrative structure.

The personal inspiration behind the book

One of the most revealing parts of the episode is the origin of the story.

Son of the Axe draws directly from my own family history.

The novel begins with the real story of my 22nd great-grandfather, a man who fought in 12th-century Portugal. From there, I traced the journey of my ancestors across countries and generations.

That research sparked something deeper.

A realization that history is not just a sequence of events—it’s a chain of decisions, identities, and unresolved questions that continue to echo forward.

The novel builds on that idea, blending real history with imagination to explore how the past shapes the present.

A glimpse into the story

The episode also includes a reading from the opening page, set in medieval Portugal.

It introduces the origin of the axe and hints at the long arc of the story—one that stretches across centuries and connects past and present through a single object.

Without giving too much away, it sets the tone: atmospheric, historical, and slightly unsettling.

Where to find the book

Son of the Axe is available in multiple formats:

• Paperback (widely available)

• Hardback (via Amazon)

• Ebook (including Kindle Unlimited)

At the time of recording, the ebook is priced at an accessible level, making it easy to try.

For more information, including links and details about the sequel novella What the Axe Did Next, you can visit:

dpmartinez.uk

Listen if you enjoy:

• magical realism grounded in real history

• character-driven stories about identity and purpose

• novels that blend past and present

• reflective, slightly darker explorations of meaning

• discovering indie books with a personal origin

On Amazon. On TikTok. On Goodreads. On YouTube.

Different platforms. Different creators. Same titles.

It starts to feel like discovery… but something about it feels off.

How much of what we read is actually chosen by us—and how much is shaped by algorithms?

The quiet influence of recommendation systems

Most of us assume that book recommendations reflect our taste.

You click on something you like, and the system responds. It feels personal. Almost intuitive.

But research suggests something more complex is happening.

A recent paper on recommender systems highlights that these systems “influence the types of narratives and ideas to which users are exposed” — meaning they don’t just reflect preferences, they actively shape them. (Source: Recommender Systems and Narrative Exposure, arXiv)

In other words, algorithms don’t simply help you find books. They quietly define the boundaries of what you’re likely to encounter.

Why you keep seeing the same books

If you’ve ever felt like your feed is repeating itself, there’s a reason for that.

Researchers refer to it as “popularity bias.”

A study on recommendation systems found that popular items are disproportionately recommended, while less-known works receive far less exposure—even when they might be equally relevant. (Source: Popularity Bias in Recommender Systems, arXiv)

This creates a loop:

• books that get attention early → get recommended more

• books that get recommended more → gain more attention

And so on.

The result? A relatively small group of books dominates visibility across platforms.

The hidden side of the algorithm

Another study found that recommendation systems can increase “homogeneity” in what users consume over time—meaning people are exposed to a narrower range of content as the system learns their behavior. (Source: Algorithmic Confounding in Recommendation Systems, arXiv)

And if your taste leans slightly outside the mainstream, the problem gets worse.

Research from CWI (Centrum Wiskunde & Informatica) shows that users with niche interests often receive less accurate and less diverse recommendations than mainstream users. (Source: The Unfairness of Popularity Bias in Recommendation, CWI)

So while it feels like you have endless options…

You may actually be seeing a narrower slice of the literary world.

What kinds of books get left behind

Without giving too much away from the episode, we explore several types of books that tend to struggle in algorithm-driven systems.

These often include:

• slower, more subtle stories

• books that don’t fit neatly into a single genre

• stylistically complex or literary writing

• indie books without early traction

• translated or culturally specific works

These books aren’t rejected outright.

They simply don’t gain the visibility needed to enter the recommendation loop.

Readers are starting to notice

This isn’t just theoretical.

Readers themselves are beginning to push back.

In a recent article, one reader described algorithm-driven discovery like this:

“The algorithm… gives you the same books within the genre.”
(Source: The Guardian, 2024)

That sense of repetition is becoming more visible—and more frustrating.

A different way to discover books

In the episode, we explore practical ways to step outside that loop—without making discovery harder or more time-consuming.

Because better reading doesn’t require more effort.

It requires better inputs.

Algorithms are very good at showing you what’s already winning.

But the most interesting books—the ones that feel new, strange, or unexpectedly brilliant—often sit just outside that system.

You just have to know where to look.

Listen to the full episode to explore how algorithms shape your reading—and how to take back control of your discovery.

For many readers, the answer is: a long time ago.

Short fiction used to play a much larger role in literary culture. Writers such as Jorge Luis Borges, Edgar Allan Poe, and many authors built lasting reputations through the short story. Yet today, short story collections often feel strangely absent from bookshop shelves.

In this episode of Shelf Discovery, I speak with Tom Conaghan, founder of Scratch Books, an independent press dedicated to keeping the short story alive as a vibrant literary form.

Our conversation explores why short fiction struggles in the traditional publishing ecosystem—and why passionate independent publishers are working to change that.

Why short stories struggle in traditional publishing

One of the themes that emerges early in the discussion is the way publishing trends shape what readers encounter.

Many editors and agents believe that short story collections are harder to sell than novels. Readers browsing in bookshops often hesitate when they realise a book contains multiple stories instead of a single continuous narrative. As a result, major publishers frequently prioritise novels or collections written by already well-known authors.

This creates a feedback loop:

• fewer short story collections are published

• readers encounter them less often

• publishers interpret this as a lack of demand

Tom describes this as an ecosystem issue rather than a failure of the form itself. In other literary traditions—particularly in Ireland and the United States—the short story still occupies a central place in literary culture.

Scratch Books was created partly to challenge the assumption that readers no longer care about short fiction.

The origins of Scratch Books

Scratch Books grew out of Tom’s work with the Word Factory, an organisation that champions the short story in the UK.

One early project involved collecting interviews with writers about how they constructed their short stories. That idea eventually evolved into a book—and the experience of assembling it provided the spark for launching a small publishing venture.

From there, Scratch Books gradually expanded its catalogue, focusing on projects that celebrate both the craft and the creative possibilities of short fiction.

Today, the press publishes only two books each year, allowing them to focus on works that feel particularly distinctive and ambitious.

A standout recommendation from the catalogue

During the conversation, Tom highlights a book he particularly recommends: The Unreliable Nature Writer by Claire Carroll.

The collection imagines a future shaped by climate change but approaches the subject with subtle humour and restraint rather than heavy-handed warning. The stories move between elements of science fiction, dark comedy, and psychological observation.

Tom describes the writing as precise and quietly unsettling—stories that evoke powerful emotional responses through suggestion rather than explicit explanation.

This kind of tonal complexity is one of the reasons short fiction can feel so distinctive. A story may be only a few pages long, yet leave readers thinking about it for days.

A favourite short story collection outside the press

Beyond the Scratch Books catalogue, Tom also mentions a personal favourite: Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett.

The book occupies a fascinating space between a traditional story collection and a fragmented novel. The pieces share a voice and sensibility, creating a loose continuity without following a conventional narrative arc.

It is a good example of how short fiction can blur boundaries between literary forms while maintaining a powerful sense of voice.

Why short stories still matter

One of the most interesting ideas in the episode is that short stories often deliver something unique that novels cannot.

A novel immerses readers in a sustained narrative world. A short story, by contrast, can create a sudden emotional or intellectual impact—sometimes in just a few pages.

The form allows writers to experiment with voice, tone, and perspective in ways that feel immediate and surprising.

And for readers, discovering a powerful short story can feel like encountering a perfectly crafted piece of literary lightning.

Listen if you enjoy:

• discovering unusual corners of the literary world

• short fiction by innovative writers

• conversations about how stories are created

• independent presses that champion overlooked genres

• finding new authors before they become widely known

Short stories may not dominate bookstore displays the way novels do, but conversations like this one suggest the form is far from disappearing.

In fact, thanks to passionate readers, writers, and independent publishers, the short story might be entering a fascinating new chapter.

A philosophical space opera told entirely through letters… written in the style of William Shakespeare.

You might be intrigued.
You might also wonder whether a book like that could ever make it through a traditional publishing house.

In this episode of Shelf Discovery, I explore a question that many readers never stop to ask:

What kinds of books struggle to survive traditional publishing—and why do they often appear in the indie world instead?

Traditional publishing operates with clear categories, marketing strategies, and financial risks to manage. That system produces many excellent books. But it also tends to filter out certain kinds of stories before readers ever have the chance to see them.

Meanwhile, the rise of independent publishing has opened a parallel ecosystem where unusual, hybrid, and experimental ideas can reach audiences directly.

In this episode, we look at several types of books that frequently fall outside the mainstream publishing model—without dismissing the value of traditional publishing itself.

Some of these books combine genres in ways that confuse marketing departments. Others centre on protagonists who don’t fit the usual commercial mould. Some explore subjects that feel too niche for large publishers, while others experiment with storytelling structures that break familiar narrative rules.

Rather than listing examples for the sake of curiosity, the episode asks a deeper question:

What happens to storytelling when creative risk meets economic reality?

And more importantly for readers:

Where do you find the books that slip through the cracks of the traditional system?

If you enjoy discovering unusual stories, niche ideas, or novels that don’t quite behave the way you expect them to, this episode looks at why those books exist—and why the indie publishing world has become their natural habitat.

Listen to the full episode to explore the surprising kinds of books that might never survive traditional publishing… but can still find passionate readers.

In this episode of Shelf Discovery, I sit down with indie author Jesse Karjalainen to talk about his upcoming historical conspiracy thriller, The Broken Crown. The novel blends real historical foundations with high-stakes suspense, following a London taxi driver who unknowingly becomes entangled in a mystery connected to the English monarchy.

If you enjoy stories that combine history, hidden secrets, and fast-paced storytelling in the tradition of classic conspiracy thrillers, this conversation offers a fascinating look behind the scenes.

From ordinary life to extraordinary danger

Rather than building his story around a trained agent or academic expert, Jesse deliberately chose a protagonist who feels grounded and recognisable.

The hero of The Broken Crown is an ordinary taxi driver whose life changes after discovering a mysterious object—a piece of gold that becomes the entry point into a much larger historical secret. This choice allows readers to experience the unfolding mystery through someone without specialised knowledge or institutional power.

The result is a story that emphasises curiosity and survival over expertise, making the stakes feel immediate and personal.

Historical roots and conspiracy fiction

Jesse explains that the novel draws heavily from real English history. Rather than inventing an entirely fictional background, he builds his plot around historical tensions, myths, and unanswered questions that already exist within the public imagination.

This grounding in reality gives the story a sense of plausibility—one of the defining qualities of conspiracy fiction. The goal is to make readers wonder where the historical record ends and invention begins.

The conversation touches on how research feeds narrative momentum without slowing the pacing, a balancing act central to the genre.

Influences and genre tradition

During the episode, Jesse discusses the authors who shaped his approach, including Dan Brown and Steve Berry, both known for combining real historical elements with fast-moving plots.

While The Broken Crown sits comfortably within this tradition, Jesse also focuses on bringing a fresh perspective through character choice and setting, grounding global-scale mysteries in everyday life.

Building toward a trilogy

Jesse shares that The Broken Crown is planned as the first part of a larger trilogy. The story’s world expands beyond a single mystery, with future books set to explore new historical threads while continuing the journey of the main character.

This long-term vision reflects one of the advantages indie authors often have: the freedom to build expansive, interconnected narratives without waiting for external approval.

Listen if you enjoy:

• conspiracy thrillers rooted in real history

• fast-paced mysteries with ordinary protagonists

• stories that blend fact and fiction

• novels in the tradition of Dan Brown-style adventures

• indie thrillers with big narrative ambition

Conspiracy fiction works best when it taps into something readers already suspect—the idea that history still holds unanswered questions.

With The Broken Crown, Jesse Karjalainen invites readers into a world where hidden narratives sit just beneath the surface of ordinary life, waiting for someone curious enough to uncover them.

Our conversation explores what happens when literature crosses cultural boundaries, how translation reshapes storytelling, and why small presses play such an important role in expanding what readers can discover.

The mission behind Sinoist Books

Sinoist Books was founded with a clear purpose: to introduce Chinese-language fiction and nonfiction to Anglophone readers through carefully selected translation projects.

Rather than treating translation as a niche category, the press approaches it as a way to broaden the literary conversation. The goal is not simply to transfer words from one language to another, but to present stories that resonate emotionally and culturally with readers who may have little prior exposure to Chinese literature.

Daniel explains how the press works closely with publishers in China to identify titles that travel well across cultures while still preserving their local identity.

What “Sinophone literature” means — and why it matters

A key part of the conversation centres on the idea of Sinophone literature.

The term goes beyond literature produced within mainland China. It includes writing in Chinese from a range of regions and cultural contexts, each with its own social realities and narrative traditions. For English-language readers, this wider lens creates opportunities to encounter voices and perspectives that rarely appear in Western publishing pipelines.

Translation, in this sense, becomes a form of literary bridge-building rather than simple adaptation.

Bridging two publishing ecosystems

Daniel also offers insight into how the Chinese publishing market differs from the UK and US systems.

From editorial processes to reader expectations, the two ecosystems operate in distinct ways. Bringing a book into English therefore involves more than linguistic translation; it requires cultural interpretation and thoughtful editorial positioning.

Sinoist Books carefully considers which themes, narrative styles, and emotional core elements will connect with Anglophone audiences without flattening the original work.

This balancing act sits at the heart of the press’s editorial philosophy.

Spotlight on the catalogue

During the episode, Daniel highlights two titles that reflect the range of the Sinoist Books list:

• Old Kiln, a story rooted in history and place, showing how local narratives can carry universal emotional weight.

• Tibetan Sky, which introduces readers to a very different social and geographic setting while remaining accessible to those unfamiliar with the context.

Both books demonstrate how translation can open windows into unfamiliar worlds while still delivering compelling storytelling.

Choosing books that translate beyond language

One of the most interesting parts of the discussion focuses on selection criteria.

When assessing potential titles, the team looks for:

• strong narrative clarity

• themes that resonate across cultures

• emotional accessibility

• distinctive voices that feel authentic to their origins

Rather than chasing trends, the press prioritises stories that maintain their cultural specificity while offering something relatable for international readers.

This editorial patience is one of the defining strengths of independent publishing.

An indie recommendation beyond the catalogue

As part of the Shelf Discovery format, Daniel also recommends an independent title outside the Sinoist Books list: Relearning to Read by Anne Morgan.

The recommendation reflects the broader spirit of the episode — curiosity, cross-cultural exploration, and an openness to reading experiences that challenge familiar habits.

Why this conversation matters for readers

Many readers want to diversify their bookshelves but struggle with where to begin. Translation can feel intimidating or distant, partly because so little translated work receives mainstream attention.

This conversation reframes translation as an entry point rather than a barrier.

Small presses like Sinoist Books act as trusted guides, helping readers move beyond algorithm-driven recommendations and into new literary territories without losing accessibility or narrative connection.

Listen if you’re interested in:

• translated fiction and global literature

• how independent presses choose and shape their catalogues

• publishing differences between China and the English-speaking market

• discovering new cultural perspectives through storytelling

• expanding your reading horizons beyond familiar genres

News flash!

Today is the release of my new book, What The Axe Did Next: A Son of the Axe Novella. This is a fun and witty story that takes place after the events of my novel Son of the Axe. So if you haven’t read them, I suggest you grab a copy today (Son of the Axe is free on Kindle for the next three days only!)

Fairy tales taught many of us to see the world in sharp contrasts. Heroes were young, beautiful, and chosen. Villains were old, bitter, and disposable. The wicked witch existed to be defeated, not understood.

But what happens when those witches refuse to disappear?

In this episode, I speak with indie fantasy author Jennifer Taylor-Gray about her debut novel The Old Crones Club, a bold and imaginative retelling that brings together some of the most familiar villains of childhood folklore and gives them something they were never meant to have: agency.

This is a story about reclaiming identity, rewriting legacy, and refusing to accept the version of yourself that others created.

A fairy tale rebellion begins

At the heart of The Old Crones Club is a simple but powerful premise.

A group of witches—figures drawn from the margins of familiar fairy tales—are imprisoned by the secretive Grimm Brotherhood, an organisation dedicated to preserving the official versions of these stories. Their goal is not just containment, but erasure. The witches’ memories, identities, and individual histories are slowly being stripped away to preserve the neat moral order that fairy tales demand.

But these women escape.

What follows is not just a physical journey, but an existential one. As they rediscover fragments of their past, they begin to question the roles assigned to them. Were they always villains? Or were they written that way by forces that needed simple stories and clear moral boundaries?

The novel transforms familiar archetypes into fully realised characters, capable of loyalty, fear, anger, humour, and growth.

Why this book stands out in indie fantasy

Indie fantasy often thrives on ideas that mainstream publishing hesitates to embrace. The Old Crones Club exemplifies this freedom.

Its focus on older protagonists, its interrogation of familiar folklore, and its willingness to question narrative authority all reflect the creative risks that independent publishing makes possible.

Readers who enjoy folklore-inspired fantasy, morally complex characters, and stories about resistance and self-definition will find much to appreciate here.

Listen if you are interested in:

• Fairy tale retellings with unconventional protagonists

• Fantasy centred on older characters and overlooked perspectives

• Stories that question traditional narrative roles

• Indie fantasy that blends humour, emotional depth, and folklore

• Novels about identity, memory, and reclaiming agency

Fairy tales were never fixed. They evolved through retelling, adaptation, and reinterpretation.

The Old Crones Club continues that tradition by asking a simple but unsettling question:

What if the villains were never villains at all—only characters whose stories were told by someone else?

Jennifer Taylor-Gray’s novel offers one possible answer.

Grab a copy of The Old Crones Club and What The Axe Did Next and support indie authors!

The challenge rarely comes from a lack of strong writing. It comes from how discovery now works and from how easily readers become overwhelmed by choice.

In this episode, I share a practical, reader-first framework for finding high-quality indie fiction quickly and with confidence, without endless scrolling or avoidable disappointment.

This episode focuses on choosing better, rather than choosing more.

The discovery problem readers actually face

Indie fiction exists outside the commercial infrastructure that supports mainstream publishing: national distribution, paid visibility, front-of-store placement and large publicity teams.

Readers therefore face:

• a huge volume of available titles

• very limited editorial guidance

• recommendation systems designed around engagement and popularity

For many readers, this turns curiosity into fatigue. This episode shows how to build a small, reliable discovery system that replaces overwhelm with clarity.

Where to look for good indie books

The fastest way to improve your reading hit rate is to stop starting your search on retail platforms.

Three curated layers consistently produce better results.

1. Independent presses

Small and mid-size presses already perform a strong editorial filtering role.

They publish fewer books and usually maintain a clear literary identity: literary fiction, experimental work, translated fiction, political or social themes, or particular genre blends.

Once you find a press whose catalogue regularly appeals to you, you gain a long-term source of aligned recommendations.

Follow:

• their catalogue

• their newsletter

• their forthcoming titles

This dramatically reduces search time.

2. Independent bookshops

Indie booksellers remain one of the strongest quality signals available to readers.

Their recommendations come from daily contact with readers, returns, gift purchases and hand-selling conversations.

When a small shop repeatedly recommends the same unfamiliar title over several weeks, that consistency reflects curatorial confidence rather than promotional pressure.

Taste remains visible in physical spaces.

3. Curated newsletters and specialist platforms

General book media tends to follow attention. Curated newsletters and specialist review platforms follow editorial judgement.

A small number of carefully chosen newsletters and indie-focused review outlets can offer:

• early discovery

• contextualised criticism

• clearer expectations around tone and style

Look for people who analyse books, rather than simply promote them.

How to judge a book quickly but fairly

You do not need to read extensively before deciding whether a book deserves your time.

A short, focused inspection usually reveals far more than star ratings.

Read the opening pages

Ignore the premise at first. Pay attention instead to:

• sentence control

• narrative voice

• clarity of perspective

• editorial polish

When prose feels unstable or unclear on the opening page, the reading experience rarely becomes significantly smoother later.

This is a practical reading skill rather than a critical judgement.

A simple discovery sequence

Before committing to an indie book, try the following:

1. Who published it or who is actively recommending it?

2. Do you recognise and trust their taste?

3. Have you read the first two pages?

4. Do two independent sources describe the book in similar ways?

Three positive answers usually indicate a strong match.

What Shelf Discovery contributes

This podcast exists to replace volume with judgement. Instead of expanding recommendation lists, it focuses on:

• authors explaining their work clearly

• publishers describing their editorial vision openly

• bookshops sharing what readers genuinely respond to

The aim is to strengthen reader confidence rather than prescribe reading choices.

Recommended for

This episode suits readers who:

• read widely and feel increasingly selective

• feel curious about indie fiction but uncertain where to begin

• experience fatigue from hype-driven recommendation cycles

• value efficient, informed decision-making

• care more about reading experience than social visibility

Indie fiction presents few barriers at the level of reading itself.

Most obstacles appear earlier, at the discovery stage.

Once readers build small, trusted channels for finding books, the search becomes calmer, faster and far more rewarding.

Curiosity regains its place as a strength rather than a risk.

We unpack what “women’s fiction” really means in practice, why it is often a marketing shortcut rather than a meaningful literary category, and how Heloise Press has built a catalogue centred on bold contemporary voices, international perspectives, and stylistically daring work.

If you are a reader curious about translated fiction, emerging writers, and independent presses that take genuine editorial risks, this conversation offers a rare and refreshingly honest look behind the scenes.

How Heloise Press began

Aina shares the origins of Heloise Press and how the imprint was shaped from the start by a strong interest in literature in translation. Rather than focusing only on domestic submissions, the press was created to bring international voices—particularly women writers—into the UK literary space.

This commitment to translation is not treated as a niche add-on, but as a core part of the publisher’s identity and editorial vision.

What Heloise Press looks for in submissions

Aina speaks openly about what draws her to a manuscript and how editorial decisions are made at a small, independent press.

Rather than prioritising trend alignment or market forecasts, she looks for:

• strong and distinctive narrative voices

• stories that take stylistic risks

• authors who are doing something formally or thematically interesting

• writing that feels necessary rather than imitative

This approach allows Heloise Press to publish books that may not fit neatly into conventional commercial categories, but which offer readers something genuinely new.

Standout titles and upcoming releases

During the episode, Aina highlights two books from the Heloise Press catalogue that capture the press’s editorial direction particularly well.

One is a debut novel by a Cuban author, translated into English, which reflects the press’s international outlook and its commitment to bringing underrepresented literary voices into the UK market. It’s The Weasel and the Whore by Martha Luisa Hernandez Cadenas.

She also shares an upcoming short story collection, Diamond Life by London-based writer, Anna Maconochie—an example of how the press balances international literature with local contemporary voices.

Both recommendations underline the breadth of the catalogue and the refusal to confine women’s writing to a single narrative style.

An indie recommendation beyond her own list

As part of the Shelf Discovery format, Aina also recommends an independent novel published outside of Heloise Press.

Rather than choosing something aligned to her own catalogue, she points listeners towards a challenging and formally ambitious work from another small press, Praiseworthy by Alexis Wright.

Why this conversation matters for readers

This episode is not only about one publishing house. It offers a wider lens on how books reach readers—and how much of what we read is shaped by commercial classification, distribution structures and discoverability systems.

Heloise Press represents a model of independent publishing that prioritises:

• literary experimentation

• international perspectives

• careful editorial curation

• and long-term cultural value over short-term sales trends

For readers who want to understand how alternative literary ecosystems function, this conversation provides rare insight.

Listen if you are interested in

• translated contemporary fiction

• women writers beyond marketing categories

• independent presses and how they select books

• short story collections and experimental narratives

• discovering emerging international voices

Heloise Press demonstrates that independent publishing can still act as a cultural filter rather than a volume machine. By resisting narrow genre labelling and commercial shortcuts, the press opens space for readers to encounter literature that is complex, international and quietly ambitious.

If you are trying to widen your reading horizons without relying on algorithms to do the choosing for you, this episode offers a thoughtful starting point.

Sometimes that world is magical, sometimes it’s monstrous, and sometimes it’s just a bit bureaucratic.

In this episode of Shelf Discovery, we highlight a clever and original British indie novel that leans into that tradition with wit, nostalgia, and imaginative worldbuilding.

Our guest is Jay Neil, author of The Terminus of All Things, an urban fantasy set between present-day England and a realm called Endland, where forgotten ideas, brands, and beliefs go to live out their final days. The result is a story that is both humorous and contemplative, blending fantastical elements with the mundane in a way reminiscent of British cult fantasy.

If you enjoy Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, Robert Rankin’s eccentric suburban fantasies, or novels that reveal the hidden machinery behind magical worlds, this episode belongs on your radar.

What We Cover in This Episode

• What The Terminus of All Things is about
  Neal introduces us to Endland, a place where the castoffs of British culture go when they fade from public attention. The novel follows an ordinary man who stumbles into this world and discovers it is intricately linked to our own.

• How Neal describes his literary influences
  He cites British fantasy author Robert Rankin as his touchstone — especially Rankin’s talent for placing the absurd inside mundane environments.

• Why readers will enjoy it
  The book is packed with nostalgia for readers in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, but it also wrestles with deeper themes like loss, love, and the transience of the things we attach meaning to. It has been described by early readers as a book that “makes people think.”

• Where the idea came from
  Interestingly, the novel wasn’t initially driven by nostalgia at all. Neil explains that a scene from Michel Faber’s novel D sparked his interest in the bureaucratic side of fantasy worlds — border guards, paperwork, and the people who keep imaginary worlds functioning behind the scenes.

• Jay Neil’s first-page reading
  The episode includes a short reading from the opening chapter, set in Waterloo Station. It grounds the story in the real world before the narrative spirals toward the surreal.

Why You Might Like This Book

Urban fantasy is often described through its aesthetics (gritty streets, hidden magic, strange shadows) but Neil’s work approaches it from a slightly different angle. His fantasy realm has customs officials, paperwork, and a life cycle for forgotten cultural artifacts. That mix of worldbuilding, nostalgia, and absurdity makes it an appealing choice for readers who enjoy:

• British humour and voice-driven storytelling

• Fantastical worlds built from real cultural material

• Stories that blend emotional weight with absurdity

• Thematic exploration of memory, identity, and loss

If you’ve ever wondered where fads, brands, or beliefs go once they fade, this book imagines an answer.

Where to Find the Book

The Terminus of All Things is available on:

• Amazon (paperback and ebook)

• TikTok Shop (via the author)

Find Jay Neil on TikTok at @jneal5.

There’s a certain magic that happens when an author takes the ordinary world and nudges it sideways.

Jay Neil does that with humour, nostalgia, and a distinctly British sensibility. If you like your fantasy with a touch of weirdness and a lot of heart, this one deserves a spot on your shelf.

If you’ve ever wondered why the same titles dominate bestseller lists while brilliant indie novels barely get mentioned, this one is for you.

The Core Problem: Too Many Books, Too Little Guidance

The digital era opened the floodgates. In 2023 alone, more than 2.6 million self-published books were registered with ISBNs in the US — significantly outpacing traditionally published titles. This is great for creative diversity, but it creates a problem of scale: how do readers find the good stuff?

When the pool expands faster than the curation, the risk of overwhelm goes up.

Algorithms Reward Familiarity, Not Discovery

Most modern book discovery happens through recommendation feeds—Amazon, TikTok, Goodreads, YouTube, or front-table displays. Recommendation systems tend to amplify what’s already popular because it’s a safe bet for engagement.

This creates a feedback loop:

visibility → sales → visibility

Indie fiction rarely gets the first push, so it rarely enters the loop.

Perception vs. Quality

A common worry among readers is that indie books might be lower quality. That perception didn’t appear out of thin air — when barriers to publication drop, quality varies. But that’s only part of the story.

On the other side, data shows indie titles command a meaningful share of the ebook market, with some analyses estimating indie authors control roughly a third of US ebook sales.

Quality isn’t the core issue — discoverability is.

The Marketing Gap

Traditional publishers have:

• distribution deals

• publicity departments

• sales reps

• influencer outreach

• media relationships

Most indie authors don’t. A 2024 industry survey found that nearly 80 percent of indie authors cite marketing as their biggest challenge—not writing, not editing, not publishing, but getting seen.

When books don’t reach readers, they don’t get read, no matter how good they are.

The Psychology: Fear of Missing Out

There’s also a social element. A lot of us want to read the books people are talking about:

• the BookTok sensations

• the celebrity book club picks

• the major publisher “instant bestsellers”

• the titles with film or TV deals

Reading is often communal, and mainstream books dominate the conversation. Indie fiction rarely gets that communal spotlight unless readers make it intentionally.

What This Podcast Is Trying To Do

Shelf Discovery exists to narrow the field, not widen it.

Instead of dumping readers into the ocean of indie titles, the goal is to create a curated pathway through it:

• conversations with indie authors

• spotlights on small presses

• insights from indie bookshops

• themed recommendation episodes

• explainers about how the ecosystem works

The point is not to replace mainstream reading, but to add a discovery layer that’s harder to access without guidance.

If You Want to Explore Indie Fiction Without Getting Lost

A few practical approaches mentioned in the episode:

• follow indie presses whose taste matches yours

• let indie booksellers curate for you

• use platforms outside the Amazon loop (for example, The StoryGraph)

• balance “safe reads” with “experimental picks”

• treat indie fiction as discovery, not homework

You don’t have to abandon the books you already love. This is additive, not corrective.

Recommended For

This episode is a good fit if you:

• enjoy literary or genre fiction but want more variety

• feel curious about small presses or self-publishing

• like being early to great books before they’re hyped

• want thoughtful curation, not algorithms

Indie fiction doesn’t lack talent—it lacks visibility, infrastructure, and a clear path to readers. Once those barriers lower, the landscape opens up in exciting ways. This podcast aims to become one small part of that bridge.

If you’ve been wondering where satire sits in modern indie fiction—beyond Swift, Heller, or the campus novel—this episode offers a fresh example rooted in Brexit-era London, Anglo-Irish identity, and the politics of belonging.

A Novel with Bite (and a Silent Pub)

Murphy Who Talks follows a talkative barman who decides to open London’s first silent pub — a premise that blends deadpan humour with commentary on hypocrisy, loneliness, and identity.

Ronan describes it as both satirical and deeply personal, shaped by the political climate of 2018 and the UK–Ireland dynamic around Brexit.

Influences & Comp Titles

While the “silent pub” concept is unique, Ronan situates the book stylistically among:

• Kurt Vonnegut

• The Sympathizer (Viet Thanh Nguyen)

• House of Stone (Novuyo Rosa Tshuma)

All works that mix satire, voice, and commentary in interesting ways.

Themes You’ll Find in Murphy Who Talks

Ronan highlights several key themes shaping the novel:

• Identity & belonging — particularly Anglo-Irish experience in the UK

• Masculinity & loneliness

• Political absurdity & Brexit tensions

• Humour as coping and critique

The duality of micro (a lonely barman’s life) and macro (national politics) drives the narrative forward.

Who Will Enjoy This Book?

According to Ronan, more readers than you might expect. The surface premise is quirky, but the book speaks to wider concerns readers are already thinking about—questions of national identity, belonging, and political direction. Readers who enjoy:

• literary satire

• unreliable narrators

• political comedy

• voice-driven fiction

will feel right at home.

He also notes that not everyone enjoys comedic or wry fiction—and that’s fine. The honesty helps readers self-select.

A Taste of the Voice

We also hear Ronan read the opening page of Murphy Who Talks, which immediately sets the tone: dry humour, precise voice, and a narrator you want to follow—even when you’re not sure whether he’s joking.

Listen If You’re Interested In:

• contemporary satire

• Brexit-era fiction

• Anglo-Irish perspectives

• voice-driven storytelling

• identity politics in literature

Murphy Who Talks blends humour, politics, and humanity in a way that feels timely without sacrificing character or craft. Get your copy here.

In this episode (#2), we go behind the shelves and into the indie publishing world. I’m joined by Damien Mosley, founder of Indie Novella, a London-based press championing “accessible literary fiction” and stories that explore identity, hidden histories, and modern life.

For readers who love discovery, this episode offers a clear window into how a small press selects books, works with authors, and reaches readers outside traditional publishing channels.

What We Cover in This Episode

✔ Indie Novella’s mission and identity:
Damien explains the press’s focus on accessible literary fiction, and how they publish stories that sit between genres without feeling intimidating to readers.

✔ The standout title from their catalogue:
When asked to choose one book readers should pick up this year, Damien highlights Lotte by Martin Raymond — a novel born from a deeply personal family history and written in a unique, unforgettable voice.

✔ What makes Indie Novella different:
We discuss how their publishing approach breaks some of traditional publishing’s expectations:

• prioritising author voice over commercial formula

• cultivating close author–publisher relationships

• measuring success by connection, not scale

• seeking stories that are “cool” and resonant rather than trend-driven

✔ The reality of reaching readers:
Damien shares a story from Red Lion Books in Colchester, where an Indie Novella title outsold major authors through genuine hand-selling by a passionate bookseller — proof that alternative paths to discovery exist.

✔ An indie recommendation beyond their catalogue:
Damien also recommends Exit Management by Naomi Booth, published by Liverpool-based press Dead Ink, describing it as a sharp, London-inflected novel that blurs the boundary between commercial and literary fiction.

Books and Presses Mentioned

• Lotte by Martin Raymond (Indie Novella)

• Murphy Who Talks by Ronan O’Shane (Indie Novella)

• Don’t Go to Work, The World’s Ending by Paul Dalton (Indie Novella)

• Exit Management by Naomi Booth (Dead Ink Books)

Indie Bookshops Shouted Out

According to Damien, these London shops are champions of indie presses:

• All Good Bookshop (Turnpike Lane)

• Ink@84 (Highbury)

• Pages of Hackney (Hackney)

Consider visiting them next time you’re book shopping — local booksellers are often the best curators of overlooked titles.

Listen If You’re Interested In:

• how small presses operate

• hidden gems in contemporary fiction

• how indie books reach readers

• literary fiction that isn’t intimidating or snobbish

• London’s independent book ecosystem

Indie publishing is full of quiet success stories, personal missions, and books you won’t find at the front of chain bookstores. Indie Novella represents that spirit perfectly—bold voices, intimate scale, and stories worth discovering.

Subscribe now

We break down the two core paths of indie publishing—self-published authors and authors working with independent presses — and explain how both differ from the traditional Big Five publishing machine. Along the way, we spotlight success stories from indie authors who crossed into mainstream consciousness, including Fifty Shades of Grey, The Martian, and more.

You’ll also hear about the Indie Press Network — a collaborative hub that connects small presses, booksellers, and readers, helping great books find their audiences. Whether you’re curious about how indie books are published or looking for new voices to read, this episode lays the foundation for your indie discovery journey.

What You’ll Learn:

• What “indie author” actually means

• The difference between self-published books and indie press books

• Examples of successful indie authors and breakout books

• Why indie publishing matters for readers

• How the Indie Press Network supports small presses and indie fiction

Recommended For: Readers seeking fresh voices, curious about publishing routes, and anyone ready to look beyond bestseller lists.

Every week, I interview a self-published author in five quick questions… then I talk to indie publishers and bookshops who know exactly which underrated stories deserve your attention.

Think of it as your shortcut to the best books you haven’t heard of yet.

First episode drops soon—and trust me, you’ll want this on your reading radar.

Follow for updates… and get ready to discover your next favourite book.