In this episode, I sit down with Aina Marti Balcells, founder of Heloise Press, to talk about how an indie publisher can reshape what readers discover when they step beyond bestseller tables and algorithm-driven recommendations.
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.
