Freight Books was an independent publisher based in Glasgow. It published books for an English speaking readership, [1] including award-winning literary fiction, poetry, illustrated non-fiction and humour. [2] Freight Books was named Scotland's Publisher of the Year 2015 [3] by the Saltire Society. [4] Freight Books published the debut novel of Martin Cathcart Froden, the winner of the 2015 Dundee International Book Prize. [5]
The company was founded as an imprint of Freight Design by Adrian Searle in 2011. The publisher increased its output each year, at its peak publishing 35 titles in 2016, [6] with notable publications including Gutter magazine , a Scottish magazine of new writing established in 2009 (and still in existence), Jellyfish by Janice Galloway and the international bestseller The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu. [7] [8]
Freight Books acquired Cargo Publishing in September 2015. [9] [10]
In April 2017 Searle left the business citing "differences over strategic direction" between himself and fellow director Davinder Samrai. [11] Two months later Freight Books was offered for sale through the Publishing Scotland website. [12] The company was finally liquidated that December and it disappeared from the Scottish Publishing scene after failing to find a suitable buyer. Authors left the publishing house with unpaid royalties. [13]
2015: Freight won publisher of the year by the Saltire Society. [20]
2015: Killochries by Jim Carruth shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Poetry Book of the Year Award. [21]
2015: Lifeblood by Gill Fyffe shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award. [22]
2015: Jellyfish by Janice Galloway shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Fiction Book of the Year Award. [23]
2015: Fishnet by Kirsten Innes won the Guardian Not the Booker Prize. [24]
2012: The Falling Sky by Pippa Goldschmidt was runner-up in the Dundee International Book Prize. [25]
2012: Furnace by Wayne Price longlisted for the Frank O'Connor Prize and nominated for the Saltire Scottish First Book of the Year. [26]
2010: Gutter won the Chairman's Award at the Scottish Design Awards. [27]
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