Building a Fierce Independent Press: A Conversation with Read Furiously’s Samantha Atzeni {ep. 178}
August 27, 2025
Independent publishing isn’t easy—but it’s deeply rewarding. In this episode, Alexa talks with Samantha Atzeni of Read Furiously about creating space for overlooked voices, sustaining a traditional press in a POD world, and the power of community and activism in shaping the next decade of independent publishing.
In this episode of Alexa’s Publishing Chat, Alexa sits down with Samantha Atzeni, multi-genre award-winning author and co-founder of Read Furiously, an independent press dedicated to overlooked voices and literary activism. They discuss the realities of running a small traditional press, the challenges of distribution and returns, building sustainable author relationships, and the joy of creating community in publishing.
In this podcast, Alexa and Samantha discuss:
- The origin story of Read Furiously—why Samantha built her own publishing house out of frustration with “no room at the table”
- What makes Read Furiously different: hands-on, collaborative publishing with a focus on overlooked and multi-genre authors
- Their signature One and Done pocket-sized book series and why it resonates with modern readers
- The challenges small presses face: returns, Amazon algorithms, distribution hurdles, and rising printing costs
- How anthologies and niche publishing create surprising opportunities (and sometimes frustrations)
- The role of literary activism, from book bans to Little Free Libraries
- The importance of community—how Women in Publishing Summit and peer connections help presses survive the tough days
- Why joy and passion still keep small publishers going, even when profits are slim
- W(h)ine & Cheese by S. Atzeni - a One n'Done (Amazon aff link)
Resources & Links
- Read Furiously
- Women in Publishing Summit
- Book Award Pro – bookawardpro.com
- FAIRE Wholesale Marketplace – faire.com
- CLMP – Community of Literary Magazines & Presses – for small independent traditional presses
Sam Atzeni (she/they) is a multi-genre, award-winning writer of prose, comics, and academic scholarship. They are also the co-founder of Read Furiously Publishing and serves as its Editorial Director and its head of acquisitions, including serving as co-editor of the bestselling Life in the Garden State NJ anthology series. Through Read Furiously, Samantha is proud to publish great books, be a part of an amazing independent literary community, and participate in literary activism. In 2024, she was a part of the “40 under 40 in Publishing” list by BookCamp magazine.