One of the great advantages of only publishing five books per year is that I get to be excited about every book.

Like a lot of small press founders I was looking for a way into publishing - as well as a way out of academia. Without moving to London, I couldn't see a way of working for a publishing house whose work I liked. Believe it or not, the simplest way for me to get into publishing was to start my own press.

One of the challenges faced by the little press like Little Island Press is as always, tricking people into buying books. I'm told that the next generation will be more interested in experiences than in tangible objects like books. That's a pretty big challenge to a publisher of any size.