In recent years, Neem Tree Press has become a firm favourite with our Editorial Experts across both LoveReading and LoveReading4Kids. 

Though diverse (in 2022, for example, they published everything from a lyrical memoir about Multiple Sclerosis by a Palestinian-Kuwaiti professor, to an eye-opening account of the Ebola epidemic, to a deliciously, magically dark tale set in Bucharest at the turn of the 18th century), books published by Neem Tree Press are united by their power to spark curiosity and draw us into new worlds.

Among their treasures for grown-up readers, we especially loved The Umbrella Men, Distant Signs, and Can I Stray. Meanwhile, among their Seven Seas imprint for younger readers, we particularly adored Victoria Williamson’s inclusive eco-thriller, War of the Wind, and Toletis — magical, whimsical stories infused with the wonder of the natural world.

Read on to discover how Neem Tree Press flourished from a seed to a healthy, hardy, thriving entity, with thanks to Archna Sharma (Founder and Company Director) and Jade McGrath (Marketing and Communications Executive) for talking to us.

Neem Tree Press is nothing but diverse in the variety of books you publish across fiction for adults, children and young adults, and your range of non-fiction. Can you describe Neem Tree Press in three words?

Curious, Imaginative, Risk-takers.

Where does the name come from? How does it reflect the company’s publishing ethos?

Archna planted a Neem Tree sapling in her courtyard when she lived in Dubai. The tree grew extremely fast and the whole family watched birds make nests for their eggs and then followed the chicks as they hatched and flew off.  

The neem, declared by the United Nations as the ‘tree for the 21st century’ is a hardy, drought resistant tree that thrives in poor soil conditions and has many medicinal properties. It provides generous shade and oxygen to those who rest under it, as well as producing pesticides and very useful to keep plants healthy in its vicinity.

We aim to follow in the footsteps of our namesake and thrive under difficult market conditions, providing much food for thought through our adult and children’s lists.

What was your personal route into publishing? Was it a long-held career ambition?

Archna: I’ve had an eclectic career prior to starting Neem Tree Press with medicine and healthcare investment banking. And, like most publishers or publishing hopefuls, I’ve loved books, the smell of them, the feel of them, their amazing colours. We view our home library as decoration enough that imbues a buzz, warmth and conversation prompts to all guests.

When I lived in Manhattan and had given birth to my first child and was mulling over next steps during maternity leave, I thought about starting a children’s bookshop that would be called the ‘Seven Seas Bookshop’ and have children’s books from all over the world, both in their original language and in translation. Print-on-Demand was just coming into fashion and I thought Manhattan with its myriad of parents from across the globe, would be the best place for a shop like that – I still do!

But…we ended up moving to the Middle East. It was there that I started foraging for particular types of books for my two children that I discovered I couldn’t find, and from there the idea of Neem Tree Press was born. I had no idea what I was doing and fumbled along with translations and commissions. I then got distracted by opportunities that were far more lucrative in my old stomping ground of healthcare finance and, finally in late 2021/ early 2022, I started to focus all my energy and investment into building and growing the company fast.

We have a terrific team – and are looking for one other person to join us who is based in London. Our team is flung far and wide – Lisa is currently in Boston (USA), Sofia is in Leeds, Jade lives just outside of London, and I am in central London in Bloomsbury – and hope Neem Tree Press follows the same pattern of success that that independent publisher has had!

Describe your typical working day.

There is no typical working day at an indie publisher – but here is a recent day…

8am. Check social media accounts and respond to any messages on the accounts; start answering emails, right now dealing with issues our distributor is having, get printing quotes for books and other marketing assets…

9am. Take an editing call with an author to go over their manuscript.

10am. A daily 15 mins zoom check in with the whole team. Since one of our team is in the US, we have instigated a second one at 2p.m. Once a week, on Tuesdays, this meeting will be for an hour and a half where we run through everything on the calendar, all outstanding items and any other issues that have come up over the week.

10.30am. Pay bills, send out invoices, pay advances (we are signing up a lot of authors for our front list), edit or review contracts before they are sent out (we are hiring a really experienced team member to take over this part of the business).

12.30pm. Sort out and pack books for postage, write out personal notes for each reviewer, walk to the post office to post them all, make sure I drink or eat something through all this!

2pm. Have a call with an author and the venue for an event we are organising to discuss the evening schedule and go over the questions and any other logistics for the day.

4pm. Have a call with a potential new author before we send out a contract to them.

5pm. Start editing a book or review cover designs that have come in.

6pm. Take a break! Occasionally this is when I will go and work out – something that I should just put on my calendar daily!

8pm. Put a second coat of paint on our new storage which we will be using to fulfil our direct ecommerce – an exciting venture for us.

10.30pm. Read new submissions – something that I love doing and view as an extreme privilege. The quality of submissions we receive are truly superb and it is a shame we can only accept so few for publication. I do not regard reading these as ‘work’ in any shape or form. It is truly exhilarating to discover new voices and ideas. Sometimes I’ll start a manuscript and finish it that night – and know we’ve found a very special book. 

Which book/s are you most proud of working on? 

I am proud of every book I’ve worked on. Till our recent fabulous team joined, I was the acquisitions editor as well as being responsible for all aspects of getting every book through the publishing process. I put my heart and soul into each of these babies and I’m sorry to cop out and say all of them but that’s exactly how I feel. 

I am proud of telling stories that weren’t highlighted before – like Ahlam Bsharat’s books, or Distant Signs by Anne Richter, set around the fall of the Berlin Wall, or The Umbrella Men by Keith Carter, which is so topical today under the current economic winds and climate issues and of course, Modesty: A Fashion Paradox by Hafsa Lodi, again so topical considering the events in Iran. Cows Can’t Jump by Phil Bowne makes you nostalgic about the pre-Brexit era…and Billy is so representative of downwardly mobile young people whose chances in life are diminishing. 

I also love the gentle storytelling of Toletis, a story for all ages and all time. Green world magazine said, “The values contained in the pages – of love for the outdoors, animals and plants, friendship, family, being in touch with your emotions – make the world a better place. If you believe that the best hope we have for a safe, peaceful planet is to teach children to love the environment and one another, then I recommend that you read Toletis with the children in your life.” You couldn’t get a better accolade for a book.

Which books from the Neem Tree Press backlist should everyone read? 

All of them of course! But if I had to choose…

Children of War by Ahmet Yorulmaz – beautifully written - highlights the huge population exchange between Greece and Turkey just after WW1 and tensions are still simmering in the region.

The Umbrella Men by Keith Carter – a really entertaining fictional take on the 2008 financial crisis and the ‘green’ industry. So relevant to today’s world. 

The Three Hares trilogy – these highly entertaining, fast-paced adventures draw you into vivid fantasy worlds that open windows into varied historical times. 

Modesty: A Fashion Paradox by Hafsa Lodi – which has been featured in Vogue, the Smithsonian Design Museum and Harper’s Bazaar has called put it on the ‘24 Essential Fashion Books for the Chic Reader’ – is a fascinating exploration of the social and political forces behind the global modest fashion movement. 

Give us an elevator pitch for some of your upcoming books:

The House of Atreus: Clytemnestra’s Bind by Susan C Wilson, publishing 15 June 2023

From one of Greek mythology's most reviled characters—a woman who challenged the absolute power of men—comes this fiery tale of power, family rivalry and a mother's burning love. Perfect for fans of MADELINE MILLER'S CIRCE and THE SONG OF ACHILLES, Clytemnestra’s Bind by Susan C Wilson is the first instalment in the epic three-part series, The House of Atreus.

Sylvia by Maithreyi Karnoor, publishing 2 May 2023

Beautifully woven tapestry of how we leave indelible imprints on each other’s lives. Set in South India and brimming with exquisite prose, Sylvia introduces a remarkable new voice.

The Idle Stance of the Tippler Pigeon by Safinah Danish Elahi, publishing 25 May 2023

Set against the backdrop of Karachi, Pakistan, this is a portrait of love, healing, and long-buried pain, delving deep into the nature of trauma and class division.

Norah’s Ark by Victoria Williamson, publishing 29 August 2023

Based on the lives and experiences of some of the many children Victoria Williamson has taught over the years, Norah’s Ark is an uplifting tale of friendship and overcoming life’s obstacles that all readers who’ve faced difficult circumstances and family situations will be able to relate to.

Who would you invite to your dream literary party?

I thought it would be interesting to ask our team this question; see below for their answers.

Archna (in no order): Candace Pert, Arundhati Roy, Ursula Le Guin, Zadie Smith, Margaret Atwood, Jeanette Winterson, Ben Okri, James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, Haruki Murakami, Paul Kalanithi, Michael Lewis.

Jade: Alice Oseman, David Attenborough and Nina Lacour.

Lisa: Anne Lamott, Jhumpa Lahiri, David Sedaris, Pablo Neruda, Cheryl Strayed, Patti Smith, Langston Hughes, and Mari Andrew. I’d cook various Alison Roman dishes and we’d play Nina Simone records in the background all night. What a delightful evening this would be!

Tell us a secret about books...

In 2013, Icelandic-Dutch artist Olafur Eliasson worked with Ivorypress to create “A view becomes a window,” an edition of nine leather-bound artist books made of glass and light. The pages, created from hand-blown glass of various colors and opacities, can be read when light reflects and refracts through the glass to create brilliant illuminations.

Stay up to date with Neem Tree Press:

Website: neemtreepress.com

Twitter: @NeemTreePress

Facebook: Neem Tree Press

Instagram: @neemtreepress

To discover more from the people who bring you all those books you love, read the rest of our Industry Insights series.