About Us

Who we are:
Editor in Chief/ Gob Pile Chapbook Series Editor: Cindy M. Kelly
Assistant Editor: Ashlee McCourt
Publishing Editor: Cathy J. Kelly
Artistic Director: Edith Dinger-Wadkins
Plain Spoke Poetry Editor: Cindy Kelly
Plain Spoke Fiction Editor: Shaun Barcalow

Currently looking for Entertainment Editors and Readers!

What we do:

Amsterdam Press is a wee little publishing house in a wee little town in Ohio. The press was founded in 2007 as a means to publish Plain Spoke, a literary magazine that focuses on good, simple poetry, short stories, essays, Appalachian regional literature, and Americana richness.

We now have three imprints:

Amsterdam Press focuses on literary excursions.
Under Tin Star, we publish artisan and folk art/craft titles and patterns.
And under Monongahela, we will focus on children’s titles.

While our focus is on literature, poetry, folk art, and stories that center or touch on the Appalachian spirit or region, we are open-minded and we know good work when we see it. We do not have any loyalties to any one school or style or salon of writers. Rather, we like the varied spectrum and eclectic results of letting things happen as they will.

We also accept small press books for review. These reviews are published both in our blog here and in Plain Spoke. We are always looking for reviewers, who are paid $10 per review we accept + free titles from Amsterdam Press. Query for details.

In 2009, Amsterdam Press will publish 4 titles in the Gob Pile Chapbook Series, 3 chapbook titles for the Flip Kelly Poetry Prize, one artisan title, and several other tiny projects. In 2009, we have two anthologies in the works. Check our calls for submissions for details.

Our books are small objects, taking the form of saddle-stitched or handbound or trade paper back. Each one is a work of love of inkblack and paper, of bone folder and burning of midnight oil.

Mailing list:
If you would like to subscribe to our email list, which periodically announces publication of new issues or books, please write “subscribe” in the subject line of a blank email to editor[AT]amsterdampress[DOT]net

Editing Services:
As time allows, our editors help writers of poetry and short fiction polish and edit their works for a small fee, if we have faith in the work. Query first for details before sending manuscripts.

Questions and Comments:
We welcome your questions and comments.

Thanks for stopping by!