Hay Press was established in 1996 in the Welsh Borders. In the hands of its authors Peter Burden and Simon Mundy, for quarter of a century it has published commercial fiction and poetry, with a special interest in music titles. In 2022 Hay Press became an imprint of Renard Press.
Renard Press is an independent publisher, launched in June 2020. Covering both classic and contemporary titles, Renard publishes fiction and non-fiction, theatre and poetry; the emphasis is on good writing, properly edited, and our books can be found in convenient modern formats – in a world increasingly lived online – as well as in beautifully designed and well-produced editions.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF HAY PRESS
From the later years of the twentieth century into this a group of writers that lived along the middle of Wales’ border with England met a couple of times each year, dubbing themselves The Border Scribblers. Lunch and good conversation were more important than literary discussion, and the group ranged widely in interests and styles – from novelists and poets to writers on gardens and cricket.
Two of this band were Peter Burden and Simon Mundy. Peter, a popular novelist and successful ghostwriter of thrillers and autobiographies, started Hay Press (at this time both Simon and Peter lived within a few miles of Hay-on-Wye, the border town famous for its second-hand bookshops and literary festival, with which Simon had been connected since its early years) in the mid-nineties. At around this time Simon, a poet and biographer of musicians, turned to writing fiction, and a decade after its inception Hay published Simon’s first novel. Gradually Peter’s involvement in the press faded, and Simon’s grew.
By 2022 it became clear that Hay Press needed to expand or wither, and so Simon Mundy was delighted when Will Dady at Renard Press proved enthusiastic, acquiring it as an additional and distinctive imprint.
—Simon Mundy
November 2022