Spotlight: Examining the Microcosm of Indie Publishing

INKLUDED: Spotlight Event - May 2026 - Stirred Stories: Examining the Microcosm of Indie Publishing

If you're a book lover, then you might follow the releases of a particular publishing house or you've paid attention to the imprint names and colophons on the book spines and copyright pages. There are the houses we may know colloquially like Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster, but what about the smaller houses? Beyond just the wide scope of corporate publishing houses, there exists the midsize and small presses that publish incredible literature as well. It could be that one of your favorite books came from these small houses too!

In this Spotlight, we will be discussing the following questions with the co-founders of one such small publisher: What is an independent publishing house? What's the difference between an indie house and a larger publishing house? Do the processes look different? How many people work at an independent house? What's the day-to-day job look like? Why choose to publish with an indie press? How does one start an independent publishing house?

Stirred Stories co-founders Kyle Porro and Kelsea Johnson will discuss their journey to founding their house, talk about misconceptions people might have about indie publishing, and answer any burning questions you might have!

Titled Stirred Stories: Examining the Microcosm of Independent Publishing, this event will take place on Thursday, May 21, at 6:00pm EDT. This event will be an in-person and virtual HYBRID.

*Doors will open at 5:30pm EDT and close at 6:05pm EDT. If you are running late, please email the event coordinators to let us know in advance so we can make sure to let you into the building.

This event will be entirely free, but we encourage any amount of donation to help Inkluded to continue our mission into 2027. Please only get a ticket if you will 100% attend the event, as space is limited.

Kyle Porro (he/him) is the co-founder of Stirred Stories, a publisher for a better tomorrow. His publishing day-to-day is spent focusing on the operational side of the house, making sure all ducks are in a row. When he isn't helping publish incredible books, Kyle runs his own law firm.

Kelsea Johnson (she/her) is the co-founder of indie publishing house Stirred Stories, which is known for its diverse collection of books and refreshing approach to publishing. Prior to Stirred Stories, Kelsea earned a degree in political science from Elon University and worked as a communications and advocacy professional for marginalized communities. A native of Washington, DC, Kelsea is committed to using storytelling as a tool for positive social change.

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Website: www.inkluded.org

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