Hawkesbury Press was founded in 2014 by indie author and publishing consultant Debbie Young. In 2020 she was joined by her daughter Laura as part-time Admin Assistant.

Debbie Young is the author of many fiction and non-fiction books, former advice blog editor for Alliance of Independent Authors’ Advice (affiliate link) and a course tutor and mentor for Jericho Writers.

Her advice books for authors have been published by ALLi (Opening Up To Indie Authors & How to Get Your Self-published Book into Bookstores) and SilverWood Books (Sell Your Books!) She has been a regular contributor to Mslexia, the magazine for women who write.

She is also founder of the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival,  a past co-judge of Stroud Short Stories and other writing competitions, and organiser of regional meet-up groups for authors.

Debbie’s novels are published by digital-first publisher Boldwood Press, and her short fiction (short stories, novellas, and novelettes, are published by Hawkesbury Press.

For more about Debbie Young’s writing life, please visit her website: www.authordebbieyoung.com.

Laura Young is currently studying for her Masters in Literature Studies at Aberystwyth University, after graduating with a BA Hons in English Literature in the summer of 2025, but in study breaks she helps with processing manuscripts and administrative support. She is also a volunteer at the Hawkesbury Upton Literature Festival.

Recommended Service Providers

To ensure Hawkesbury Press books meet professional standards, we employ other experts on a freelance basis as required. Not all of our projects involve these people, but we recommend their services and are happy to provide testimonials on request.

• Alison Jack,  Helen Baggott  & Dan Gooding for editing and proofreading
• book designer Rachel Lawston of Lawston Design, Jane Dixon-Smith of J D Smith Design, and Jessica Bell of Jessica Bell Design book cover and interior design