What is Foothills Publishing?
Foothills Publishing is a small independent press rooted in the cultural landscape of Darjeeling, Siliguri, and the surrounding foothills, dedicated to nurturing and amplifying voices that emerge from this region of diverse languages, histories, and communities. The publishing house publishes fiction, memoir, oral histories, poetry, essays, and children’s literature that reflect the everyday textures of life in the hills, welcoming works in English, regional languages, and translation. Committed to thoughtful, craft-driven publishing, it treats books as lasting cultural artefacts, with careful editing, design, and sustainable production practices.
Does Foothills Publishing accept manuscripts for submission?
We welcome new manuscript submissions. At the same time, our selection process is careful and deliberate, and we give priority to works that resonate with our publishing ethos—originality, strong literary merit, cultural depth, and the potential to remain meaningful over time. The press publishes fiction, memoir, oral histories, poetry, essays, and children’s literature that reflect the everyday textures of life in the hills, welcoming works in English, regional languages, and translation
What are the guiding principles of Foothills Publishing?
Guided by principles of place-based storytelling, linguistic plurality, and intergenerational dialogue, Foothills Publishing aims to build a catalogue that becomes a living cultural archive of the foothills while providing a meaningful platform for emerging writers.
How can I buy from Foothills Publishing?
Our website has a dedicated and up-to-date store where you can browse through our catalogue from the convenience of your home. We also welcome you to drop by Cafe the Twins, Methibari in Siliguri. Our titles are also available at select independent book stores and we are constantly working to make our titles more accessible.
Why can't I find Foothills Publishing titles on Amazon or Flipkart or other e-commerce sites?
We have chosen not to distribute our books through Amazon or other e-commerce platforms. This is a deliberate and principled decision. We stand for a slower, more relational ecosystem of reading and exchange. Our distribution model prioritises independent bookstores, community libraries, schools, literary festivals, local cafés, and direct sales through curated events and our own channels. We aim to build reader communities rather than chase algorithmic visibility. By keeping our books within a network of independent and regional partners, we seek to strengthen local economies and preserve diversity in the literary marketplace.
Is Foothills Publishing a self publishing press?
Foothills Publishing is not a self-publishing or vanity press. We function as an independent literary publisher and consider manuscripts through a selective editorial process. Only works that align with our vision and meet our standards of literary quality are taken forward for publication.
How can I contact Foothills Publishing?
You can contact us through our official email, website, or social media channels. For manuscript submissions, please follow the submission guidelines mentioned on our website and send your manuscript in the prescribed format. We try to respond to all genuine queries within a reasonable time.