News 2024

News from Dithering Chaps Press from 2024

Dithering Chaps press is an independent UK poetry chapbook publisher.

Here are our publication announcements, shortlist updates, event details, awards news, and behind‑the‑scenes revelations from our small press from 2024.

We publish 30–60 page poetry chapbooks by contemporary poets and remain open for submissions all year round. If you’d like to submit your poetry to Dithering Chaps for possible publication, click here to find out how.

News items for other years have their own pages.

We’re listed by the National Poetry Library…

Monday, 16th December 2024 - Wonderful news this month! We are now listed by the National Poetry Library and all of our publications, past and present, will be held there.

You can find us on their publisher listing, currently between Dedalus Press and Emma Press - what great company to be in!

As we mentioned, copies of each of our publications will now be available to loan from the collection - such a thrill for us to look them up in their catalogue!

We’d love those of you who are National Poetry Library members to throng to the South Bank (forming an orderly queue, of course!) and borrow our books.

Of course, if you’re not a member, you can always obtain a copy by visiting our store.

Helen Kay’s collection, ‘It Was Never About the Kingfisher’ is our next book out - it’s at the printers now and will be launching early next year.

Image of the entracne to the National Poetry Library
An extract from the National Poetry Library's Publisher listing, showing Dithering Chaps bewteen Dedalus Press and Emma Press

Our 2024 Pushcart Nominations

Friday, 15th November 2024 - Dithering Chaps is proud to announce our 2024 Pushcart Prize nominations:

  • Louise Walker’s ‘The Swing’, published in ‘From There to Here’

  • Louise Walker’s ‘Pilgrimage’, published in ‘From There to Here’

  • Anne Peterson’s ‘Catching the Early Coach From Elhovo’, published in ‘Going Home’

  • Partridge Boswell's 'Georgic', published in 'Lines in the Sand'

  • Julia Rapp's 'To My Future Ex-Husband, With Love', published in 'Lines in the Sand'

  • Tessa Foley's 'Where All the Vibrators Go', published in 'Lines in the Sand'

‘Proud’ is the right word for how Gena and I feel as editors of our small, indie press. We’ve worked with each of these authors to make their poems the best they can be and we know how excited our poets are to see their poems winging their way across the pond to participate in this prestigious judging round.

Good luck, everyone!

Three people standing together in front of a Dithering Chaps banner. They are smiling and dressed in casual to semi-formal clothing.
An audience of approximately 40 people sitting in rows, clapping and smiling in a large decorated room with red curtains, large windows, and festive flower arrangements, attending an event or presentation.

‘From There to Here’ launches…

A woman with white hair wearing a green dress, standing on a stage speaking into a microphone, holding a paper, with a banner behind her showing a field of flowers and blue sky.
A woman with long blonde hair, wearing a black top, smiles while holding a brochure at a book signing event, sitting across from a man with glasses and blond hair, wearing a blue jacket, who is seated at a table with books and brochures, and a glass of water.

Tuesday, 15th October 2024 - Dithering Chaps held a launch for our latest publication, From There to Here, by Louise Walker, at the London Welsh Centre.

The event was very well attended and the audience thoroughly enjoyed readings from the collection by the poet herself.

The mood was celebratory, as friends, family, student and colleagues gathered to acknowledge Louise’s poetic talents.

A wonderful evening was had by all!

Please click on the links below to see our news from subsequent years:

2025

2026