Cōnfingō is an independent publishing house based in Manchester. Cōnfingō seeks out work of fiction, both short and long, poetry, and visual art publications. Formed in 2014 by Tim Shearer, their publishing roster now includes: David Gaffney, Nicholas Royle and DJ, Dave Haslam. Over a decade in, Cōnfingō have no interest in slowing down.
Cōnfingō will be at the Salford Library Publishing Fair on The 27th of March.
If you could save only one book in the world, what would it be?
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China.
Three words to describe what you are looking for in a submission?
Originality. Fluency. Grace.
What was your book of 2024?
Intermezzo by Sally Rooney.
What quality above all does someone working in the world of literature need?
A deep curiosity about books and the creative process – and endless patience when working in a bookshop.
Three words that describe what you love about The North of England?
Spirit, humour, weather.
What is your favourite character in fiction?
Madame Bovary.
What drew you to Confingo? What prior interest in literature/ creative writing led to your role with them now?
It was more that my interest in literature had always been frustrated by my full-time job (in insurance) – when the opportunity to play a role in Confingo presented itself, I was keen to make the most of it. I had always enjoyed visiting book fairs and festivals as a reader. I found it fascinating being on the other side of the stall and learning how to talk to prospective customers about books. I also enjoy meeting the various writers who sometimes read at fairs from books that Confingo has published.
As their saleswoman, what reoccurring themes or characteristics have you noticed in the work that Confingo publishes?
Striking cover designs; innovative writing; an interest in marginalised people.
Something that interested me in Confingo was the fact that it branches out through poetry and the visual arts. How do you think this effects sales and readership? Do you think that having a wide range of writing and art is what makes the publishing house a success?
It certainly extends the range of people interested in what we publish, and with our poetry imprint, Carmenta, about to publish its first collection, we hope this trend will continue. The covers of the books, and indeed the magazine, we publish are often commented on by customers in our bookshop – browsers have sometimes purchased a book on the strength of its cover.
What are Confingo looking for in submissions?
In fiction: pace, fluency, organisational flair. Non-fiction: a new perspective, possibly based on original research. For example, our Art Decades series by Dave Haslam features a variety of well-known subjects (Sylvia Plath, Courtney Love, Picasso, Keith Haring, Grace Jones) but focuses on little-known, rarely discussed aspects of their lives and work. Next year we’re publishing a book about Allen Ginsberg’s visits to Manchester – it will include a number of previously unpublished photographs.
You work in a physical book shop, something I used to do myself during my undergrad, actually. I very quickly picked up on locals and could notice patterns in customers and genres over periods of time. Do you find this is the same for yourself? If so, what, or who, are they?
I’ve learnt how to ‘read’ people and from time to time I recommend books which I think might be appropriate for their age, style, etc. I often begin a conversation with a prospective customer by asking them what the last book was that they read.
Is there any advice you would give to those starting out in their writing journey?
Be disciplined and focused – create as much time for yourself as possible by creating a regular writing routine and organising your life around it as far as practically possible.
Finally, are there any new authors or artists that you have on your radar at the moment? Who should we be keeping our eyes on?
Sonya Moor, David Bevan, who are writers, David Chlebecki, a photographer, and artist Peter Davis.
For more information of Salford’s upcoming Publishing Fair, click here:
And to learn more about Cōnfingō and the books they publish, click here: