New UK indie gothic books specialist launches
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FOR RELEASE 31st October 2026
New independent gothic books boutique launches to bring the genre out of the shadows.
Vanitas Press opens this Hallowe’en, offering UK readers and authors a dedicated destination for gothic literature.
A new independent books venture is launching this October to give gothic literature the serious home it deserves – with an online bookshop and publishing imprint devoted to the genre.
Vanitas Press was founded to make the gothic easier to discover and to celebrate. It helps the readers tired of missing out on notable books absent from their local bookshelves, as well as the authors who struggle to find editors who truly ‘get’ their manuscript.
Everything in the Vanitas online bookshop has been selected for its gothic sensibility or themes, bringing together a carefully chosen range that reflects the genuine richness and diversity of the genre, drawn from both major trade publishers and smaller independent imprints. Finally, there is a single destination where it’s all gothic all the time: the classic works, the award‑winning new fiction, the short stories, the non‑fiction, the poetry – even the eco‑friendly notebooks. Drawing on the classic gothic of Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker, the modern imagination of Angela Carter, Shirley Jackson and Edogawa Rampo, and the contemporary intensity of Silvia Moreno‑Garcia, Laura Purcell and Catriona Ward, the selected authors reflect the enduring power of strange storytelling.
A publishing arm, operating under the Vanitas Press imprint, is also in development. It will produce finely crafted re‑editions of important gothic works alongside new titles, with further details and submissions information to be announced in the new year.
Founded by Vicki Donald, Vanitas Press brings together the different strands of her professional background and her long‑standing personal fascination in all things gothic. Vicki said:
“Gothic literature is often misunderstood and underrepresented – but these books aren’t just for Hallowe’en. This new indie exists to bring these books into prominence – for those who already know the genre well and anyone just beginning to peer into the darkness”.
Vanitas Press launches in the UK on 31st October 2026 at www.vanitaspress.co.uk with a time-limited free shipping and tote bag promotion in the bookshop.
About Vanitas Press
Vanitas Press is a small independent UK bookseller and publisher dedicated to gothic literature, bringing together authors and readers who take their darkness seriously. Every title in the bookshop has been chosen for its gothic sensibility or themes, curated from major publishers and smaller independent imprints. The publishing arm produces beautifully crafted re-editions alongside new gothic works.
Contact
Vicki Donald, Founder and Director, Vanitas Press Limited
For any enquiries, please get in touch at press@vanitaspress.co.uk
Browse the bookshop’s shelves at www.vanitaspress.co.uk/collections