Small Press Saturday: Tyche Books

The cover of Hollow by Rhonda Parrish, published by Tyche Books.

Is it the weekend already?

Last weekend, we put out a call for small press recommendations and I am happy that this week features one of those recommendations for our weekly Small Press Saturday post. This weekend we are spotlighting an Alberta small press – say hello to Tyche Books!

Tyche Books is based in Calgary, Alberta and is well known in the local speculative writing community. Spearheaded by publisher/acquisitions editor Margaret Curelas and assisted by Ryah Dienes, this small press is named after the Greek goddess of fortune and prosperity, which is also the name of the hypothetical gas planet in the Oort cloud. It’s a great name and they feel it represents the perfect balance of mythology and science they strive to publish.

The publishing focuses of Tyche Books are science-fiction and fantasy anthologies, and novels for adults and young adults. They even have a couple of nonfiction titles on their list. Speculative fiction is their jam! And I’ve had the pleasure of reading a few of their books.

One of my favourite series by Tyche Books is the Marie Jenner series by E. C. Bell. They are the perfect blend of mystery with contemporary fantasy. On the surface they look cozy, but they will surprise you with razor sharp humour and unexpected darkness and elements of horror. The first book in the series, Seeing the Light, won the 2015 Alberta Publishers Association Award in Speculative Fiction.

My most recent read by Tyche Books has been Hollow by Rhonda Parrish. This is a Young Adult title that is compulsively readable and addresses some tough topics including family tragedy and sexual assault in a highly accessible and compassionate way. It is a contemporary fantasy with horror elements that reads like a pot-boiler. And you will never look at polaroid cameras the same way again. I highly recommend this book!

So, if you are looking for some summer reading that will take you away from this world, you should check out Tyche Books. Maybe you’ll find your next great read on their list!

Happy Reading!

– Stacey

The Marie Jenner series by E. C. Bell: Stalking the Dead, Dying on Second, Drowning in Amber, and Seeing the Light.

Waking Anastasia by Timothy Reynolds and Heritage by David L. Chaddock.

Much Ado About Macbeth by Randy McCharles, Furr by Axel Howerton, and Steam & Strategem by Christopher Hoare.