Affirm Press is an independent Melbourne-based publisher dedicated to publishing great Australian stories, big ideas, and the most engaging local and international authors.
We publish a broad range of non-fiction books and a select list of fiction. We love nothing more than nurturing Australian writers. In 2017 we added a brilliant list for younger readers.
We’re interested in building relationships, not one-offs, and we’re driven by finding creative ways of publishing and promoting each of our titles. We’re a close-knit and supportive team, which means each Affirm Press book is lovingly chaperoned through every step of the publishing process.
As well as being one of Australia’s fastest growing publishers, we also like to think we’re the most optimistic and we love books that ‘influence by delight’. We see opportunities in the changing publishing industry and distinguish ourselves through editorial commitment and a strong focus on sales and marketing.
Our in-house sales staff are supported by the dynamic team at Hachette Australia and New Zealand and our titles are distributed by Alliance Distributions Services. We currently represent two international publishing houses in Australia and New Zealand: Orenda Books (London) and The Experiment (NYC). We sell rights to overseas publishers, audio and film producers, and have a partnership with the prestigious Kaplan/DeFiore Rights Agency (NYC).
Affirm Press acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional custodians of Australia, and the people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional custodians of the place we now live and work called Melbourne.
Meet the Team
Martin Hughes
Publishing Director (and CEO)
Assumes the task of overseeing this whole enterprise yet can’t reconcile his own expenses.
Was at Lonely Planet and The Big Issue before starting Affirm Press.
His amusing animated outbursts have led to speculation about a TV series, titled ‘Hughsey Loses It’.
Keiran Rogers
Sales and Marketing Director
Inauspicious start to publishing life when Keiran’s parents failed to spot the typo in his first name. Formerly at Hardie Grant and Hinkler, he could sell ice to Eskimos but can’t see the upside in this economic climate.
Loves Whitney Houston, suffers fools gladly, and has an embarrassing collection of novelty fishing paraphernalia.
Grace Breen
Publicity and Marketing Manager
Came to Affirm Press from The Australian Ballet.
Though yet to do a pirouette, she can do a creepy ‘Happy Birthday’ dance that never fails to impress.
With the name of an Irish rebel, she refuses to be tamed – and will eat her muesli at her desk whenever she damn well wants.
Ruby Ashby-Orr
Senior Editor
Goes from ‘serious editor’ to life of the party as soon as the clock strikes five and the Macquarie hits the desk.
Bespectacled to bedraggled in the blink of an eye.
Her entire body wags when she’s having fun.
Steph Bishop-Hall
Production Specialist
Taswegian tough, ‘Little Boss’ is somehow sensible and edgy.
Suggests a hip-hop or basketball book at every single acquisitions meeting.
Gets way too excited about cover embellishments and paper stocks.
Coco McGrath
Editor
Ooh-ah Cosima ‘Coco’ McGrath hails from sunny Brisbane.
She played international cricket back in the day and one time Ian Healy said she was a good bowler – true story.
Can balance bottles of wine on her head and dance at the same time. Passionate about pasta and Andy Murray.
Laura McNicol Smith
Publicist
With a background in arts publicity and book production, Laura is living proof of Steph and Ruby’s long-held belief that double-barrelled surnames really do result in doubly talented individuals.
Can spot a media hook from a hundred metres and has a collection of sparkly socks that is the envy of the office.
Meg Whelan
Editor, Kids
Full-time kids publishing aficionado, part-time kids buyer at The Hill of Content bookshop. Tea enthusiast.
Was voted team member most likely to survive a zombie apocalypse due to her kick-arse practicality, cool-headedness and exceptional knowledge of YA dystopia.
Freya Horton Andrews
Assistant Editor
Don’t be fooled by her quiet demeanour, Freya has nerves of steel and simmering sass. She joined Affirm Press as an APA intern and soon made herself indispensable, with laser-like editorial focus and an ability to quickly become expert in everything from fast cars to life on a desert island.
She should be your first pick for a pub trivia team, just don’t ever call her a vanilla bean…
Lauren Ravida
Sales and Distribution Coordinator
Lauren’s spooky ability to uncover anything online quickly earned her the nickname ‘Stalky Spice’. Though she’s yet to bake for the office, she never misses whipping up a birthday cake for her pet greyhounds, Allan and Josie.
Things escalated quickly with books when her casual uni job led her to become manager of a bookstore!
Coral Huckstep
Editorial Assistant, Kids
With a name like a 1920s jazz starlet Coral has been under pressure from the team to create her own dance routine, The Huckstep.
Despite her apparent lack of interest in dance choreography, Coral has still managed to impress her colleagues with her extensive knowledge of British period dramas and poor coordination with curling irons.