Dorothy, a publishing project
Dorothy, a publishing project is a St. Louis–based small press publishing house founded by Danielle Dutton and Martin Riker in 2009. Dorothy specializes in publishing short works of literary fiction written by women. The press releases two books each year, with the titles being a mix of new works and reprints. Some are written in English and others are translated from foreign languages. Dorothy has been lauded for its promotion of experimental literature that blends together different forms and styles, often crossing over between prose and poetry, as well as for its design aesthetic and the tactile appeal of its books as physical objects.
Dorothy is largely operated by its founders. The press derives its name from Dutton's great-aunt, Dorothy Traver. Traver worked as a librarian in San Bernardino County in the 1950s and 1960s. She travelled around in her station wagon into delivering books to distant towns that were lacking in libraries and well stocked book shops. Renee Gladman, the first author published by Dorothy, also helped in choosing the press's name.
A writer for The Atlantic said, "Dorothy books emerge each October like ringing endorsements of writers you’ve never heard of by a friend whose taste you can absolutely trust."
Notable authors
- Nell Zink
- Joanna Ruocco
- Nathalie Léger
- Barbara Comyns
- Leonora Carrington
- Marianne Fritz
- Renee Gladman
- Manuela Draeger
- Amina Cain
- Suzanne Scanlon
- Azareen Van Der Vliet Oloomi
- Joanna Walsh
- Jen George
- Cristina Rivera Garza
- Sabrina Orah Mark
- Rosmarie Waldrop
- Marguerite Duras