Five Islands Press
Five Islands Press is committed to publishing fine Australian poetry, including the work of emerging and established poets.
Five Islands Press was founded in 1986 by Ron Pretty who retired in July 2007, having by then published over 230 books of poetry.
The current publishing team is Kevin Brophy, Lyn Hatherly, Katia Ariel, Eddie Paterson and Michael McKay. Our graphic designer is Libby Austen.
In its early stages, Robyn Rowland was also a valued member of the publishing team, editing and producing FIP’s first two books. Since then, Robyn has moved on to focus on her other commitments and FIP wishes her well for the future in her work with the Australian Poetry Centre and her own writing. Dan Disney also worked hard for the press before moving overseas where he is currently lecturing in Seoul, South Korea.
Five Islands Press continues to publish excellent collections of poetry. In its first year, 2007-2008, its publication program was as follows:
- Judy Johnson Navigation (September 2007)
- Barry Hill As we draw ourselves (March 2008)
- Sandy Fitts View from the Lucky Hotel (June 2008)
- Louise Oxley Buoyancy (July 2008)
In the 2009-2010 publishing year, FIP published books by Tatjana Lukic, Ian McBryde, Susan Hampton, Anna Kerdijk Nicholson, Grant Caldwell and Robyn Rowland.
- Tatjana Lukic la, la, la (May 2009)
- Ian McBryde The Adoption Papers (October 2009)
- Susan Hampton News from the Insect World (November 2009)
In 2010 Five Islands Press published the following:
- Anna Kerdijk Nicholson Possession: poems about the voyage of Lt. James Cook in The Endeavour, 1768-1771 (February 2010)
- Grant Caldwell glass clouds (July 2010)
- Robyn Rowland’s book, Seasons of doubt & burning. New and Selected poems (October 2010)
- Claire Potter’s book, Swallow was launched in Sydney on October 24, 2010.
Five Islands Press books in 2011:
- Libby Hart’s book, This Floating World was launched in Melbourne on June 18, 2011.
- Vishvarupa by Michelle Cahill was launched in Sydney in July, 2011
- Mal McKimmie’s book, The Brokenness Sonnets I-III will be launched in November, 2011
For information and guidelines about submission of manuscripts to Five Islands Press, please go to the ‘Submissions’ page on this website.
The Team
Managing Co-editors
Kevin Brophy has had ten books published, including four collections of poetry and four works of fiction. He lectures in creative writing at the University of Melbourne. From 1980 to 1994 he published and edited the lit journal Going Down Swinging. His latest book is Mr Wittgenstein’s Lion, a collection of poetry.
Lyn Hatherly spends much of her time doing something about writing: editing, publishing, writing, teaching, and advising other writers. Lyn has three published books. Acts of Abrasion (Five Islands Press 2006) Sappho’s Sweetbitter Songs (Routledge 1996) Songs of Silence (Medal Poets 1994).
Katia Ariel is a freelance editor. She has completed a Bachelor of Arts/Law at Monash University (2003), as well as a Graduate Diploma of Publishing and Editing at RMIT (2005). She works as a freelance proofreader, researcher and copy editor for numerous local book publishers. She enjoys scrawling the words of Rumi on her chalkboard, finding people to speak Portuguese with, gardening and cooking elaborate dishes in silence.
Michael McKay completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University Of Melbourne in 2010, with a major in Creative Writing and a preference for Poetry and Creative Non-Fiction. He is currently studying a Juris Doctor at Monash University.
Graphic Design
Libby Austen has been a graphic artist for many years and worked at some of Melbourne’s top advertising agencies. Currently she teaches in the Graphic Design Department at Holmesglen TAFE, Chadstone.
Consulting editors
Maggie Emmett, the convenor of Friendly Street Poets Inc, is the Five Islands Press consulting editor for South Australia.
Brook Emery of the NSW Poets’ Union is the Five Islands Press consulting editor for New South Wales. Brook has worked as a swimming instructor, beach inspector, removalist and contract cleaner. For 25 years he was a teacher and head teacher of English at high schools in NSW and London. He has a PhD in Creative Arts from the University of Newcastle. Brook’s first poetry collection and dug my fingers in the sand (Five Islands Press), 2000) won the Judith Wright Calanthe Award at the Queensland Premier’s Literary Awards. It was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards and was runner-up in the Anne Elder Award and the Mary Gilmore Poetry Prize. His second collection, Misplaced Heart was published by Five Islands Press in 2003 and shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Prize. Brook’s third collection Uncommon light, (FIP) was published in 2007.
Ross Clark, who was the winner of the prestigious fourth ABR Poetry Prize for his poem ‘Danger: Lantana.?, is the Five Islands Press consulting editor for Queensland. Ross specialises in the writing of Haiku and teaches poetry and creative writing at Queensland University of Technology.
John Foulcher is the Five Islands Press consulting editor in Canberra. John has been a teacher in NSW and the ACT. His work has been widely anthologised, and published extensively in national newspapers and journals, including the Age, the Bulletin, Quadrant, Poetry Australia and Overland.