Freight Books was an independent publisher based in Glasgow. It published books for an English speaking readership,[1] including award-winning literary fiction, poetry, illustrated non-fiction and humour.[2] Freight Books was named Scotland's Publisher of the Year 2015[3] by the Saltire Society.[4] Freight Books published the debut novel of Martin Cathcart Froden, the winner of the 2015 Dundee International Book Prize.[5]
The company was founded as an imprint of Freight Design by Adrian Searle in 2011. The publisher increased its output each year, at its peak publishing 35 titles in 2016,[6] with notable publications including Gutter magazine, a Scottish magazine of new writing established in 2009 (and still in existence), Jellyfish by Janice Galloway and the international bestseller The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu.[7][8]
Freight Books acquired Cargo Publishing in September 2015.[9][10]
In April 2017 Searle left the business citing "differences over strategic direction" between himself and fellow director Davinder Samrai.[11] Two months later Freight Books was offered for sale through the Publishing Scotland website.[12] The company was finally liquidated that December and it disappeared from the Scottish Publishing scene after failing to find a suitable buyer. Authors left the publishing house with unpaid royalties.[13]
2015: Freight won publisher of the year by the Saltire Society.[20]
2015: Killochries by Jim Carruth shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Poetry Book of the Year Award.[21]
2015: Lifeblood by Gill Fyffe shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Non-Fiction Book of the Year Award.[22]
2015: Jellyfish by Janice Galloway shortlisted for the Saltire Society Scottish Fiction Book of the Year Award.[23]
2015: Fishnet by Kirsten Innes won the Guardian Not the Booker Prize.[24]
2012: The Falling Sky by Pippa Goldschmidt was runner-up in the Dundee International Book Prize.[25]
2012: Furnace by Wayne Price longlisted for the Frank O'Connor Prize and nominated for the Saltire Scottish First Book of the Year.[26]
2010: Gutter won the Chairman's Award at the Scottish Design Awards.[27]