Recently I connected with Juliet Diaz, known for her best-selling books
Witchery: Embrace the Witch Within and The Altar Within. Diaz has launched her own publishing imprint, Spirit Bound Press, with a mission of inclusion and raising the bar in publishing.
I found Diaz’s relationship with the publishing world compelling. She left traditional
publishing shortly after being asked to be a mentor with the U.S. Diverse Wisdom
Initiative at her former publisher, where she perceived a lack of experience and understanding in how to support diverse authors. This, along with the reality check from the #PublishingPaidMe hashtag, showed her how deeply rooted and intentional these inequalities were.
Juliet Diaz [courtesy]
According to Diaz, her former publisher was dismissive of her concerns and “continued to offer meager advances for bestselling books that stayed in the top 5 (mostly #1) in many categories. Books picked up in ten countries and with a big active following.”
Staying true to what Diaz stands for as an Indigenous, Afro-Caribbean Woman, an activist, she risked her career as a writer and left.
Finding a new publishing home meant finding Rebekah Borucki, founder of Row House Publishing. Diaz received many offers from other traditional publishers, but decided Row House’s values aligned with hers. She partnered with Row House as their first author, becoming part of the Row House council as a faith investor, and soon created the imprint Spirit Bound Press.
“Big publishing is broken,” Row House stated, “but it doesn’t need to be fixed. It needs to be disrupted and dismantled. What no longer works begs to be torn down, reimagined, revolutionized.”
I asked Diaz to tell TWH more about Spirit Bound Press, including its mission and the authors they are looking for.
This interview has been lightly edited.
THE WILD HUNT: Can you speak to the intention behind Spirit Bound Press, and tell readers of TWH how it started and about the mission of the imprint?
JULIET DIAZ: Spirit Bound Press is a revolutionary imprint birthed from the resounding call and need for more diverse and inclusive books in the magical, spiritual, and wellness categories. We are dedicated to amplifying the voices of Latinx, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), and marginalized communities that are underrepresented, appropriated from, and silenced by traditional publishing channels.
We advocate for diversification in literature and publishing, creating an equitable publishing press that represents the values and diversity of the authors and communities we represent, while also honoring antiracist and inclusive principles.
Spirit Bound Press offers equitable publishing deals (with a 40% royalty rate, which is about four times the industry average) and a team that coaches, supports, and helps authors develop the best platform, community, and campaign to share their work. We also give Spirit Bound authors a free membership to our educational and social networking platform, Literary Craft Society, where we house courses, workshops, and events on all things literature, creating a book from idea to marketing, decolonizing your writing, reclaiming your voice, and more. Literary Craft Society will be available to the public in 2023.
We are that disruption and a new way to publish. Our leaders are authors who know how to put the author first, front and center. We believe in equity and activism and that books — and the culture around them — have the potential to transform the universal conversation around what it means to be human.
TWH: Can you speak to some of the obstacles faced, particularly in publishing for Latinx and BIPOC voices?
JD: Most authors are white – 79% to be exact. 89% are straight or heterosexual; 96% are non-disabled; and 99% are cisgender. Clearly, this is a problem. Latinx, Black, Brown, people of color, and marginalized communities are underrepresented, appropriated from, and silenced by traditional publishing channels. Not only are these enough to have concern over, but we also see this in literary agencies.
Furthermore, Latinx, Black, Brown, people of color, and marginalized communities are paid less, less in royalties and advances. Inequality in how leadership looks within publishing is also problematic, with the majority being white.
I have observed that since I and many others went public about these issues and announced my leave from a big traditional publisher, some giants have signed on more people of color. Still, it is clear the reasoning for these actions. No one likes to be called out, but we are not going silent. We are making as much noise as possible. We can see through false allies, and so can the communities of people that have been silenced for years.
TWH: Is Spirit Bound Press the bridge for the lack of inclusion in mainstream Pagan/New Age publishing?
JD: We hope to be! Publishing has a problem, specifically in spiritual, wellness, and magical spaces. A racism problem. An ableism problem. A heteronormative, transphobic problem. A problem with wildly inequitable and unfair acquisition practices and advance and royalty contracts that make it almost impossible for emerging voices to get heard.
Cultural appropriation is a HUGE problem in these spaces. Spirit Bound Press wants to be a solution.
We are dedicated to amplifying the voices of Latinx, BIPOC, and marginalized communities that are underrepresented, appropriated from and silenced by traditional publishing channels.
Publishing writers with authentic roots, cultures, practices, and experiences in their works acts as a conduit of truth in the stories, cultures, wisdom, medicine, and magic of the communities we are part of and embrace. Spirit Bound Press advocates for diversification in literature and publishing, creating an equitable publishing press that represents the values and diversity of the authors and communities we represent. While also honoring antiracist and inclusive principles.
TWH: It excites me that there is a publishing imprint by Latinx and BIPOC voices that have ownership of their wisdom traditions and diaspora. Can you speak to what readers can expect from Spirit Bound?
JD: You can expect authentic voices writing authentic books. Books filled with cultures, traditions, stories, and magic from the people who have lived experiences, roots, practices, and ancestral connections in the books they write. And expect novels such as YA and children’s books written by more diverse voices.
We are also doing publishing differently. We are a community-centered press. We take feedback from these communities very seriously, so we continue to learn and show up how they need us to. Doing something new is extremely hard but possible. We are all learning along the way but with genuine and spirit-led intentions.
Community events, free content and resources, accessibility, and education are just a few ways we share our appreciation for the communities we are part of and embrace.
TWH: Who is the SpiritBound Author? And how does someone submit to your press?
JD: Great question! We do not want anyone to feel excluded, and they are not. A Spirit Bound author is an author who aligns with our mission and values. An author for community, equality, and diversity while honoring antiracist and inclusive principles. Genuinely good people who want to do good work by changing the lives of others for the better. Writers who are not trying to replicate what is already out there, WHO are boldly stepping outside the traditional publishing box. That is who a Spirit Bound author is.
We want you all to tell your stories, and write those Witchy or spiritual books without being whitewashed, edited to the point of being unrecognizable, or stripped from your authenticity. That is who Spirit Bound is.
Spirit Bound Press is accepting submissions from literary agents and un-agented authors. Our guidelines are available at our website. We at Spirit Bound Press believe that every person—no matter their background, identity, or disability—should have an equal opportunity to tell their story. If any of our submission guidelines do not meet your access needs, please email us here and let us know how we can assist you in submitting your proposal.
TWH: How do you hope to see an imprint like Spirit Bound changing dialogues about inclusions and intentionality in spiritual publishing?
JD: We hope that by leading by example, others will follow and learn that it is possible not to be a jerk. [Laughs, joking] But for real, we hope that the excuses for not doing what is right change, because clearly, these excuses stem from not caring, from privilege, comfort, and from willful ignorance. We can change how leadership looks, acts, and operates through diversity, equity, and inclusion-based practices. We can:
- Give more contracts to authors who hold marginalized identities.
- Make those contracts fair, equitable, and transparent.
- Give authors agency to make decisions in the company.
TWH: Lastly, what is next for you in 2023?
JD: 2023 is all about bringing awareness to Spirit Bound Press and its mission. We need community support to make these goals and visions a reality.
With your help, Spirit Bound is:
- Putting a stop to Cultural appropriation
- Publishing writers with authentic roots, cultures, practices, and experiences in their works
- Offering scholarships to the Literary Craft Society
- Changing the way leadership looks, acts, and operates through diversity, equity, and inclusion-based practices
- Giving more contracts to authors who hold marginalized identities
- Making those contracts fair, equitable, and transparent
- Offering free content and in-person experiences to our communities
- Supporting small businesses like bookstores and shops
- Creating a community of authors, writers, and readers who support each other
Readers can find Spirit Bound Press on social media via the handle @SpiritBoundPress and their website, www.spiritboundpress.com.
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