Book 'Bafta' shortlist for small publisher Sandstone
An independent book publisher is celebrating after winning a 'monumental' national award.
Sandstone Press in Inverness was crowned Scotland's Small Press winner in the recent British Book Awards, a the 'Baftas' of the industry.
The new prize comes hot on the heels of winning the Saltire Society Scottish Publisher of the Year award last November.
Sandstone has seen the plaudits flood in after publishing the 2019 Man International Booker Prize winner – Jokha Alharthu's critically-acclaimed Celestial Bodies.
Judges of the British Book Awards said Sandstone 'capitalised superbly on the print, distribution, publicity and rights opportunities that followed'.
Sandstone said it produces inspiring books by innovative authors, publishing thoughtful fiction, gripping crime and adventurous non-fiction such as outdoor, biography and memoir.
Managing director Robert Davidson said: 'We threw our collective hat in the air when the news came through. The awards are not merely iconic but monumental in British and Irish publishing.
'Such a win has been a secret ambition for a long time.
'We are all delighted to reach this milestone and I, in particular, am proud of our talented young publishing team who have grown so much in such a short time.
'All this comes with thanks to our many supporters (and readers), respect to our fellow publishers everywhere, and thanks to The Bookseller.'
Along with eight other regional and country winners, Sandstone Press is now in the running to win the British Book Awards Small Press of the Year 2020.
It has been shortlisted as the Scottish entry for the event which has been scheduled to take place in London at the end of June – an amended date following the coronavirus outbreak.
It will go up against the best publishers in England and Ireland.