Paul Little Books – writer extends skills to publishing

PANZ Newsletter

Paul Little has long been a journalist, editor and writer, with Metro and North & South credits, books including Arrested Development: the Aaron Cohen Story and After Everest: Inside the Private world of Edmund Hillary plus others he has ghost written.

The journalist branched out to publishing under his own imprint three years ago, ‘when he realised he had all the skills needed to publish books himself and do something different from other publishers’ to quote the company’s website.

The first book was Grumpy Old Men. The idea was suggested to him by Dorothy Vinicombe, a former publisher who had returned to secondary school teaching. “I thought it was a terrible idea, and I told her so,” Paul remembers. But gradually he warmed to the idea and Grumpy Old Men, an anthology of brief pieces by New Zealand men who had something to say on a topic they were passionate about, was a best seller for the imprint. It was compiled by Paul and Dorothy. “I’ll always be grateful to Dorothy for pushing me to do that book.”

Grumpy Old Men has since had two reprints to keep up with demand.
Four books were published that first year, 2013, the others The Road from Midnight a novel by Wendyl Nissen (Paul’s wife), 50 Shades of Key ‘the unofficial joke book’ compiled by Paul and David Fisher’s The Secret life of Kim Dotcom.

Paul jokes he ‘must have slacked off or been doing something else’ in 2014 because the output was just one book – Grumpy Old Men 2.

But the imprint is back with a strong showing for this year. Stroppy Old Women, with well known NZ women on what is wrong with the world has been selling well since its April release also had to have a second print run. 

Stolen Lives: the untold story of the Lawson quins written by Paul is creating media waves this month. After just two weeks on the market, Paul has also had to press the reprint button for that title.
Still to come is a book on the Teina Pora case by Michael Bennett, “Brilliantly written and the first full story of what happened to Pora.”

October will see a book on Grey Lynn by Matt McEvoy: “Not just a history but a look at all aspects of life in Grey Lynn". 

Paul Little Books are printed offshore. “I would really like to print in New Zealand, but on the scale of our publishing, this would not be commercial.” He handles sales to major chains, with Paul Greenberg the sales rep for independent stores. Distribution is done from storage space beneath Wendyl’s Grey Lynn store.

The company became a PANZ member in 2014. Paul says it was the result of Sam Elworthy’s pestering, but more seriously “If you are in a profession and that profession has an organization, you really should join it.”