While it’s typical for major publishers to launch genre-specific imprints, a genre powerhouse creating a literary fiction imprint may be a groundbreaking move. For a forward-thinking company always attuned to emerging audiences and reading trends, Illuminari is a natural evolution.
“ Illuminari taps into a fresh market—where are readers heading next?” said Nick Wale, DSP Chief Publicist. “Our research into trends, combined with conversations with our authors, convinced us that literary fiction holds tremendous potential. We’re not just dipping our toes in—we’re diving headfirst. The time is now for literary fiction.”
The Subconscious City manuscript caught Wale’s attention after Dusty Saddle Publishing signed Herrick for his genre-bending Westerns. Last year, the publisher released The Gundersons and Lower Than Angels (Books I & II), the first installments in The Knolland Parables, a series of surrealist Westerns set in a morally intricate 19th-century America. “Tim’s Westerns might not top bestseller lists, but they’re vital to us because they redefine genre fiction,” Wale explained. “When he mentioned Subconscious City, we signed it immediately. Artists have revitalized cities across North America, Europe, and Asia—they’re woven into modern life—and no one captures their world with Tim’s humor, insight, and writerly skill.”
Herrick initially considered self-publishing. “Other publishers weren’t interested in collections—Subconscious City is a novella and three short stories—or in tales of artists or stories that take place in Jersey City,” he said. “One story had been published and sparked interest, but then the pandemic shifted everything, especially here. After finishing The Gundersons, I saw Subconscious City as a snapshot of a vanishing chapter of the city and its artists. I revised the stories for cohesion, and it became this book.”
A lifelong art enthusiast, Herrick has worked as a publicist for Jersey City artists and arts organizations and covered the local scene in his blog Dislocations (2009–2014). A Stockton University graduate, where he studied under Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Stephen Dunn, he was also an MFA Fellowship Student at New School University. Learn more at Timhrklit.com.
Illuminari Press is proud to bring Subconscious City to readers, shining a light on the creative spirit of a city and its people.
Subconscious City (Love, Art & Artists Jersey City/USA) is available on Amazon and other publishing platforms, Word Book Store in Jersey City, and other area bookstores.
