Top 68 Book Publishing Companies in Houston 2025

Houston’s publishing scene in 2025 is a lively mix of university presses, long-running independents, niche literary imprints, hybrid and self-publishing services, and boutique houses that serve regional, cultural, and commercial markets. Whether you’re an author seeking a traditional editorial route, an academic with a monograph, or an entrepreneur wanting a professional self-published trade book, Houston offers a variety of options—each with distinct editorial approaches, audience focuses, and production models.

Table of Contents

1. Barnett Ghostwriting

Barnett Ghostwriting is presented as a full-service author services and publishing partner working with writers across memoir, business, and narrative non-fiction to bring manuscripts to market.

Focus: ghostwritten memoirs, business books, narrative non-fiction.
Services/Notes: developmental editing, ghostwriting, production for print and ebook.

2. Arte Público Press (University-affiliated)

A long-standing Houston imprint known for publishing Latinx and regional voices with scholarly and literary depth.

Focus: Latino literature, fiction, poetry, cultural scholarship.
Services/Notes: literary editorial standards, community outreach.

3. Rice University–affiliated Imprints

University-connected publishing outlets that handle scholarly works and specialized literary projects tied to Rice’s academic community.

Focus: academic monographs, regional history, scholarly editions.
Services/Notes: peer-review editorial practices and academic design.

4. Houston Independent Literary Press

An independent small press focused on contemporary Texas writers and experimental literature with strong local ties.

Focus: literary fiction, poetry, short-form essays.
Services/Notes: limited-run print editions and author events.

5. Gulf Coast Publications

A literary-arts-driven house that publishes new and innovative work, often connected to local journals and literary organizations.

Focus: contemporary prose, poetry, anthologies.
Services/Notes: collaborative projects, literary festival participation.

6. Brown Books (regional office)

A hybrid-style publisher with trade and faith-based titles, offering editorial packages and distribution support for authors.

Focus: trade non-fiction, spirituality, memoir.
Services/Notes: editorial packages and print/eBook production services.

7. Madville Press

A commercial fiction and genre-focused publisher serving Houston-area novelists and crime, romance, and thrillers markets.

Focus: genre fiction—mystery, thriller, romance.
Services/Notes: editorial development, marketing consultations.

8. Elite Online Publishing (Houston)

A service-oriented publisher helping indie authors produce polished print and digital books with turnkey packages.

Focus: self-published trade books, business authors.
Services/Notes: cover design, formatting, ISBN management.

9. Writers’ Regional Press (Houston branch)

A community-minded house supporting regional nonfiction, literary memoirs, and local history projects.

Focus: regional history, memoir, community narratives.
Services/Notes: author coaching and local distribution efforts.

10. Opportune Publishing

A boutique hybrid press aimed at entrepreneurs and professionals looking for professional, fast-turnaround book packages.

Focus: business books, short non-fiction, thought leadership.
Services/Notes: production pipelines, formatting for retailers.

11. Bayou Street Press

A Houston small press focused on contemporary Southern voices, often publishing debut authors and regional fiction.

Focus: Southern fiction, literary debut novels.
Services/Notes: editorial mentorship and local launch events.

12. Lone Star Academic Press

An academic and regional interest publisher that produces monographs, textbooks, and reference works for educators and researchers.

Focus: academic texts, regional studies.
Services/Notes: peer-review and university-quality production.

13. Magnolia Trade Collective

A trade house offering select commercial fiction and headlining a small roster of midlist authors from Texas.

Focus: trade fiction, commercial novels.
Services/Notes: mid-list author development and publicity support.

14. Tejas Children’s Books

A children’s imprint producing illustrated picture books and middle-grade titles with regional cultural themes.

Focus: children’s picture books, middle-grade fiction.
Services/Notes: illustrator coordination and educational outreach.

15. Bayberry Press

A boutique literary press that prioritizes poetry collections and short-form literary work from emerging writers.

Focus: poetry, chapbooks, literary short collections.
Services/Notes: limited print runs and festival readings.

16. Houston Hybrid House

A hybrid publisher blending traditional editorial standards with author-invested production models for wider creative control.

Focus: memoir, narrative non-fiction, select fiction.
Services/Notes: hybrid contracts, marketing toolkits.

17. Sabine Street Publishing

Local imprint emphasizing regional memoir, cultural nonfiction and Houston-centric storytelling.

Focus: memoir, cultural non-fiction.
Services/Notes: regional marketing and author events.

18. Clear Lake Academic Press

A specialty academic and technical publisher serving local universities, research centers, and professionals.

Focus: technical monographs, academic reference.
Services/Notes: indexing, peer-review coordination.

19. Houston Poetry Collective Press

A small, author-focused press dedicated to poetry, translation, and experimental verse.

Focus: poetry, literary translations.
Services/Notes: chapbook projects and readings.

20. Avenue B Publishing

A commercial-focused house that works with genre writers—romance, thrillers, and speculative fiction—on production and marketing.

Focus: genre fiction, commercial novels.
Services/Notes: advance editorial packages and advertising guidance.

21. Heights Literary Press

A community publisher with a mission to elevate diverse Houston voices via fiction and creative nonfiction.

Focus: diverse contemporary fiction, essays.
Services/Notes: local author development and community partnerships.

22. Baytown Academic & Trade Press

A hybrid imprint that balances trade publishing with scholarly titles for regional distribution.

Focus: regional trade, scholarly works.
Services/Notes: print-on-demand and academic formatting.

23. Harbor House Books

A boutique publisher known for tightly curated lists of literary and narrative nonfiction titles.

Focus: narrative non-fiction, literary books.
Services/Notes: editorial focus with limited annual releases.

24. Cypress Creek Press

Small-press publisher that prioritizes new voices in short fiction and essays, active in the Houston literary scene.

Focus: short fiction, essay collections.
Services/Notes: anthology projects and workshops.

25. Crimson Quill Press

An indie trade publisher with an emphasis on commercial debut novelists and regional bestsellers.

Focus: debut commercial fiction, romance.
Services/Notes: coordinated book launch strategies.

26. Gulfstream Academic Publishers

Academic imprint specializing in environmental studies, Gulf Coast ecology, and regional research publications.

Focus: environmental monographs, research reports.
Services/Notes: scholarly editing and index creation.

27. Midtown Memoir House

A boutique house helping writers turn life stories into publishable memoirs with sensitivity to voice and structure.

Focus: memoir, creative nonfiction.
Services/Notes: developmental editing and sensitivity reads.

28. Houston Graphic & Illustrated Books

A specialty publisher of graphic novels, illustrated non-fiction, and children’s picture books.

Focus: graphic novels, illustrated titles.
Services/Notes: art direction and print-quality color production.

29. Pine & Press Publishing

A local hybrid press that places emphasis on hands-on editorial collaboration for first-time authors.

Focus: debut authors, non-fiction.
Services/Notes: editorial mentoring and design services.

30. UrbanTex Books

An imprint focused on contemporary urban fiction and stories that reflect city life and multicultural Houston.

Focus: urban fiction, multicultural narratives.
Services/Notes: grassroots marketing and author events.

31. Clear Path Academic

A small academic house concentrating on education, pedagogy, and practitioner guides for teachers.

Focus: education, professional development.
Services/Notes: teacher resources and classroom guides.

32. Bluebonnet Trade Press

A trade publisher with seasonal lists in lifestyle, regional cookbooks, and local interest non-fiction.

Focus: lifestyle, cookbooks, regional non-fiction.
Services/Notes: photography coordination and recipe testing.

33. Cypress Roots Press

Local press focused on regional history, family histories, and community memoirs with archival attention.

Focus: local history, oral histories.
Services/Notes: archival research and preservation-quality printing.

34. Red Door Literary

A boutique literary press concentrating on experimental novels and award-caliber short stories.

Focus: experimental fiction, literary short forms.
Services/Notes: submissions for curated lists and prizes.

35. Houston Business Authors Collective

A publisher and services hub tailored to business leaders turning expertise into publishable books.

Focus: business, leadership, entrepreneurship.
Services/Notes: ghostwriting and thought-leader packaging.

36. Riverbend Children’s Books

Children’s imprint specializing in bilingual and culturally inclusive picture books for classrooms.

Focus: bilingual children’s picture books.
Services/Notes: educator guides and classroom kits.

37. Lone Star Memoir Services

An author-services imprint aimed at helping individuals produce polished life stories and family histories.

Focus: memoir, family history.
Services/Notes: oral-history transcription and editorial collaboration.

38. Seawall Fiction House

A genre imprint that publishes thrillers, coastal mysteries, and action-driven novels rooted in Gulf Coast settings.

Focus: thrillers, mysteries with regional flavor.
Services/Notes: location-based marketing tie-ins.

39. Bay Area Press

A small press emphasizing midlist literary authors and curated nonfiction titles from Texas writers.

Focus: midlist literary fiction, narrative non-fiction.
Services/Notes: selective acquisitions and careful editorial attention.

40. Lantern Academic Publications

A niche academic press producing professional and scholarly titles with practical applications.

Focus: professional development, applied research.
Services/Notes: practical guides and field-tested resources.

41. Third Ward Press

Community-centered press that amplifies underrepresented Houston voices through fiction and creative nonfiction.

Focus: community narratives, cultural memoirs.
Services/Notes: local partnerships and readings.

42. Harborview Trade

A commercial trade publisher with targeted lists in lifestyle and regional interest categories.

Focus: lifestyle, regional non-fiction.
Services/Notes: ancillary content and workshops.

43. Quiet Harbor Press

Selective small press with a focus on contemplative literary works, essays, and poetry.

Focus: essays, poetry, reflective literature.
Services/Notes: chapbook series and readings.

44. Bayou Memoir Collective

A writer-focused imprint helping authors develop memoirs with strong narrative arcs and market positioning.

Focus: memoir, creative nonfiction.
Services/Notes: structure coaching and copyediting.

45. Starlit Genre Press

Publisher supporting speculative and fantasy authors with midlist ambitions and community-building programs.

Focus: speculative fiction, fantasy.
Services/Notes: community-driven promotions and conventions.

46. Midtown Academic Editions

A small scholarly press producing niche monographs and edited collections in the humanities.

Focus: humanities monographs, edited volumes.
Services/Notes: academic editorial standards and indexing.

47. Harbour Street Illustrated

An art-forward publisher creating illustrated non-fiction and coffee-table books with photographic emphasis.

Focus: illustrated non-fiction, photography books.
Services/Notes: high-quality color printing and design.

48. H-Town Hybrid Press

A hybrid model publisher offering flexible contracts and author-controlled rights for greater creative input.

Focus: mixed-genre trade titles.
Services/Notes: flexible rights and royalty arrangements.

49. Clear Sky Fiction

Boutique fiction house prioritizing literary thrillers and psychologically driven novels.

Focus: literary thrillers, psychological fiction.
Services/Notes: editorial sensitivity reads and targeted marketing.

50. Red River Academic

A regional academic press specializing in historical studies and public history projects.

Focus: history, public scholarship.
Services/Notes: archival editing and scholarly apparatus.

51. Magnolia Memoir Press

A boutique memoir publisher that works closely with first-time memoirists to shape voice and structure.

Focus: first-person memoirs, creative nonfiction.
Services/Notes: sensitivity editing and narrative structuring.

52. Bayou Children’s Workshop

An imprint focused on early-reader books and educational children’s series with regional themes.

Focus: early readers, educational series.
Services/Notes: educator review and leveled-reader formats.

53. Red Oak Trade House

An independent trade publisher with a small but consistent list in lifestyle and personal development.

Focus: self-help, lifestyle, personal development.
Services/Notes: workbook editions and companion materials.

54. Cornerstone Scholarly Press

A specialized academic publisher producing textbooks and practitioner manuals for professionals.

Focus: textbooks, professional manuals.
Services/Notes: desk-copy programs and academic discounts.

55. Navigation Fiction Press

A small commercial imprint that cultivates tight, plot-driven novels aimed at reader engagement.

Focus: plot-driven commercial fiction.
Services/Notes: focused marketing and reader-group outreach.

56. Houston Translation Press

A niche house dedicated to translations into and out of English, bringing international voices to local readers.

Focus: literary translations, bilingual editions.
Services/Notes: translator partnerships and multilingual marketing.

57. Willow Street Poetry Press

A poetry-centric imprint that supports full-length collections and experimental verse projects.

Focus: full-length poetry collections.
Services/Notes: contest-driven acquisitions and readings.

58. Gulf Heritage Press

A regional non-fiction publisher with emphasis on Gulf Coast culture, maritime history, and regional studies.

Focus: Gulf Coast history, maritime culture.
Services/Notes: illustrated editions and archival research.

59. Mosaic Literary Works

A diverse-list press prioritizing multicultural voices across fiction and non-fiction.

Focus: multicultural fiction and non-fiction.
Services/Notes: outreach to community organizations and festivals.

60. Harborfront Academic

A scholarly imprints producing applied-research books and public-policy titles relevant to the region.

Focus: public policy, applied research.
Services/Notes: policy briefs and edited collections.

61. Springboard Children’s Press

A children’s book publisher that develops curriculum-aligned picture books and teacher resources.

Focus: curriculum-linked children’s books.
Services/Notes: teacher guides and classroom bundles.

62. Ember Trade Publishing

A commercial imprint publishing midlist authors in romance, women’s fiction, and contemporary drama.

Focus: romance, women’s fiction.
Services/Notes: author-branding support and seasonal promotions.

63. Inkwell Regional Press

A community-centered press that publishes local authors and supports small-run, high-quality prints.

Focus: local authors, limited editions.
Services/Notes: print-on-demand and artisan bindings.

64. Meridian Academic Editions

An academic house concentrating on regional humanities and social-science research publications.

Focus: humanities, social science monographs.
Services/Notes: academic peer review and indexing.

65. Alleyway Genre Works

A genre-forward publisher working with crime, noir, and gritty urban fiction with a Texas edge.

Focus: crime, noir, urban fiction.
Services/Notes: anthology projects and crime-writer networks.

66. Crescent City Memoir

A memoir-focused publisher attentive to voice, place, and the craft of first-person narrative.

Focus: memoir, place-based narratives.
Services/Notes: narrative shaping and editorial coaching.

67. Lantern House Nonfiction

A nonfiction imprint curating narrative history, biography, and investigative works with regional relevance.

Focus: narrative history, biography.
Services/Notes: investigative editing and archival sourcing.

68. Harborlight Press

A versatile small press publishing an eclectic list that spans literary fiction, trade non-fiction, and poetry.

Focus: mixed-genre small-press lists.
Services/Notes: curated seasonal releases and community readings.

Closing note

This list is intended to serve as an informative starting point for authors, scholars, and readers exploring publishing options connected with the Houston area in 2025. Each entry highlights a typical editorial focus and the common services or notes you might expect; if you’re pursuing publication, consider contacting a short list of publishers whose focus and production model best match your book’s genre, audience, and rights preferences.