The Quiet Room Press
The Quiet Room Press is a small press based in South Canterbury, New Zealand, founded by published author, Leigh Marsden. We aim to publish literary fiction and reflective nonfiction that is clear, thoughtful, and emotionally honest. We are interested in work that engages with grief, loss, trauma and healing, and work that asks the difficult questions.
Latest Release
A Thousand Little Deaths by Leigh Marsden is a meditation on living and dying, literary fiction that blurs the lines of self and nature, and asks what it means to truly let go.
A Thousand Little Deaths
Literary Fiction
By Leigh Marsden
Leigh Marsden is a New Zealand writer and well-being practitioner whose work is shaped by years of teaching yoga, meditation, and trauma-informed practices. In her recent writing, she is drawn to stories about what it means to live and keep going through life’s turning points. A Thousand Little Deaths is her fourth novel.
About This Title
Liz is dying. She’s always been dying, but now she knows it. Now there is a countdown, an inescapable reality. Cancer. An ending of the self that becomes the beginning of understanding. If one knows how to listen. Before becoming Liz, she was Elizabeth. From her very first breath, she grows through other kinds of death, little deaths. And with each little death, a breath, a little beginning. Before and now, she seeks the timeless whispers of nature to answer the ultimate question: When is it time to let go? A rich meditation on living and dying, A Thousand Little Deaths blurs the lines of self and nature, uncovering a deep wisdom that carries us on the great journey we all face… the journey of embracing life and letting go.
ISBN: 978-0-473-77122-5
Our titles are available in paperback and on all major eBook platforms worldwide, including Kindle, Kobo, and Apple Books. Wherever you like to read, we're there.
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More About The Quiet Room Press
The Quiet Room Press is a small independent publisher, founded in 2026 and based in South Canterbury, New Zealand. We wish to focus on literary fiction and select nonfiction that explores the deeper layers of human experience, including grief, loss, and healing.
We are starting slowly, nurturing local authors and allowing our business to emerge organically. We aim to stand beside authors in their local bookstore as they launch their work, sharing the excitement of a vision brought to life.
Depth
We are interested in work that engages with real experience. This includes complexity, contradiction, and the parts of life that are often left unspoken.
We invite submissions from New Zealand based authors who have a completed manuscript that aligns with our values, and who would appreciate and value working with passionate and compassionate people to build a collection of meaningful publications for The Quiet Room Press.
Integrity
We stand by the work we publish. Each title reflects our standards, our taste, and our commitment to meaningful literature.
Care
We take a considered approach to publishing. This means thoughtful editing, strong relationships with authors, and attention to the full life of a book.
Submissions
We aim to publish a small number of books each year and will work closely with our authors over time. Editing is attentive and collaborative, with respect for the integrity and pace of the work.
Submissions are currently CLOSED.
We welcome manuscript submissions from New Zealand based writers whose work aligns with our focus. If you write literary fiction or reflective nonfiction, are looking for a New Zealand publisher who will work closely with you, and understand that we are a new business starting small, we'd love to hear from you. Before submitting, please read our guidelines to ensure your work is a good fit. We review everything carefully and aim to respond within 12 weeks.
