About Us
Why Okanagan Publishing House?
Anyone who has been to the Okanagan knows it is a region of unsurpassed beauty. This can be seen from the ever-changing colours of Kalamalka Lake, in Vernon to the imposing stone ridges that rise from the ground at Penticton’s Shaka Bluffs. And of course, there is no place this is more evident than in the great Okanagan Lake that spans the region and ties it together.
The splendour of these natural wonders has not been lost on the people who live here. They have provoked many an artist to create works of art. As a result, we boast many renowned art galleries, such as the Hambleton Galleries in Kelowna, or the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre in Osoyoos. In addition, music plays a key role in our cultural scene, with festivals like Rock the Lake in Kelowna and Pentastic Jazz Festival in Penticton attracting national attention. Arts have a large support base in the Okanagan, however one area we feel hasn't had the same support is in literature, the printing and publishing of local authors. That’s were we come in.
Okanagan Publishing House is proud to be a small, independent publishing company. We were founded in Vernon BC and are now based in Kelowna BC. We began with the desire to showcase the Okanagan’s splendour. Our focus is on local authors, and we work hard to bring to life the stories and art that our beautiful region inspires them to create. We appreciate the fact that we are a smaller company, as it enables us to work one on one with our authors, ensuring the end product of our collaboration is one of the highest quality. With each of our projects we partner with a local charity to give back to our community. Some of our current partners are Boys and Girls Club of the Okanagan, Mamas for Mamas, and Kwu x̌ast, run by the Okanagan Nation Alliance.
TERRITORY ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Okanagan Publishing House is based in Kelowna and the surrounding communities that surround Okanagan Lake. “We acknowledge that our business is located on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan people.” To learn more about the Okanagan Nation Alliance and the Syilx people, please visit their website at https://www.syilx.org/
Divisions and Imprints
We firmly believe in the power of a unified goal and focus. When we founded Okanagan Publishing House, that was publishing local creatives and books about local interests. At the same time, there are many other areas that we want to explore! Over the years our company structure has changed, to address different subjects with the same energy that we have with Okanagan Publishing House. Today Okanagan Publishing encompasses Okanagan Publishing House and so much more!
Okanagan Publishing House
The original vision which started it all! Okanagan Publishing House is a trade publishing company based in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. This means that we develop in-house publications through our connections with professional writers and artists in the area. Each year we develop between 3-5 projects that seek to highlight a past or present part of this diverse region. Over the past decade we have transitioned from a model based on traditional print publishing, to one that integrates online digital publishing and online distribution.
OKPC (Okanagan Publishing Company)
At Okanagan Publishing, we believe that every story matters. While we only have enough resources to publish a few books a year as in-house, trade publication, we also extend our passion stories in self-publishing services through Okanagan Publishing Company (OKPC), a distinct entity that only deals in self-published works.
Whether providing formatting and editing assistance, or distributing the book under this imprint, you can get the help you need to self-publish your own book. We help to aspiring authors as they move through the whole publishing process, from design and formatting to print and promotion. From start to finish, OKPC is here to help your creation be the greatest success it can be! Contact us if you want more information!
Inklings Creative Collective
Through our work with Okanagan Publishing House, we met with all sorts of creatives throughout the Okanagan. We wanted to be a part of their artistic journey in a way that went beyond simply books. That's where Inklings Creative Collective was born. From cards and posters to jewellery and woodcrafts, it allows us to display the whole spectrum of the Okanagan. You can find their products on our Okanagan Publishing House store, learn more about the collective on their website, or contact us if you are a prospective creative!
Stress Center Books
Founded in 2016, Stress Center Books is a collaborative effort with Stress Center Wellness, an online mental health services educator based in Kelowna. Okanagan Publishing House provides distribution services for their titles, which focus psychological education. The books published here are tailored to a wholistic health approach, helping the reader have better awareness and connection between mind, body and spirit.
Schleitheim Press
Schleitheim Press is a book publisher dedicated to exploring radical Christian faith and a life of discipleship through books and multimedia. Their goal is accessible, relevant literature grounded in Anabaptist principles and Christian faith. At all times the goal is for the edification of the body of Christ as a whole, and the spiritual enrichment of the individual Christian.