About Smart House Books

Welcome to Smart House Books

Founded in Toronto in 2017 by author and actor Heidi von Palleske, Smart House Books is a fiercely independent micro press dedicated to publishing distinctive literary voices. We publish only three or four carefully selected titles each year, allowing us to give every book the attention it deserves.

Our editorial interests lie just beyond the edges of the mainstream. We are drawn to work that resists easy categorization: literary fiction that blurs the line between fiction and memoir, intelligent satire, novellas, and formally adventurous writing. In poetry, we are particularly interested in thematic collections and poets who engage with traditional forms while finding fresh, contemporary ways to reinvent them.

As a small press, we embrace a boutique approach to publishing. We produce limited print runs while using print-on-demand technology to ensure our books remain available to readers around the world.

Though small in size, our ambitions are anything but. Smart House Books titles have received literary awards, garnered critical acclaim, and attracted interest from the film and television industry, with works optioned for screen adaptation.

We believe that memorable books are rarely the safest ones. They challenge expectations, reward careful readers, and remain long after the final page has been turned. Those are the books we are proud to publish.