starsmore forge logo

Introducing Starsmore Forge

Every indie author needs her own publishing imprint, right? Enter Starsmore Forge.

In the lead up to publishing Beyond the Humming Downs, after much brainstorming, I eventually arrived at Starsmore Forge as my publishing business/imprint name.

Names are important. And the best ones, in hindsight, feel so right that you wonder how you didn’t get there sooner.

So, just as I spent months contemplating my author name (before the answer serendipitously fell into my lap), I spent even longer coming up with Starsmore Forge as the publishing identity that would take me forward in my new micro-career as an indie author.

My selection criteria:

I felt connected to the name.
The name evoked fantasy and fantasy books without being limiting (just in case I branch out).
The name was unique and discoverable as indie by anyone who cares about such things.

I don’t propose to bore you with just how many different names and words I considered. Suffice to say, several dozen of my favourite mood words and fantasy-themed nouns, including some made-up words from my own worldbuilding, were thrown into the pot.

Some compounds I loved but were too similar to some other small press or indie imprint name out there. (There are soooo many… especially with “moon” in them. 😆) Others felt forced, like I was trying too hard.

I agonised. I wrung my hands. I banged my head on the table.

And then I arrived at Starsmore Forge

Yessss!

“Forge” is a word I’ve loved and connected with for a long time. Its definitions include:

(v) to create (something) strong, enduring or successful
(v) to move forward gradually or steadily
(v) to make or shape (a metal object) by heating it in a fire or furnace and hammering it
(n) a blacksmith’s workshop; a smithy.

I’ve long felt “forge” is a great word for creatives and me specifically: my background way-back-when is in steels and materials engineering; slow and steady and dogged is how I roll; and I even called my first blog “Forge and Brew”. (I loved that blog.)

It initially didn’t occur to me to use “Starsmore” in the name. But then I found myself thinking about “Star Forge”… and the penny dropped.

Starsmore Forge, which has pleasing cadence and assonance, was born.

Now, of course, I can’t imagine my publishing business/imprint being called anything else!

A note about the logo

I’m getting a thrill out of having a Starsmore Forge logo. It took me a little while to come up with it… finding the right elements and positioning them. I do love a little asymmetry.

I think this icon (which was sourced from an image library) evokes a sense of stamping (forging) a star into a piece of metal — which makes it kind of perfect.

I’m looking forward to seeing this logo on the title page and back of the paperback book of Beyond the Humming Downs — and hopefully more books in the future.