Left Fork is a small press in Southwest Oregon, and our primary focus is books celebrating the people and culture here (and here is defined loosely–maybe let’s say we span the full Klamath-Siskiyou bioregion of SW Oregon and NW California). If you’re a local author or your work focuses on this region, Left Fork might be a good fit.

That said, we also seek to publish the best possible writing, particularly the highest quality poetry through our Flowstone imprint. If that brings us strong authors and artists from elsewhere, we’re excited to meet you and share your work with the world. We work closely with authors to create a book they can be proud of. We also have a strong focus on supporting young writers, by publishing their work alongside that of more seasoned writers (the literary journal Cobra Lily being one such place).

For one, our international headquarters is presently situated overlooking the West Fork of Oregon’s Illinois River, and West is Left. Also, we are an unashamedly progressive press and do not shrink from people calling us Lefty. Finally, we think forks, whether in roads or rivers, provide opportunity for conscious choices. As a press, we are conscious of what and how we create, as well as what we leave behind. As one example of this mission, we utilize print-on-demand technology, to hopefully minimize the number of unwanted books in the world.

Editorial Staff / Masthead

Ryan Forsythe (Publisher/Book Designer/Webmaster) is originally from the suburbs of NE OH. When not traveling, Ryan lives off-grid in the woods of SW OR. He is a writer, editor, teacher, artist, and dad. For four years he and wife Kaci ran a hostel in Redwood National Park, before temporarily relocating to San Diego. There he earned his MFA in Creative Writing, while also serving as Associate Editor for Fiction International. A Co-Administrator at the Dome School, he also serves in the Adult Basic Skills department at Rogue Community College.

Michael Spring (Flowstone Press Editor-in-Chief) is the author of numerous books of poetry, and also a poetry editor for The Pedestal Magazine. His awards include an honorable mention for the 2012 Eric Hoffer Book Award (for Root of Lightning), the 2013 Turtle Island Poetry Award (for Blue Wolf), and the Robert Graves Award (for a selection from Mudsong). Michael lives in Oregon where he teaches martial arts.

The best place to find physical copies of Left Fork and Flowstone Books is in the Illinois Valley of Southwest Oregon. When in Cave Junction, stop in at the Southern Oregon Guild of Artists and Artisans, Pine Cone Books, the IV Visitor Center, or Bear Images Boutique to peruse the fine selection of books, and ask the proprietor about Left Fork Books. And then when they look at you funny, say “The IV Doodle Book? Cobra Lily? Goldilocks and the Three BARs?” and then they’ll know what you’re talking about.

Our authors also tend to stock their local bookstores. For example, in Eugene, you can find Carter McKenzie’s Stem of Us at Tsunami Books, Black Sun Books, and J. Michaels Books. Come to the Edge is available at several locations throughout Del Norte County: Hiouchi Hamlet, Wild Rivers Market, the Yurok Visitor Center, Millsong Mercantile, and more (I’ll try to add them here as more places are added).

Those who can’t find hard copies are able to purchase print on demand books from the privacy of their own home or wi-fi enabled coffee shop. Soon we hope to offer the ability to purchase direct from us (including the ability to purchase copies signed by the author).

If you are considering Left Fork or Flowstone Press for your book, we ask that you first familiarize yourself with what we do publish. Fortunately, you’re at an ideal place to research our books–the website! So please explore the different sections, but also we ask that you read our Submission Guidelines.