About Us

Evening Post Books began in 2008 with a simple conviction: Southern artists deserved a good, reputable literary home, one that treated their work with the care, respect, and editorial rigor it warranted. 

At the time, many Southern stories weren’t getting the attention they deserved from national publishers. So co-founders Pierre Manigault and John M. Burbage set out to change that — starting in Charleston, where art and history run deep. 

“We built this press because we believed in the talent here — and we knew these stories mattered. Southern writers needed a place that would take their work seriously. That’s what Evening Post Books set out to be.” 
— John M. Burbage, Co-founder 

What started as a response to a regional gap has grown into something much larger. Since then, we’ve published more than 100 titles from authors across the country, many of which have earned national recognition and readership. 

We’re still proudly based in Charleston. But our reach, and the stories we tell, now extend far beyond it. 

We offer:

•  An editorial process that’s rigorous but personal: we don’t just copyedit; we invest.
• Design and production that reflects our author's work’s voice and vision: no templates. 
• Real marketing collaboration: grounded in relationship, not empty promotion. Distribution and printing handled with care: from first proof to final shipment.
• A long-term partnership: we stay in our author's corner well after pub day. 

We’re building a home for the next generation of Southern voices, writers who are expanding the narrative, not repeating it. 

If you’re writing something thoughtful, bold, or quietly transformative (and you think it might belong on our list) we’d love to read it during one of our two open submission periods throughout the year. 

 Submit your manuscript during our next open call and help shape what Southern literature looks like next. 

A Few Things We’re Proud Of 

Our authors have gone on to earn recognition from some of the most respected institutions in literature and journalism, including: 

Phyllis Wheatley Book Awards 

IPPYs (Independent Publisher Book Awards) 

Benjamin Franklin Awards 

South Carolina Academy of Authors Hall of Fame 

South Carolina Journalist of the Year 

Harvard Nieman Fellowships 

We don’t measure success by trophies but we’re proud to see our authors' work resonate far beyond the bookshelf.