A START-UP alternative publishing house in Tynedale has released its first book.

Bad Press Ink was created in January by authors Iain Parke and a man who goes by the name of Zion, after they saw a gap in the market for a publisher of alternative literature.

Zion’s first book, a memoir called A Life Amid Crisis, climbed to the top of the Amazon music biography chart list, whilst Iain is best known for his biker thriller series, the Brethren MC novels, set in the North-East.

The pair were then joined by Vikki Spit, who had a extensive history in the music business as a song-writer and musician, and Pat Blayney, a professional copy editor and proof reader with over 20 years of experience.

The first author to work under the pair’s guidance was London-based Paul Phipps-Williams, whose debut novel The Axe & Grindstone was described by the publishers as being “the closest thing to Terry Pratchett since his hat”. “We couldn’t have been more excited when we discovered Paul,” Iain said. “His natural style is a cross between Douglas Adams and Terry Pratchett.

“When we started Bad Press Ink, our goal was to give a voice to authors who might otherwise be ignored by the mainstream.”

Paul spends much of his time in the Houses of Parliament where he works, but decided to stay away taking inspiration from his immediate surroundings.

“The risk that it could bring down the Government was too great,” said Paul, “so I decided to write a horror-comedy instead.

“It was probably a good idea as the risk of litigation was considerably less and, what with Brexit, everyone is a bit fed up about reading about the Government. I didn’t fancy being the next Guy Fawkes.”