Meet Our Head of Operations

We are beyond delighted to welcome the newest member of the Asteria Press team - Wendy Mach!

Wendy is an extremely talented book designer and marketing manager who also runs her own freelance design business. We are so lucky to have collaborated with her in the past, and now to have her join us as partner and director at Asteria Press. So, without further ado, let’s get to know Wendy!

What does it mean to be the Head of Operations for Asteria Press?

“Head of Operations” - wow! A big title to fill. Thanks for the warm welcome Holly. At Asteria Press, this means I’ll be in charge of project management and all things production, making sure we meet our goals as a press through strategy and organisation. I’ll also be utilising my design background to work on the print prep for each title, from layout design to typesetting.

What do you do outside of Asteria Press?

Outside of Asteria Press, I’m a freelance design and metrics manager at a digital marketing agency and I run my own design business for all things books! My heart is firmly in the publishing industry so this is where you’ll find me.

Tell us about the impact of book design on the world of literature.

Where do I start? Book design is everything from the visual layout of the text to the look, feel, and touch of the cover. Design plays an important role in bringing the world of literature to life and ingraining them in the minds of readers for years to come. Since most of the population are visual thinkers first and foremost, this is a big task! Can you think of any literary works without visual associations?

If you could design the cover for any novel, what would it be and why?

I’d love to try my hands at redesigning my favourite classics like Alice in Wonderland and The Great Gatsby. Not only will this be a great honour, but I also love the challenge of recreating something uniquely that’s been done countless times before! I’m thinking of attempting a series for my Instagram page at some point, watch this space!

What are you most excited about in joining Asteria Press?

I love start-up culture and I can’t wait to get hands-on with all aspects of the business, to help Asteria Press grow and succeed as a publisher and to nurture and bring to life stories worth celebrating. Most of all, I can’t wait to form strong friendships and memories along the way, and learning - always learning.