Indie publishers push new titles
Indie publishers are promoting new releases on X, spotlighting titles like Penny Pappas’s Artemis and a book called The Illusion of Inclusion as part of spring launch activity. (x.com).
Independent publisher Red Penguin Books is using its X account to push a cluster of spring releases, including Penny Pappas’s children’s title *Artemis ~ The Dragon Slayer* and Latavia Sturdivant’s *The Illusion of Inclusion*. (redpenguinbooks.com) On Red Penguin’s publications page, both books appear alongside other recent titles, including *Puppies, Puppies Everywhere* by M.E. Saladino and *The Balance of Power* by Jan Domagala. The company says its authors come from six continents and promotes direct sales through its own site. (redpenguinbooks.com, redpenguinbooks.com) *Artemis ~ The Dragon Slayer* is listed by Red Penguin as a picture book by Penny Pappas with illustrations by Christina Gregoriou. Barnes & Noble lists the paperback at 44 pages with a publication date of April 1, 2026, and an age range of 2 to 7 years. (redpenguinbooks.com, barnesandnoble.com) Red Penguin describes the book as a story about a girl who has been told “it’s only for boys” before facing a challenge that forces her to decide whether to try. A Red Penguin post on YouTube called it “a gentle, meaningful” release as the publisher widened promotion beyond its website. (redpenguinbooks.com, youtube.com) *The Illusion of Inclusion* is listed by Red Penguin as a reflective journal and action guide by Latavia Sturdivant. The publisher says it is based on Sturdivant’s TEDx talk and is aimed at readers working on “authentic, equitable belonging” in their communities. (redpenguinbooks.com) Retail listings put that book’s publication date at March 20, 2026, with 112 pages in one edition and multiple formats now on sale. Books-A-Million, Apple Books and Amazon listings all show the title as newly available this spring. (booksamillion.com, books.apple.com, amazon.com) For small publishers, this kind of campaign is a low-cost way to keep several books visible at once. Red Penguin’s site pairs each title page with “shop now” prompts and links into direct-purchase channels, a common tactic for presses that do not have the marketing budgets of the largest New York houses. (redpenguinbooks.com, redpenguinbooks.com) The spring push also shows how independent presses often mix categories instead of building campaigns around a single genre. In the same catalog update, Red Penguin is promoting a children’s picture book, an equity-focused workbook, and other fiction and nonfiction titles under one house brand. (redpenguinbooks.com) What happens next is less about one viral post than whether these books keep showing up across retailer pages, publisher channels and social feeds through the rest of the spring list cycle. For now, Red Penguin has made both titles part of its front-line 2026 release slate. (redpenguinbooks.com, redpenguinbooks.com)
