Find Yourself Somewhere Else Here.

Past Imperfect is an independent press specializing in historical fiction that breaks molds, busts myths, and challenges the way readers see, feel, and understand the past. Focusing on sensory details, women’s stories, diverse perspectives, and rarer settings, Past Imperfect aims to immerse readers into history forgotten with words remembered.

New & Upcoming Releases

THE ONLY WAY TO CHEAT A HANGMAN by Leah Angstman

Find Your Place in Time

World by Decade

➡️ 1840s
➡️ 1850s

U.S.A. by State

➡️ California
➡️ Wyoming

U.S. American

➡️ Pioneering / Wagon Trains
➡️ California Gold Rush

News

8-6-25: Submissions are officially open.
7-16-25: We’ve launched the site, but not all the buttons and links are working yet. Please have patience for the new site, and check back later if something isn’t working yet.
2-18-25: We have arrived! We’ve picked up our first book, and we’re launching this press with aplomb! Welcome!

Past News

There is no past news here yet, but when we have news to archive, we’ll list it here.

Submissions

Past Imperfect accepts submissions year-round of historical fiction only, although that topic and styles can be broad. We do not publish anything else except historical fiction. Submit via Submittable. We will do our best to respond within a few weeks, but please don’t follow up excessively; reading submissions takes a lot of time. Authors: don’t submit via email; our inbox is for correspondence only. Agents: you may send pitches via email.

Code of Conduct: Past Imperfect expects its authors to be kind literary citizens within the industry and to conduct themselves with decency in the public sphere, which includes social-media profiles. We reserve the right to sever ties and contracts with authors who target or harass others; use racist, homophobic, xenophobic, ableist, or otherwise derogatory remarks toward others in public media; publish external material that is harmful to others; or otherwise conduct themselves in a way that would reflect poorly on our press. Literary citizenship is important to us, and the literary community is small and tight-knit. We all need one another, and we rise by lifting others.

Distribution, Sales, & ARCs

Our books can be ordered and shelved globally in paperback, ebook, and audiobook (if applicable) anywhere books are borrowed or sold. They are available via all major online retailers, including Amazon, Kindle, Nook, Kobo, eBooks.com, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Waterstones, and Blackwell’s; from your favorite bookstore, library, or university via Ingram, OverDrive, Hoopla, Baker & Taylor, and Bookshop; to the industry via Edelweiss+ (requires free login to access), and in-person at bookfairs and author events around the United States.

Booksellers: please order through Ingram at 55% discount with returns accepted and sign up on our bookstore list if you want tips for shelving, displaying, and promoting our books and authors around certain holidays, historical events, or local interests. Industry buyers and rights acquirers: please email us for any information you need. ARCs and review materials are available to anyone interested in reviewing or promoting one of our titles; please email for review copies and sign up on our publicity list to be notified when new ARCs are available to promoters.

Branding: Our colors are hex #648A8A (dark teal), #89BBBB (medium teal), #C8D7D2 (light teal), #134059 (dark blue), #F3E4CD (cream), #E2E1D5 (light grayish-green cream). For full logos, our high-res vertical logo with words can be downloaded here, our horizontal light-teal banner with words can be downloaded here, and our horizontal light grayish-green cream banner with words can be downloaded here. For icons, our round icon logo without words can be downloaded here, and our round icon logo with words can be downloaded here.

Our Books Win Awards!

Click an award below to see a list of our award-winning recipients.

Author & Press Events

Masthead

Aubree Barnhart is the co-editor of Past Imperfect. She is looking for the next Toni Morrison, Percival Everett, Zadie Smith, Marlon James, Willa Cather, Heather O’Neill, Edith Wharton, Victor Hugo, Paulette Jiles, Geraldine Brooks, Louis Bayard, Danielle Dutton, Nicola Griffith, Gore Vidal, Marie Benedict, Victoria Christopher Murray, and Lalita Tademy.

Jen Hobbs is the co-editor of Past Imperfect. She is looking for the next Patrick O’Brian, James Clavell, Hilary Mantel, E. L. Doctorow, Michael Shaara, Zoe Sivak, Stephanie Dray, Tim O’Brien, Allison Pataki, Bernard Cornwell, Larry McMurtry, Cormac McCarthy, Kathleen Grissom, Dewey Lambdin, Robert Morgan, Alexander Kent, and Stuart Turton.