Valerie Brandes founded Jacaranda with a distinctive purpose: to shine a light on brilliant writers and their stories which remained unpublished. Over the last decade, she's inspired audiences with exquisite books, ground-breaking voices and exciting new collections.
Valerie Brandes is the Founder & Publisher of London’s diversity-focused, independent publisher Jacaranda Books. She is an editor and entrepreneur with over 15 years experience in the book trade across the USA and UK, and has been named one of the top 100 most influential Black Britons on the Powerlist 2018.
Innovation and creativity was at the heart of the Jacaranda Books model from inception; Valerie discovered the first author to be published on the list, Jacqueline Shaw, at Tricia Worrell’s Black Book Swap event. The resultant book, Fashion Africa, a coffee table tome with over 40 fashion designers and 400 original photographs, was released in February 2014.
Under Valerie´s leadership the Jacaranda Books brand is increasingly recognised as the publisher of choice for diverse, new writing and an example of Black excellence within the industry. In addition to publishing diverse voices from the UK, both debut and established, Jacaranda Books has introduced international voices from across Africa, Asia and the Americas to the British publishing scene. Jacaranda Books delved into world of translated literature at a time when the industry lamented a lack of investment in this hugely important area of publishing, even by the bigger and more established houses. Its books sit comfortably alongside the “Big Five” with the best in editorial, design, production and marketing for such a newly established company of its size.
As a result of our clear and highly ambitious vision, Jacaranda Books has consistently punched above its weight. To date the company has published over 100+ titles by a raft of talented authors, including multiple award winners such as Irenosen Okojie (Butterfly Fish, Speak Gigantular), Shola von Reinhold (LOTE), Anietie Isong (Radio Sunrise and News at Noon), and Bernice L. McFadden (The Book of Harlan, Praisesong for the Butterflies). Jacaranda has acquired some of the most important, controversial and relevant books of our current times, including Rest in Power: the Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin by Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, the parents of Trayvon Martin, and continues to highlight and amplify Black voices both in the UK and globally.
Jacaranda has also diversified the publishing in a way sorely needed by the industry through never seen before titles and collections. These include the Twenty in 2020 series, a history making campaign to publish twenty titles by Black British writers in one year. Something unheard of in the UK. Jacaranda is also home to the 'A Quick Ting On...' series curated by award-winning publisher and Forbes 30 under 30 recipient, Magdalene Abraha written by some of the most trailblazing young Black British talents this country has to offer.
The Jacaranda story is a true David and Goliath tale where they've held their own against the titans of the publishing industry. With new developments including international partnerships in the pipeline, their growth under Valerie's leadership knows no bounds.
For press and general enquiries regarding Valerie, please contact Juanita on telephone 0203 375 6024 or artists@tgrg.co.uk