Honno's Story
Honno is an independent co-operative press run by women and committed to bringing you the best in Welsh women's writing.
It was established in 1986 by a determined group of volunteers who wanted to increase the opportunities for Welsh women in publishing and bring Welsh women's literature to a wider public. They asked the people of Wales to show their support for the new enterprise by becoming shareholders in the cooperative and in the first six months more than 400 people bought shares. Honno continues to be supported by hundreds of individual shareholders who believe in its work.
True to its roots the press still only publishes work by women of Wales. Most of Honno's titles are novels, autobiographies and short story anthologies in English as well as Classics in both Welsh and English. We have in the past also published poetry, children's and teenage titles and books in both Welsh and English.
Over the years the Press and its titles have been awarded many prizes.
It is guided by the Honno Committee of volunteers who set the strategic direction of the Press, decide the publishing programme and manage the office and staff. The Honno office is located in the mid-Wales coastal town of Aberystwyth.
Honno receives financial support from the Books Council for Wales.
Meet the Team
COMMISSIONING EDITOR
Rebecca Parfitt
Rebecca Parfitt has worked in publishing for 15 years. She also worked as a bookseller for Waterstones for many years. Her experience of the book industry is wide-ranging. In 2013 she founded a magazine and publishing imprint called The Ghastling which specialises in folk horror, psychological horror, ghost stories, the uncanny and the weird - of which she is publisher and editor. She is also an avid reader and lover of books of all genres.
Rebecca’s poetry collection, The Days After, was published in 2017. She is a recipient of the Hay Festival Writers at Work scheme. In 2020 she received a Literature Wales bursary to complete her short story collection. In 2021 her first film, Feeding Grief to Animals, was commissioned and produced by the BBC and FfilmCymruWales of which she is writer and director.
Rebecca lives and works in the beautiful Llynfi Valley, south Wales, with her partner and two young children.
PRODUCTION EDITOR
Gemma June Howell
Gemma June Howell is an author, editor, academic and founder of Women Publishing Wales – Menywod Cyhoeddi Cymru, where she championed women writers and publishing professionals in Wales. As a published author and editor, she brings a unique perspective to author care, combining first-hand experience of the publishing journey with editorial expertise to support writers from manuscript to publication.
Her debut novel, The Crazy Truth, developed as part of her PhD in Creative & Critical Writing, launched at Hay Festival in 2024 to critical acclaim. That same year she was named one of Wales' most Influential Women by Buzz Mag and in 2025 she was selected as a Hay Writer at Work.
Alongside her role as Production Editor at Honno, Gemma is a member of the Swansea University Creative Writing Department Industry Expert Panel, she is the joint fiction editor at [un]common and her new poetry collection Hinges will be published by Broken Sleep Books in August 2027. Her work is driven by a commitment to amplifying marginalised and working-class voices, ensuring every author receives thoughtful editorial support, clear communication and an empathetic publishing experience.
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SALES, MARKETING & BUSINESS OFFICER
Elen Martin
Elen Martin has worked in publishing for three years, and joined the Honno team as Sales, Marketing & Business Officer in 2026. Her earlier experience includes volunteer marketing work for a charity and a writing internship in Sri Lanka, where she contributed to the development of a cookbook project.
She holds an MA with Distinction in English Literature, where her research explored portraiture in Gothic literature and the Aesthetic movement.
Alongside her work at Honno, Elen is a member of the Publishing Wales Board. A fluent Welsh speaker, she is especially interested in Welsh literary culture and in promoting writing from Wales. She is an avid reader of all genres, and is especially passionate about independent publishing and its role in bringing distinctive new voices to readers.
She lives in Pembrokeshire and spends her spare time reading, writing and exploring the coast.