About us
Fingerprint Editions is the brainchild of Jen Hyatt and Barbara Whitfield, two women who write. We have both published numerous articles, written for stage, been agented, and second read for the Bridport Prize but remain unable to find a home with mainstream publishers. Moreover, the publishing industry tends to value commercial imperative above stimulating change which sits poorly with our experiences and beliefs. Fingerprint is our way of redressing the balance - to offer women from diverse demographies a channel to be heard by sharing their stories. We have an ambitious plan to grow into a vibrant community of readers and writers which will allow us, in time, to transition into a cooperatively owned social purpose enterprise.
Jen Hyatt Co-founder
I was raised on a Dorset farm by a stoic working-class mum from Birmingham and a middle-class dad whose struggle with depression and alcoholism led him from farm hand to foundry worker to early redundancy. At school, with family challenges and as a bright kid from the wrong side of town, nothing about me fit (not least my sexuality long before the term queer was commonly used).
This led to political activism and a career outside the mainstream - founding numerous social ventures worldwide. Despite awards and accolades, like many women, I struggle with imposter syndrome, constantly striving to prove I am ‘good enough’; although realise my life is blessed compared to millions who face abject poverty, persecution and prejudice daily.
Writing has been a joy and salvation throughout my life. Through a Curtis Brown Creative course during lockdown, I was lucky to meet Barbara who has become a close and cherished friend. Together, we are building Fingerprint Editions as a channel for cultural activism – highlighting social issues to spark conversation and action.
Barbara Whitfield Co-founder
I grew up in Birmingham in a large family with little money but plenty of library books. I benefited from a system that sent ‘bright’ kids to ‘good’ schools, even if a good girls’ school meant formal lessons in elocution, deportment, and sewing, with unwritten ones on women’s role as secretary, wife and mother. I did not fit in.
So, I bumbled through the decades, working, travelling, studying, until, in my 60s, I moved to Wales and started writing full-time.
I realise that as a middle-class, white, heterosexual woman, I’m privileged. My well-lived, freewheeling, often wild life has been largely due to a safety net of strong, loving family and friends. And despite seeing myself as fair, open-minded and free-thinking, I have blind spots when it comes to the diverse experiences of others.
My greatest desire for Fingerprint Editions is that we offer a means for as broad a spectrum of voices as possible to be heard. We cannot truly understand life’s complexities if we don't create space for all perspectives.
Gillian Stern Editor
My love for discovering and editing fiction took off during my third maternity leave, when I went in a day a week to a leading literary agency to tackle the slush pile. I was working as a Commissioning Editor in academic publishing, but it was in those hours spent sifting through debut novels that I discovered the joy and privilege of editing fiction and in particular my love for helping new writers find a voice.
Happily, one of my early discoveries on that slush pile went on to win several literary prizes, and the author has recently published her seventh novel.
From there, I was able to build a freelance career, and have been a structural and developmental editor for fiction and non-fiction, working across the major agencies and publishers.
I am also a ghost-writer and have written twelve memoirs, some of which are Sunday Times bestsellers and prize winners. One was even adapted into an award-winning West End musical – an experience I’ll never forget.
I’ve had the honour of judging both the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize and the Nero Book Awards First Novel category and I’m always looking for ways to support and celebrate emerging talent.
Whether I’m editing, ghost-writing, or championing new authors, my commitment is the same: to help people tell the stories that matter most to them.
Alison Rae Editor
With over twenty years of publishing experience and a background in music, the arts and marketing, I bring a keen editorial eye and a love of powerful storytelling. My focus is on amplifying strong female voices, bold memoirs and narratives that stay with you long after the final page – especially those with a bit of grit and humour.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with iconic talents in fiction and non-fiction such as Nick Cave, Tracey Thorn, Jordan Stephens, Louise Welsh and Denise Mina. I’m inspired by writers such as Viv Albertine, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Jean Rhys – voices that challenge and illuminate – and am addicted to South Korean cinema and dub reggae.
At Fingerprint Editions, I’m excited to help publish books that truly matter – books with perspectives that make us see the world differently. I’m here to support our writers in unlocking their fullest potential and telling their stories in the most resonant way possible.
Chad Thatcher Tech
At heart, I’m an engineer with a love for designing and building everything from software systems, to cabinetry and cabins. Born in Canada and raised in Zambia, I’ve lived, studied and worked in South Africa, and the UK.
With a Master’s in Software Engineering from Oxford, I have been responsible for developing and managing the technical side of many start-ups, including Complinet, an early online publisher and compliance platform. These days, I live on a farm, blending my technical skills with carpentry and country life.
