Fresh Water Press making waves beyond the Lakeshore

Lori Kaye Lodes

Contributor

April 20, 2026

TWO RIVERS – In just two years, Fresh Water Press has evolved from a casual conversation among writers into a fast-growing independent publisher with an expanding footprint.

Co-owner Tara Huck said the fully women-owned press has seen a 450% increase in submissions, a steadily growing catalog of titles, expanded staff and distribution that now reaches 20 states and international readers – all while entering what co-founders describe as a major expansion phase.

Huck said it’s no small feat for a press based in a community of just more than 11,000 residents. 

But much like the waves that touch the shores of Lake Michigan, Fresh Water Press has extended its reach far beyond the Lakeshore, propelled by the trio of women – Huck, Tracey Koach and Peggy Turnbull – who created the business in February 2024.

Huck said they have a mission: Publish local authors and stories connected to the Lake Michigan shoreline as a women-led press in an industry in which only 30% of independent publishers are women-led.

“Women authors make up about half of all titles published, but leadership in publishing is lagging,” she said.

Complementary skills and expertise

The co-founders said each of them brought literary expertise and complementary skill sets to the table – Huck, a journalist and published author with a master’s in business administration; Koach, with a background in environmental science and expertise in contract negotiation and law; and Turnbull, an accomplished poet who retired from a career in university library science. 

Together, they each take on multiple roles within the press, from editing and formatting to proofreading.

“We discovered the three of us had complementary skills and experiences, and we dove right into the administrative work required to set up a new company,” Turnbull said.

Turnbull said Sophie Dramm later joined them as their engagement manager as the company scaled its operations.

The three co-founders said they operate as a collective, unanimously making decisions on which books to publish and guiding the business forward.

The trio said they draw on their individual strengths to serve the company’s needs, all serving as editors, while also leading specific projects.

Huck said that collaborative structure has helped Fresh Water Press streamline workflows, strengthen its technical infrastructure and support continued growth.

“I was an author and journalist in the past before I took a detour, and I was missing a creative outlet in my life,” she said. “After finding all this talent available, we [determined] there are a lot of people like us who like to write and need a platform. We have a vibrant art scene in this area, too – visual, music, theater – and we wanted to provide a forum for that.”

Huck said they created Fresh Water Press “as earnest writers” who wanted to provide an opportunity for local authors to publish with a locally owned, traditional-model publishing company.

From the start, the trio said they committed to careful review and thoughtful discussion, beginning with their very first manuscript submission.

“We scrupulously read everything submitted, discussed each and together decided which three manuscripts we wanted to publish,” Turnbull said.

The first book out of the gate

Huck said that early vetting process led to a pivotal conversation with Bev Denor, owner of LaDeDa Books in Manitowoc, who had a manuscript tucked away in her basement.

The discussion, Huck said, ultimately resulted in Fresh Water Press’s debut title, “Opening Nights: A Collection of Theater Stories,” published in 2024.

“[The book] was 20 years in the making,” she said.

Across its growing catalog, Huck said Fresh Water Press maintains a consistent focus on showcasing the Lakeshore’s literary talent.

And though the press publishes multiple genres, she said it remains united by a mission to elevate the voices of Northeast Wisconsin authors, with every contributor sharing a meaningful connection to the region.

“‘Ghost(ed) Woman [and the Electric Purple Pants]’ is about a college professor who lost her job during COVID-19, and it was her whole poetry journey…,” she said. “‘RADIO STARR’s’ author is from Sheboygan. We want to focus on Wisconsin authors and have a start local, think global [mindset] starting here with our authors.”

Huck said this philosophy extends to the company’s publishing model – deliberately choosing a traditional publishing structure.

“There are not a lot of traditional model publishing companies,” she said. “There are a lot of hybrid [publishers], self-publishing and the ‘big five publishers.’ We thought we could compete as a traditional model and distinguish ourselves with a selection process, with manuscripts that are vetted and well developed. It was the right fit for us to be traditional, as you can control the quality of the work with the integrity and quality we were after.”

Since its founding, Turnbull said the press has published four books and has a growing pipeline of titles scheduled through 2027, reflecting both strong demand and long-term planning.  

“Our hunch was right,” she said. “Writers are all around.”

And Huck said the authors’ success is the guiding star, as Fresh Water benefits in turn.

“We succeed when our authors succeed,” she said. “It’s hard to trust, after years of writing a book, to give it to a new company. Bev gave us that manuscript on day one, introduced us to the community and opened the doors to submission. People liked what they saw and believed in us.”

Broad support, a sense of community

Beyond publishing, Huck said Fresh Water Press provides comprehensive author support, including professional editing, cover design, marketing and distribution – services that extend well beyond a transactional relationship.

“We are developing a community of writers,” she said. “I want people to realize we’re here to develop writers over time… and we know these stories from Wisconsin matter and are worth reading.”

Huck said that sense of community is reinforced through events and partnerships, with the press building strong connections with Wisconsin bookstores, libraries and arts organizations – while hosting book launches, readings and writing events that regularly draw large crowds.

“Launch parties are a big way to get to know the authors and celebrate literature,” she said. “We want to get people talking about the books.”

Huck said the press is strengthening ties with local organizations as well, including The Nook, Woodland Dunes Nature Center, LaDeDa Bookstore, the Lakefly Writers Conference and other community partners.

Those efforts, she said, are complemented by a growing geographic reach.

With Dramm helping expand the press’s presence in Chicagoland and participation in events like Printers Row Lit Fest, Huck said Fresh Water Press is building a broader audience while maintaining its local roots.

“We are a local company, but we have a wide reach of readers and can reach readers anywhere,” she said.

Huck said the catalog reflects that balance, spanning genres from nonfiction – such as “Dial Down: Holistic Strategies” to “Move from Chaos to Calm” –  to upcoming middle-grade fiction, like “The House on Hemlock Hill.”

She said the selection is designed to appeal to a wide range of readers.

“If you’re an avid reader, reluctant reader or [a] kid, we’re developing a list of titles [so we have] something for everyone,” she said.

Huck said books are available through traditional retail channels as well as directly from the company’s website and Bookshop.org, reinforcing the press’s commitment to supporting independent bookstores.

“That way, they get the profits,” she said.

Huck said Fresh Water Press also partners with book clubs and organizations, providing bulk ordering options that encourage deeper engagement with its titles.

“It’s a great discussion on how to weave wellness in your life, especially for people working in high-stress environments,” she said.

Huck said their deliberate efforts are bringing the Fresh Water Press mission to life, and the press’s growth has exceeded their expectations.

“The community is interested in us, the authors are doing great,” she said. “Our goal is to have award-winning books. We really planned this out, and we’re where we wanted to be. It’s working.”

Turnbull said she is proud of Fresh Water Press’s authors and how each title represents Manitowoc County and the Lakeshore through a literary lens.

The authors’ experiences

In December 2024, Huck said Fresh Water Press opened submissions to a wider pool of writers – and together decided three impressive titles to publish, including “Raquel Durden’s Dial Down: Holistic Strategies to Move from Chaos to Calm,” a guide to personal well-being for combat veterans and first responders.

Durden, a retired military intelligence analyst, said she approached publishing with the same rigor she applied to her military career – flipping the script and researching publishers to find the right fit.

“[Fresh Water Press] was new at publishing, and I was kind of new at being a writer, and that’s the first thing I liked,” she said. “Then I read their bios and realized they weren’t new to the publishing world by any means. I loved that they were women-owned – it really spoke to me – and that they were Wisconsin girls at heart.”

While on a bucket-list trip to Asia with limited internet, Durden said she received an email from the press letting her know a contract would be waiting upon her return.

“It was so exciting,” she said. “And yet that was [just] the tip of the iceberg, because they have been phenomenal to work with.”

Paired with Co-founder Koach as her editor, Durden said she appreciated the shared understanding of military terminology.

When she first held the advance reader copy at Manitowoc’s Harmony Cafe, Durden said she felt a surge of emotions.

“I thought I was going to cry – it was like birthing a baby,” she said.

Durden said she also praised the press’s marketing support, Huck’s business mindset and the team’s professionalism.

She said she deferred to the team on the cover, impressed by the 16 options she was presented for consideration.

“It was a humbling experience,” she said.

Durden said the final cover “captured the quintessential moment when chaos turns to calm”  – reminding her of Lake Michigan.

The book launch, she said, mirrored that collaborative spirit.

Held at Woodland Dunes with a full house, Durden said she was inspired by the reception and began developing a teen edition.

“Every person I’ve talked to has said how valuable this would be, with the reader being the teen,” she said.

Huck said Fresh Water Press also nurtures newer authors, including Chilton middle school art teacher Brittni Nelson, whose upcoming middle-grade mystery “The House on Hemlock Hill” will be published this summer.

Nelson – who previously self-published two books for family and friends – said she submitted her manuscript after connecting with the press at the Lakefly Writers Conference.

“Their mission is to really raise up and support authors, not just publish books, and it felt like this was the place for my book,” she said.

Nelson said she worked closely with editor Dramm to polish her manuscript and contributed pencil sketches for the main character and the book cover.

“It’s amazing that I have this group of women who are smart and capable and want me to be successful and happy with my book,” she said.

From debut authors to those expanding their reach, the founding trio said Fresh Water Press shows how intentional publishing, thoughtful collaboration and a focus on local talent can produce books that resonate.