OUR guiding principles
Every decision should honor both the story and the reader
- History Matters We believe the past deserves to be understood with honesty, curiosity, and respect.
- Place Matters The landscapes we inhabit shape the stories we tell. Every shoreline, village, and field carries memories waiting to be discovered.
- Family Matters The bonds between generations create legacies that extend beyond a single lifetime.
- Craft Matters Every sentence, every page, and every book should reflect thoughtful care and enduring quality.
- Integrity Matters Research, authenticity, and transparency guide our work.
- Beauty Matters A well-made book invites readers not only to read, but to linger, reflect, and treasure the experience.
Our philosophy
- At Parsons House Press, we believe that books should endure.
- We believe that historical fiction carries a unique responsibility - not only to entertain but also to illuminate the lives, places, and events that have shaped our world.
- We believe that careful research enriches imagination, and that beautiful design honors both the writer and the reader.
- We believe that every book should be crafted with intention, from the first sentence to the final printed page.
- Most of all, we believe that stories have the power to preserve memory, connect generations, and remind us that history is never truly past. It lives on through the people who remember, retell, and rediscover it.
There are moments in life when a story becomes something more than words on a page. Sometimes it begins with an old photograph tucked inside a family Bible. Sometimes with a weathered deed, a handwritten letter, or a faded name carved into a headstone. What begins as curiosity gradually becomes research, and research becomes understanding. Over time, understanding becomes responsibility.
Parsons House Press was born from that responsibility. Long before there was a publishing house, there was a desire to understand the lives of those who came before us. Years spent researching genealogy, studying local history, visiting archives, and walking the places where earlier generations lived revealed more than names and dates. They revealed lives marked by courage, sacrifice, hardship, hope, and perseverance. Those discoveries inspired a simple but profound realization: history is not merely recorded - it is remembered through stories.
That realization gave rise to the Sons of Maine series, a work of historical fiction rooted in careful research and inspired by generations of one New England family. Although the novels are fictionalized, they are grounded in authentic places, historical events, and the enduring truths that connect one generation to the next. In bringing those stories to life, another calling began to emerge.
It exists to create books that are thoughtfully researched, carefully written, beautifully designed, and made to endure. Every decision—from manuscript development and editorial review to typography, paper, and binding—is guided by the belief that books are more than products. They are vessels of memory, culture, and imagination.
While our first publications reflect our New England roots, the vision of Parsons House Press extends beyond any one family or place. We seek stories that illuminate the human experience, celebrate history with integrity, and invite readers into worlds that deepen understanding, inspire curiosity, and foster connection.
Our story
"Every publishing house begins with a manuscript. Ours began with a family."
To Our Readers,
Every publishing house begins with a story.
Some are founded in bustling cities by entrepreneurs and investors. Others emerge from generations of printers, booksellers, and publishers. Parsons House Press began differently. It began with a family story.
For years, I immersed myself in the history of the Parsons family—reading letters, studying genealogy, exploring old maps, walking the places my ancestors once called home, and piecing together the lives of those whose stories might otherwise have been forgotten. What began as historical research gradually became something much larger: a desire to preserve those stories through fiction grounded in historical truth.
As the Sons of Maine series took shape, I realized that I wanted more than a way to publish books. I wanted to create a home for them.
Parsons House Press was founded on the belief that stories rooted in history deserve thoughtful stewardship. Every detail matters—from careful research and honest storytelling to elegant typography, enduring design, and books made to be treasured for generations. We believe a book should be more than a product. It should be an heirloom.
Our name reflects that philosophy. A house is more than a building; it is a place of belonging, memory, and tradition. A press is more than a means of printing; it is a commitment to sharing stories that endure. Together, they represent our purpose: to honor the past while creating works that inspire future generations.
Whether you are holding one of our novels, exploring the history behind them, or simply discovering Parsons House Press for the first time, thank you for joining us. It is our hope that every book we publish invites you to slow down, to reflect, and to remember that history lives not only in archives and museums, but also in the lives of ordinary people whose courage, sacrifices, and dreams continue to shape the present.
Welcome to Parsons House Press.
May these stories find a lasting place in your home, your library, and your heart.
With gratitude, Julia Burns
Founder & Publisher
Parsons House Press