We want to officially introduce you to our production manager, Jess Farch.
We asked Jess five questions:
1. Tell us a little about you and your studies at RMIT?
Books have been a central part of my life ever since I was old enough to sneak in a few more chapters by torchlight under the doona. I have always loved words and the places they can whisk me away to.
It is this passion for stories that led me to begin my Master of Writing and Publishing at RMIT in 2025. I knew that I wanted to have a career in books, and RMIT has been the perfect place to discover what that might look like. Through my studies, I have honed my skills and learned all about the many processes involved in creating a book.
2. How did you end up at Amba Press?
I first joined Amba Press as an intern as part of my studies. I was keen to extend my learning beyond the classroom and get a feel for how a real-life publishing house operated.
From the outset, Amba was a wonderful place to work, with a supportive team and plenty of chances to get involved in the publishing process.
When the chance came to join the Amba team on an ongoing basis after my internship, I jumped at the opportunity.
3. What's your favourite part of working in publishing so far?
My favourite part of working in publishing is getting to work on books by incredible authors with important ideas to share. I’m proud to play a small part in bringing those works to life, and to be surrounded by people who care deeply about books and education.
As someone who has family members in education and has worked in a school library myself, I am a big believer in the power of quality learning. It is particularly rewarding, then, to produce books which support teachers and students to learn and grow.
4. What does a typical day or week look like for you at Amba Press?
A typical week at Amba Press means digging into the nitty-gritty details of book production. I work behind the scenes to make sure all the essential information is correct and that our titles are available on the right online platforms. Every now and then I also help with book launches, which is a lovely opportunity to see the titles I’ve worked on make their way into the hands of real readers.
5. We assume you're a reader. Three recommendations?
As a reader, my first love is fantasy books, so most of my recommendations lean in that direction. There are far too many to name, but some books I have really enjoyed recently include R. F. Kuang’s hellish take on academia, Katabasis; T. Kingfisher’s Hemlock & Silver with its deliciously creepy mirror realm; and Vanessa Len’s inversion of the monster and hero tropes in her Monsters series.
