University of Hell promotes artists who are creating irreverent and thought-provoking works in quiet corners of their worlds. Specializing in intimate literary arts that communicate the human experience with raw views into the everyday condition, University of Hell aligns with like-minded individuals who are making their mark through unique vision and simple, yet heightened, language.
We are a deliberately genre-less press because we like to be surprised by what crosses our desks. We have published books that might not have otherwise seen the light of day if we had been a genre-specific press. We have published a number of poetry and prose collections, memoirs, fiction, creative nonfiction, and experimental.
History
Launched by Greg Gerding, the press had its beginnings, quite literally, in Hell. In 1994, a weekly series – Poetry in Hell – began in a Washington, D.C., bar called Hell. For several years, every Sunday night, the series showcased writing, music, and performance art. The spirit of Hell then moved to San Diego, California, in 1996 and quickly became a major fixture in the poetry scene. A weekly prose column written by Gerding called University of Hell was published by The Weekly San Diego from 1999 to 2000.
In 2005, Gerding conceived University of Hell Press as a self-publishing brand and launched his first title The Burning Album of Lame. Four more self-published titles followed: Venue Voyeurisms (2007), Loser Makes Good (2008), Piss Artist (2010), and The Idiot Parade (2011).
University of Hell Press moved operations from San Diego to Portland, Oregon, in 2008, and continues to have a strong presence in both cities, while ferreting out unique artists everywhere.
In 2012, University of Hell Press was officially born when it published Eirean Bradley’s the I in team and quickly followed with books by Lindsey Kugler HERE. and Stephen M. Park High & Dry, while also releasing a remastered edition of Gerding’s Loser Makes Good.
In 2013, we published poetry collections by Calvero someday i’m going to marry Katy Perry, Brian S. Ellis American Dust Revisited, Leah Noble Davidson Poetic Scientifica, and Bradley’s second book the little BIG book of go kill yourself.
In 2014, we published more poetry collections by John W. Barrios Here Comes the New Joy, Tyler Atwood an electric sheep jumps to greener pasture, and Michael N. Thompson A Murder of Crows.
In 2015, we published second books by Calvero i want love so great it makes Nicholas Sparks cream in his pants and Ellis Often Go Awry, and debut poetry books by Sarah Xerta Nothing to Do with Me and Lauren Gilmore Outdancing the Universe, plus Rory Douglas’s memoir about amateur cage fighting The Most Fun You’ll Have at a Cage Fight, and Joseph Edwin Haeger Learn to Swim (creative nonfiction).
In 2016, we published a second book by Davidson DOOR, and debut books by Michael McLaughlin Countless Cinemas, A.M. O’Malley Expecting Something Else, and our first novel by Christine Rice Swarm Theory.
In 2017, we published our first anthology The Dead Animal Handbook: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry (edited by Cam Awkward-Rich and Sam Sax) and a flipbook twofer by Rob Gray The Immaculate Collection / The Rhododendron and Camellia Year Book (1966), followed by Wryly T. McCutchen’s first book My Ugly & Other Love Snarls and a second title from Stephen M. Park The Grass Is Greener.
In 2018, we published poetry books by Suzanne Burns Boys, Nikia Chaney us mouth, and an explosive collection of erasures by Isobel O’Hare all this can be yours (our first hardcover book). We also published a war memoir by Jason Arment Musalaheen released on 9/11.
In 2019, we published Liz Scott’s memoir This Never Happened, a paperback edition of Isobel O’Hare’s collection of erasures all this can be yours, and two poetry collections, one by Ellyn Touchette The Great Right-Here and the other by Ran Walker Most of My Heroes Don’t Appear on No Stamps consisting entirely of poems in the Kwansaba form.
In 2020, we published our second anthology Erase the Patriarchy: An Anthology of Erasure Poetry (edited by Isobel O’Hare) and a debut collection by Thomas Lucky Richards Thirst for Beginners: Poems, Prose, and Quizzes.
In 2021, we published a debut poetry collection from prolific and award-winning nonfiction writer Shawn Levy A Year in the Life of Death, and Greg Gerding returned with an anthology 2020* The Year of the Asterisk: An Anthology of American Essays, 52 American essays about the year 2020.
In 2022, we published Gogo Germaine’s debut memoir, Glory Guitars: Memoir of a ’90s Teenage Punk Rock Grrrl, which has garnered awards, including “Winner” from the National Indie Excellence Awards (Music Category) and “Finalist” from the International Book Awards (Narrative Non-Fiction), as well as being named “Best Punk Memoir” by Westword in their “Best of Denver” issue.
In 2024, we published Hell On Wheels: Tour Stories: Remembered, Remixed, Remastered edited by Greg Jacobs, a collection of tour stories from bands including ALL, Babes In Toyland, Bad Religion, Circle Jerks, The Cult, The Damned, Danzig, Dead Kennedys, Descendents, Dwarves, Faces, FEAR, Generation X, Hirax, Hot Snakes, The Jesus Lizard, Ian MacKaye, Minutemen, M.I.A., Naked Raygun, Ramones, Rocket from the Crypt, Scratch Acid, The Specials, Superchunk, Supersuckers, Teen Idles, X, and many more.
