About us
Rooted in story. Made to stay.
Why 12 Willows?
When we moved into our current home in Maine, we discovered a quiet row of willows along the edge of the property. We hadn’t planted them. They were just there—tangled, windblown, doing their own thing.
12 Willows Press was named after those initial willows because they reminded me of the kind of stories I care most about: the ones that grow unexpectedly, take root in unlikely places, and stay with you long after the wind dies down.
(And yes—for the curious—there are more than twelve now. Willows don’t ask permission. They just keep growing.)
At 12 Willows, we publish books that linger. The ones you pass along, keep beside your bed, or pull off the shelf when someone you love needs the right words.
We work with both emerging and experienced authors—those who write with heart, clarity, and depth—and we make sure they earn more per book than they likely would with a traditional publisher. That’s not just business. That’s our belief.
When you buy directly from our site, you’re helping support our writers, sustain ethical publishing, and invest in stories that matter—not just stories that sell.
We’re not trying to change the whole world. Just our little corner of it.
Steven Long
Cofounder, publisher, editor
Steven has a bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University and a master’s degree from New England College. He has nearly 30 years of experience in publishing, having worked as both an in-house and freelance editor for several publishing companies, including Gale, McGraw Hill, Random House, Kensington Publishing Corp., and The H. W. Wilson Company.
Jordan Castro-Long
Cofounder, assistant publisher
Jordan has an associate’s degree from Eastern Maine Community College and is working toward a degree in elementary education. On school days, he’s a fearless education technologist II at a local grade school; the rest of the time is filled with many passions, with plants claiming the top spot.
Elizabeth Castro
Cofounder, office manager
Elizabeth has a bachelor’s from Emporia State University. For more than 15 years, she has worked at a local community college, enrolling countless students and overseeing transfer credits. She is an experienced jewelry designer, chef, and plantsman, as well as a life-long student of natural medicine.
Mariella Travis
Senior Designer
Mariella is a self-taught multidisciplinary artist, author, and book designer. She has designed over 150 titles for FriesenPress and now serves as the senior designer for 12 Willows Press. She also collaborates with The Telling Room and works with private clients on a range of book design and illustration projects. Her portfolio spans fiction, poetry, memoir, spiritual, young adult, and—her favorite—children’s picture books. In 2019, she self-published The Bear & The Butterfly: Little Ponderings and has since illustrated several children’s books, including Chickens Are Animals Too by Tracey Winter Glover and Razzle Dazzle Goes to Town by Joseph Gray. She is currently developing an online shop featuring her illustrations on sustainable products. You can visit her at www.alleiram.com.
Kohl
Production manager, submissions editor
Jaxx
Social media and communications manager
Odin
Assistant editor, staff gardener
Kora
Marketing, contracts manager