Aurora House

What Aurora House does

Aurora House is an Australian independent book publisher founded around 2011-2012 by Linda Lycett and headquartered in North Richmond, New South Wales. The company serves individual authors through two primary service pathways: traditional Publishing Packages, in which Aurora House manages the publishing process and authors receive royalties on sales, and Self-Publishing Packages, which bundle proofreading, typesetting, cover design, and Ingram Spark account setup for authors who wish to publish independently. Beyond core publishing, the company offers modular add-on services including manuscript editing, manuscript assessment, cover design, book promotion (book tours, trailers, social media packages), custom author websites, and an Author Mentoring program. Distribution occurs through a proprietary digital eBook store at ebook.aurorahouse.com.au and through Ingram Spark's print-on-demand and digital distribution network.

The company's underlying technology stack is a POD and eBook publishing platform with Ingram Spark integration; no proprietary AI/ML, API, or SDK capabilities are disclosed. Revenue mechanics combine one-time professional services fees (publishing packages and à la carte services such as editing, design, and promotion) with licensing/royalty streams from ongoing book sales through the eBook store and Ingram Spark. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: authors are acquired through the company website, free no-obligation manuscript appraisals, acceptance of unsolicited manuscripts with timely responses, social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, X, and Pinterest, author testimonials, podcast features, and community building via author articles and a meet-the-authors section. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, typical of a small bespoke services publisher.

Operating scale is small, with 1-10 employees, no disclosed funding, and a catalog spanning multiple genres (fiction, non-fiction, children's books, poetry, business, health, historical, and more) across both Australian and international authors, including authors based in China. One catalog title, 'Red Dust Dreams' by Lannah Sawers-Diggins, was a 2017 International Book Awards finalist in Non-Fiction: Narrative, providing a moderate reputational signal. The business model is structurally dependent on continuously attracting new individual authors, since each author relationship is project-bound and unlikely to generate repeat service revenue.

Name

Aurora House

Legal name

Aurora House

Website

https://aurorahouse.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Aurora House is an Australian independent book publisher offering traditional and self-publishing packages, editorial, design, and promotional services to individual authors, with distribution through Ingram Spark and its own eBook store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Book Publishing Services

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Self-Publishing Platforms (KDP-style Marketplaces & Portals) (MPAJAJAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Self-Publishing & Author Platforms (BPAMAJAF), Editorial & Production Services (Copyediting, Proofreading, Formatting, Typesetting) (MPAJAJAG), Cover Design, Illustration & Book Interior Design Services (MPAJAJAH), Author Marketing, PR & Launch Services (Ads, Book Tours, Influencers) (MPAJAJAL), Author Website, Storefront & Direct-to-Reader Commerce (D2C Sales) (MPAJAJAE)

Keywords

• Book publishing services
• Self-publishing packages
• Manuscript editing
• Print on demand distribution
• Author mentoring programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond North

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Self Publishing Packages: Comprehensive self-publishing bundles including proofreading, typesetting, cover design, and Ingram Spark account setup assistance. Authors pay for service packages to publish their books independently.
2. Traditional Publishing Packages: Publishing packages where Aurora House manages the publishing process for authors. Revenue generated through service fees and/or royalty arrangements.
3. Author Services: Individual services including manuscript editing, proofreading, typesetting, cover design, book promotion, author website development, and author mentoring programs.
4. eBook Sales: Digital ebook sales through their Aurora House ebook store at ebook.aurorahouse.com.au. Authors receive royalties from ebook sales.
5. Royalties: Authors receive royalties from book sales, including both print and ebook formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aurora House is an international book publisher that helps authors bring manuscripts to publication through traditional publishing packages and self-publishing packages. Core services include proofreading, typesetting, cover design, manuscript editing, manuscript assessment, book promotion, social media packages, author websites, and an author mentoring program. Books are distributed in print via Print-on-Demand through Ingram Spark and digitally through the company's own Aurora House eBook Store.

Product overview

Aurora House is an international book publisher offering a comprehensive publishing ecosystem with two primary service pathways: traditional Publishing Packages and Self Publishing Packages. The core offerings are complemented by an array of modular services including manuscript editing, manuscript assessment, book cover design, typesetting, proofreading, and royalties management. Additional services include book promotion tools (book tours, trailers, social media packages), a custom Author Website service developed in partnership with external developers, and an Author Mentoring program. The company also operates a digital eBook Store for distribution. The portfolio is built around supporting authors through the complete publishing journey from manuscript submission through distribution and promotion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aurora House eBook Store: A digital ebook store offering affordable instant downloads of high-quality ebooks across various genres including thrillers, historical fiction, business guides, inspiring non-fiction, and children's stories.

Products and services

• Publishing Packages Full-service publishing packages where Aurora House manages the end-to-end publishing process for authors, including editing, proofreading, typesetting, cover design, and book promotion, with authors receiving royalties from sales.
• Self Publishing Packages Bundled self-publishing services including proofreading, typesetting, cover design, and assistance with setting up Ingram Spark accounts for authors who prefer to publish independently.
• eBook Store Aurora House's own digital ebook storefront offering instant downloads of high-quality ebooks across genres including thrillers, historical fiction, business guides, non-fiction, and children's stories.
• Manuscript Editing Professional editing services provided by experienced editors to refine and improve manuscript quality for authors.
• Manuscript Assessment Comprehensive evaluation of manuscripts with a full written report to help authors understand strengths and areas for improvement before publication.
• Book Cover Design – Full Range Service Professional book cover design service covering the full range of design options for authors, available as a standalone or part of a bundle.
• Book Promotion Marketing and promotional services including book tours, book trailers, social media packages, and book promotion plans to help authors reach readers and drive sales.
• Social Media Packages Tailored social media packages designed to boost book visibility, engage readers, and build an author's online presence across social platforms.
• Author Website Development Custom-built author websites that professionally showcase books and eBooks, build author credibility, and connect authors directly with readers.
• Author Mentoring Program Personalized guidance from experienced mentors to help authors refine their voice, strengthen storytelling skills, and navigate the publishing process.

Quantifiable outcome

• Authors receive personalized attention throughout the publishing process with step-by-step sign-off at each stage.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• BookBaby: BookBaby offers self-publishing packages including editing, cover design, formatting, and distribution — a near-identical service model to Aurora House's self-publishing bundles, targeting the same individual author customer.
• AuthorHouse: AuthorHouse (owned by Penguin Random House) offers assisted self-publishing packages with editing, design, marketing and distribution — a closely analogous service bundle to Aurora House's offerings.
• Lulu: Lulu provides self-publishing services including editing, design, POD printing, and global distribution, directly competing for Aurora House's independent author customers with similar package structures.
• Balboa Press: Balboa Press is the self-publishing imprint of Hay House, providing editing, cover design, printing, and marketing services for independent authors — a direct competitor with similar bundled offerings.
• Archway Publishing: Archway Publishing is Simon & Schuster's self-publishing imprint, offering editing, design, marketing, and distribution packages for authors — a peer in service structure with the added backing of a major publisher.
• FriesenPress: FriesenPress is a boutique self-publishing services company offering editing, design, printing, marketing, and distribution — closely aligned with Aurora House's full-service, author-centric model.
• PublishNation: PublishNation offers self-publishing packages with editing, cover design, typesetting, and distribution, targeting independent authors with bundles that closely mirror Aurora House's service catalogue.

Broad incumbents

• Hay House: Hay House is an established publisher operating across self-help, wellness, and spiritual genres — categories that overlap with parts of Aurora House's catalog — and also runs the Balboa Press self-publishing imprint, making it both an incumbent publisher and indirect assisted-services competitor.
• Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP): KDP is the dominant free self-publishing platform for ebooks and POD print, serving the same author base as Aurora House but at massive scale with no service fees — the primary price-anchor alternative.

Others

• IngramSpark: IngramSpark is the POD and distribution platform Aurora House both uses and recommends to self-publishing authors — an enabler/infrastructure partner that is also an indirect alternative route for authors bypassing service providers entirely.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PublishAurora
• Facebookfacebook.com/aurorahousepublishing
• Instagraminstagram.com/aurorahouseindie
• Pinterestau.pinterest.com/aurorabooks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aurora-house

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Aurora House