Founder

Alison has been submitting her work to publishers since acceptance and rejection arrived in envelopes. She did this on the side while serving as a Southeast Asia desk officer for the U.S. Commerce Department; while editing a daily newsletter for a securities company and performing stand-up and improvised comedy in Tokyo; and while doing voiceovers and running her own corporate communication training and coaching business in Singapore.

Monsoon Books published her short-story collection, Locked Out: Stories Far from Home, in 2007, and in 2010 she self-published her essay collection, Restroom Reflections: How Communication Changes Everything. In 2013 she received a two-book deal from both Putnam Books in the U.S. and John Murray Books in the U.K. for her novels Lillian on Life and Yuki Means Happiness. Relocating from Singapore to England in 2016, she began work as an editor for Emons Verlag, publishers of the 111 Places series of quirky guidebooks.

The legs of Bench Press were built after the deaths of both her mother and her aunt in 2019, when she wrote Absolutely Delicious: A Chronicle of Extraordinary Dying. Such a personal book meant the moment felt right for another self-publishing project.

And now every moment does.

See more about Alison’s writing and workshops here - www.alisonjeanlester.com

Geek

Andrew has pursued his creative projects alongside a variety of work throughout his life: in the UK selling computers and juggling equipment (not at the same time); in Singapore teaching English, facilitating corporate training, managing the British Council’s Professional Development Centre, setting up the government’s Institute for Adult Learning, and developing and running his own corporate training business. Back in the UK since 2016, he continues his corporate training alongside his photography and work for Bench Press.

His first solo photographic exhibition in Singapore in 2012 marked the beginning of his work being held in private collections in Asia and Europe. He has participated in many group and solo shows since then including the Affordable Art Fair. His images were published in the +50 book of photographs commemorating Singapore’s 50 years of independence, and hung in the guest rooms of one of Singapore’s five-star hotels.

Always an early adopter of technical innovation (although he’ll never give up his vinyl), Andrew combines his artist’s eye with his geeky skills in his role as Bench Press artistic director.

See Andrew’s photographic art here - www.andrewgurnett.com