Hello
This bespoke publishing house started as QuickShift Publishing in 2017. It was started by Sarah Bullen and Kate Emmerson to publish two of our own books including Clear Your Clutter and Write Your Book in 100 Days (2020). It has expanded over the last few years to publish authors we have worked with, and books we believe in. Many of those you can see on our author page
Since 2017 it has grown into a boutique publishing house that publishes non-fiction and is including poetry. We do not currently do illustrated books or illustrated children's books.
In 2023, founding partner Kate Emmerson left, and QuickShift Publishing merged with Dexsteps Publishing and Thandiwe Ngele to create ApisBooks. We are based in South Africa, but work with authors all over the world.
Publishing History
Apis Books has a long publishing history, marked by several name changes and partnerships along the way.
Founder and board member Sarah Bullen is a well-known name in the book industry, having worked in publishing for 17 years and was the publisher at Gas Publishing – a magazine stable behind some iconic custom magazines. She has worked as an author coach, editor and literary agent since 2007. She has held editorial roles across books, magazines, and literary agencies. Her expertise in writing and publishing provides invaluable guidance to aspiring authors, helping them develop their craft, structure their stories, and navigate the publishing world.
2005 – 2014 Gas Publishing
The company was called Gas Publishing with directors Sarah Bullen and Gary Cotterell. Gas Publishing was a magazine publisher producing magazines and small-run books for corporate clients. Clients included kulula.com, BMW, Standard Bank, Rand Merchant Bank, and “ Johnny Walker’s Keep on Walking’.
2017 - 2022 QuickShift Publishing
Gas Publishing closed in 2014 as a magazine and corporate publisher, and a book division emerged in 2017 with Sarah Bullen and Kate Emmerson as QuickShift Publishing. Under QuickShift, we initially published our own client’s books, really starting our journey into publishing.
2022 – 2024 Black Ink Books
QuickShift rebranded again into BlackInk Books as one partner left, and it took on a new partner, Thandiwe Ngele, who brought her significant publishing and production background in custom book publisher DexSteps Publishing to the mix.
2025 - Apis Books
The same company underwent a name change and rebrand, acquiring new authors and opening a division that moves into traditional publishing.
Literary Agent. Author. Speaker. NDE experiencer. Cancer survivor.
Sarah Bullen is an international writing mentor and literary agent. She works with writers all over the world to tell their stories, and write that book. Founder of The Writing Room and Kent Literary, she has had over 180 books published by writers she has mentored over the last two decades. She has held editorial roles across both books, magazines and literary agencies.
The Writing Room helps writers throughout the book writing journey—whether you're working on your manuscript or you're looking for publishing advice.
As well as being a regular guest on talk shows, podcasts, literary festivals and writers’ circles, Sarah has been leading international writing retreats and adventures since 2014.
Sarah has also written over 14 books as a professional ghostwriter for business and thought leaders and celebrities.
Her own books have been on the shelves since 2005 and most recent titles are
Write your Book in 100 Days! Stop Mucking about and Just Write It
and the NDE book
Love & Above – A Journey into Shamanism, Coma and Joy.
Sarah's latest book is Love and Above. A journey through Shamanism Coma and Joy. has garnered international interest and attention with its sensational story.
A decade ago, after a crazy set of events, Sarah ended up in a month-long coma. In that time she travelled through near-death and into other realms and worlds. She came back with an urgent message from beyond, and a spark to follow which she shares in the book and her life.
Sarah lost her husband to cancer and is a breast cancer survivor herself, and her message is inspire people to find joy and bliss in the adventures of life.
She lives in Cape Town and spends part of the year in Greece and Botswana. She is a qualified Family Constellations facilitator and works with Writing with the Ancestors. Through these endeavors, I passionately foster the art of storytelling, curating storytelling retreats, and facilitating women's rites of passage and rituals that encapsulate the profound impact of narrative expression.
