As cheesemonger to the Queen, when Gloucestershire resident, Arthur Cunynghame sold Paxton and Whitfield Ltd, he could have dined off anecdotes from an illustrious 30 year career in cheese and wine, for the rest of his life. However, an industrious entrepreneur, Cunynghame gathered his stories into one volume and embarked upon a new career as a publisher.

Loose Chippings Books was set up in 2006. After first publishing his own book, The Cheesemonger’s Tales (“Well written and charming”, The Independent), Cunynghame invested in a chosen few manuscripts of the many hundred he was sent, and the catalogue now boasts an eclectic range of interesting titles by people with equally as fascinating lives.

One of these, Not Dark Yet by Mark Harfield, currently ranks as the fourth most popular cricket book on Amazon, below Michael Vaughan and above Marcus Trescothick. 

With no prior experience in publishing, Cunynghame simply phoned around for the best book printers, splashed out on the best computing programme to create the layout for the books and used his own flair for design to make a range of professionally put together and eye catching covers.

Commenting on his achievements Cunynghame says, “After my A-Levels and when it became apparent that I didn’t have the total commitment necessary for a career in film and becoming the next David Lean, I ‘fell’ into the wine trade. After 17 years in wine, I bought a cheese business and enrolled in night school to learn the basics of cheese making. Sixteen years later, I have a third career as a publisher and am enjoying learning all about that as well!”

Set in Chipping Campden, Cunynghame works from his Cotswold home and, with his wife, manages all the elements of book publishing. He is committed to publishing books created by authors with something to say, rather than as an exercise to fulfil a marketing plan. 
Other titles published by Loose Chippings include:

• Not Dark Yet by Mike Harfield foreword by David Lloyd, Lancashire & England, “Book Of The Month” – All Out Cricket Magazine , “Of Similar Books, It’s The Best” – Charles Randall, Daily Telegraph Cricket Correspondent;

• Keeping Afloat by John Liley, “Forget all the shiny, sanitised travelogues and fat, fluffy guide books; this is the real deal.” Sailing Today;

• Roy the Eagle by Kate O’Sullivan and David Harfield, “A talented pair of University of Sheffield graduates has carved out careers as children’s authors, after penning a unique series of books that have proved a hit with youngsters.” University of Sheffield Media Centre