|
BROWSE OUR CATALOG ONLINE!
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
No. 25, September 2009
Prometheus Books at 40: 'Provocative, Progressive & Independent' -- and Growing
Publisher marks anniversary by celebrating its nonfiction strengths and successful genre fiction imprint
Prometheus Books marks its 40th anniversary this summer. In an industry dominated by international conglomerates and at a time of business model turbulence in publishing, including the evolving effect of digital technology on the printed book -- this independent, midsize press has managed to endure, adapt, and flourish.
To celebrate its unique contribution to book publishing, Prometheus Books launched a branding campaign with the tagline "Provocative, Progressive & Independent." Unveiled on the cover of the May 4, 2009 issue of the trade magazine Publishers Weekly, a five-page foldout advertisement highlighted some of Prometheus's most provocative, progressive, and independent nonfiction titles, along with a timeline of the company's noteworthy achievements and growth landmarks. The theme was continued at BookExpo America 2009 -- North America's largest book trade show -- including on an eight-foot-tall lobby sign that has served as an unofficial backdrop to several episodes of "After Words" -- the interview program of C-SPAN2's Book TV.
  
PROVOCATIVE: Distracted: The Erosion of Attention and the Coming Dark Age
PROGRESSIVE: Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices against Oppression
INDEPENDENT: The New Atheism: Taking a Stand for Science and Reason
|
Prometheus is also celebrating the continued success of its critically acclaimed science fiction and fantasy imprint, Pyr. The popular brand -- launched in 2005 to complement the press's strength in popular science nonfiction -- boasts commercial and critical successes from such authors as Joe Abercrombie, Ian McDonald, Mike Resnick, and Justina Robson. Pyr quickly earned acclaim, awards, and loyal fans, including Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Díaz, who called Pyr "the imprint to beat in the science fiction and fantasy fields."
Not content to merely commemorate its history, Prometheus Books launched two major growth initiatives this year. Responding to demand, the press published its first books in the mass market paperback format this spring, starting with Joel Shepherd's Cassandra Kresnov trilogy on Pyr.
"We'd had significant interest from the major booksellers in seeing Pyr enter the mass market format," says Pyr Editorial Director Lou Anders. "This series was especially suited to lead our charge into mass market, a perfect example of the type of smart, action-packed, and engaging read that Pyr is becoming known for."
  
The Cassandra Kresnov trilogy: Crossover, Breakaway and Killswitch
|
In addition to entering a new print format, this year Prometheus Books has launched a major e-book initiative for both nonfiction and science fiction and fantasy, with titles already available on Kindle. Prometheus Books will be instituting programs with many different e-reader platforms.
"Some companies have been fearful of the e-book. We have embraced this evolution and have been preparing for it for some time," says Prometheus Books President Jonathan Kurtz. "Prometheus has survived forty years by being nimble and having the ability to change and adapt new technologies to our publishing program. I can't wait to see what's next!"
Prometheus's focus on serious nonfiction has meant that national media regularly seek many of its authors -- such as criminologist Jack Levin, terrorism expert Brian Michael Jenkins, and sex crimes D.A. Robin Sax -- for expert comment on news of the day. For example, after Michael Jackson's sudden death, renowned medical examiner and Prometheus author Dr. Cyril H. Wecht discussed the possible outcome of Jackson's autopsy, appearing on Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Today, Dateline, Geraldo at Large and Entertainment Tonight, among other outlets.
By publishing books that are provocative, progressive, and independent, Prometheus Books has -- like its namesake, the courageous Greek god who gave fire to humans -- strived to light the way to reason, intelligence, and independence. Even as formats for book-content delivery change in our digital age, the human need for knowledge, information, and entertainment will remain. Since 1969, Prometheus Books has managed to fulfill that need and grow with the times. Here's to the next forty years!
|
Fast Facts about Prometheus Books:
� Prometheus Books has more than 1,700 books in print and produces an average of 110 new titles a year.
� Its authors and books are regularly featured in national print, TV, and radio media, including Larry King Live, Today, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, NPR, New York Times, Washington Post, Forbes, USA Today, Wired, and the Wall Street Journal, among others.
� Prometheus Books achieved a New York Times bestseller with God: The Failed Hypothesis by physicist Victor J. Stenger.
� The company has international distribution, rights, and sales representation throughout the world, with domestic and foreign expansion ongoing. Prometheus Books titles are translated into more than 50 different languages.
� Some of the core categories of its catalog are: popular science, contemporary issues, true crime, social science, current events, health and medicine, psychology, Islamic studies, business, religion, philosophy, and critical thinking.
Prometheus Books has two imprints: Pyr, a science fiction and fantasy brand, and Humanity Books, a scholarly imprint.
� Headquartered in Amherst, New York, Prometheus Books currently employs forty-five people.
� Nearly every aspect of the publishing process is handled in-house, including editorial, typesetting, graphic design, marketing, sales, order fulfillment and publicity, as well as a print-on-demand facility for producing short or special print runs.
� Prometheus Books has two imprints: Pyr, a science fiction and fantasy brand, and Humanity Books, a scholarly imprint.
� Both Prometheus Books and Pyr maintain active communities on Facebook and Twitter and publish subscriber-based e-newsletters and blogs.
|
|
We welcome you to become our fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, or contact us at marketing@prometheusbooks.com.
Thank you for your patronage!
The Marketing Department of Prometheus Books |
|
|
