What are some of your imprint’s forthcoming priorities?
I’m proud of our collaboration internally and with our authors and their teams. As we look ahead, our goal is to flex our muscles in more categories. We’re known for our music, celebrity memoir, and lifestyle publishing, but we’ve had great success in other nonfiction categories—narrative, wellness, politics. I’d love Dey Street to become a go-to imprint for incredible nonfiction from high-profile authors across the board.
What trends have you seen in celebrity memoirs and nonfiction lately?
Celebrity memoir has to be authentic, pull no punches, and be written in a way that pulls you in even if you aren’t a devoted fan. But the biggest trend—or what sets the most successful celebrity memoirs apart—is relatability and vulnerability. A celebrity’s experiences are unique to them, but the feelings— the wins and losses—can be universal. Readers also have an appetite for proscriptive nonfiction and deep dives on mental health, healing, and personal development by authors who built their platforms online. Folks want to feel better and learn how to navigate the world more effectively.
Besides Cher’s memoir—part two of which is in the works—what titles are selling well right now?
We’re having tremendous success with Michael Harriot’s Black AF History, Tori Dunlap’s Financial Feminist, and Tom Selleck’s You Never Know. Tom was nearly 80 when we published his memoir. That guy worked so hard to write and promote his book.
