Chicago Review Press has acquired the assets of Novelstream LLC, the parent company of Interlude Press. Interlude is a boutique publisher of LGBTQ+ fiction. It also publishes young adult fiction through its seven-year-old imprint, Duet Books. The press has been distributed since 2019 by IPG, CRP’s parent company. The acquisition of 100 backlist titles and five upcoming releases was completed on January 1. Interlude will become an imprint of CRP, and will continue publishing LGBTQ+ fiction for adults and YA readers.
Founded in 2014 by veterans of publishing, technology and media, Interlude Press’ backlist includes novels by authors Julian Winters, C.B. Lee, Julia Ember and F.T. Lukens and such bestsellers as Running with Lions, Not Your Sidekick and Shine of the Ever. Interlude titles have received a variety of awards and have been named to annual best books lists compiled by both trade publications and consumer media. Interlude and Duet releases also are regularly included on the American Library Association’s annual “Rainbow Book List.”
“From the start, our mission has been to publish stories of exceptional quality that represent diverse perspectives in the LGBTQ+ community in which the main source of conflict is not related to one’s gender identity or sexual orientation,” Annie Harper, co-owner and managing editor of Interlude stated in a release.
“I’m thrilled to be adding Interlude Press as a new imprint of Chicago Review Press,” said Cynthia Sherry, CRP group publisher. “Interlude has a stellar roster of authors and their focus on quality storytelling and commitment to celebrating underrepresented voices meshes well with CRP’s mission. There is a good synergy between Interlude’s list of outstanding adult and young adult LGBTQ+ fiction and our own LGBTQ+ non-fiction list headed by senior editor, Jerome Pohlen.”
Pohlen, who acquired CRP’s recent bestseller Never Silent: Act Up and My Life in Activism by Peter Staley, will be managing the Interlude imprint. Upcoming 2022 releases under the Interlude and Duet Books imprint names include Felix Silver, Teaspoons and Witches by Harry Cook (Aug.); Book of Dreams by Kevin Craig (Sept.); Born Andromeda by K.M. Watts (Nov.); and Not Your Hero (Oct.), the conclusion of Lee’s Sidekick Squad series for YA readers.
The pub dates for three of the four 2022 releases mentioned at the end of this story have been updated.
