Saying it offers a combination of traditional book manufacturing with a full service digital program and a revenue share, Astor + Blue Editions is a new digital-first publishing house looking to publish titles initially in digital formats to be followed by print. The house also claims it will provide long-term marketing support for its titles and will launch in May with two novels, a reprint of Thomas Weesner’s award-winning 2001 novel, The Car Thief, and Dead End Deal, a new thriller by Allen Wyler.
Launched by A+B Editions CEO Tony Viardo with publisher and editorial director Robert Astle, A+B Editions has a partnership with book manufacture and distributor Bookmasters, that will provide its authors with full service production and distribution. The house will deal primarily with agents for submissions and the publishers cite relationships with Sterling Lord Literistic, FinePrint Literary Management, Folio Literary Management and other agencies.
Among the services A+B Editions offers are full design and copy development, digital production and interactivity and app functionality where appropriate at “no extra cost” to its signed authors. The house is also offering its authors a revenue share program that begins at 50/50% for what it terms “premium” titles and 33/67% for what it calls “all other titles,” in addition to “match and exceed” financial provisions that will be offered to “preferred” agents.
A+B Edition publisher Astle, a former literary agent, said, “We will not be a ‘publish-all-comers’ vendor. We believe in a strong acquisitions process and the quality vetting it provides, ultimately leading to better, stronger writing for our platform and a higher quality and product for our customers.”
