For anyone wondering what New York Yankees Hall of Fame-bound shortstop Derek Jeter might do after his retirement, Simon & Schuster just supplied the answer. The superstar shortstop is joining with S&S to launch Jeter Publishing, an elaborate co-publishing partnership that will release adult nonfiction, picture books, middle-grade fiction and more.
Jeter will work to identify and create titles for the line. Adult titles produced by Jeter Publishing will be published in conjunction with S&S’s Gallery Books imprint and children’s titles will be published in conjunction with Little Simon, Paula Wiseman Books and Simon Spotlight imprints.
Paul Crichton, S&S Children's Publishing's director of publicity, said that Paula Wiseman Books is already at work on "a middle grade due in spring ’14 and picture book in fall ’14." Simon Spotlight has a book for April 2014, and there are Ready to Reads in the works.
In Jeter's case, it doesn’t hurt to be one of the biggest—if not the biggest—and most popular professional athletes in New York City, one of the biggest media forums and sports markets in the world. Jeter’s enormous professional success and personal popularity makes him an instant brand and a magnet for authors with books on sports, pop culture or pretty much anything else.
Jeter called the new partnership “an exciting way for me to discover new books, share insights of my own, or from people I believe have interesting stories, philosophies or practices to share.”
Louise Burke, president of Gallery Books, said, “Derek Jeter bringd his talent, strong work ethic and charm to anything he attaches his name to,” while Jon Anderson, president of S&S Children’s Publishing, said, “Derek is a stellar role model for kids, and his many stories of the game will inspire young readers. We couldn’t be more excited to bring books that embody his unparalleled standard of hard work, sportsmanship and teamwork to an emerging audience.”
