Thomas Allen Publishers, one of the oldest publishers in Canada, can now also claim to be one of the newest. Founded in 1916, the company was a distributor and frontlist publisher until it ceased publishing new books to concentrate on distribution in 1963.

But ever since T. James Allen, great-grandson of the founder, became president of the firm in 1999, his ambition was to return to frontlist publishing. Now with its new publisher, Patrick Crean, at the helm, Thomas Allen Publishing, a subdivision of Thomas Allen and Sons Ltd., offers all the benefits of a small publishing operation while being backed by a large, prestigious one.

"We offer the beauty of a smaller press focus, but backed by a major sales and marketing company. I don't know of another situation in publishing in this country that has that unique combination," Crean told PW.

Crean said Thomas Allen aims to offer exceptional attention to its select group of authors. He and managing editor Katja Pantzar explained that they have already seen some "literary refugees" from the bigger publishing houses.

"Too often, books are just slammed out there and then everybody's onto the next season. Too often the bigger companies pay attention to a book for six weeks and then it's over. We like to pay attention to a book for a year, and then some," Crean said.

Thomas Allen currently has seven books in print, with three coming out this fall, including Wade Rowland's Galileo's Mistake: The Archeology of a Myth, William Illsey Atkinson's Prototype: How Canadian Innovation Is Shaping the Future and a novel by Richard Teleky, Pack Up the Moon. The company plans on publishing up to 15 books a year, to be composed of literary fiction, literary nonfiction and commercial titles. Topics will include travel narrative, history, social commentary and spirituality. For spring, it plans to publish seven titles: three novels and four nonfiction works, including a copublishing venture with U.S. publisher Arcade for Imperial Legend: The Disappearance of Czar Alexander I by Alexis Troubetzkoy.

A publishing veteran, Crean worked at Somerville House as v-p and editorial director of both the adult and children's lists, in addition to publishing authors under his own imprint, Patrick Crean Books. In 1998, he joined Key Porter as a senior editor with his own imprint, Patrick Crean Editions. Pantzar was formerly the review editor at Quill & Quire.

Thomas Allen founded his company in 1916, publishing works by feminist and parliamentarian Nellie McClung and former prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King.