As more literary agencies look to publish digital editions of their clients’ books, Bloomsbury Publishing has formed Bloomsbury Reader, a digital global publisher that will do e-book and print-on-demand editions of books where, according to a statement, “all English-language rights have already reverted to the author or the author's Estate and where there is no edition currently in print.” The imprint will be run out of Bloomsbury’s New York and London offices and Stephanie Duncan has been named publisher.
Bloomsbury Reader will have a September launch list of 500 titles, with the books supplied by the literary and talent agency The Rights House. Bloomsbury said its intention “is to build a dynamic new publishing house in collaboration with other literary agents and literary estates of all sizes." The books will be marketed and sold worldwide and Bloomsbury will support the imprint with editorial, design, production, publicity, marketing, discoverability, sales and distribution services. Authors on the first list Alan Clark, Ivy Compton-Burnett, Monica Dickens, Angela Huth, Storm Jameson, Roy Jenkins, HRF Keating, Gavin Lyall, Rose Macaulay, VS Pritchett, Bernice Rubens, Edith Sitwell, Alec Waugh and many others.
