The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group has added to its list of nautical titles, acquiring McBooks Press of Ithaca, N.Y. The deal closed March 15.
McBooks was founded by Alex Skutt as an offshoot of his independent bookstore of the same name. His partner, Panda Musgrove, joined the press in 2005. The purchase involves about 175 titles and includes such historical fiction authors as Douglas Reeman (Alexander Kent), Julian Stockwin, Dudley Pope, John Biggins, and Dewey Lambdin.
R&L will continue to release backlist titles under the McBooks imprint, which will now be managed by Tom McCarthy, editor at R&L’s Lyons Press imprint. McCarthy spent four years as an editor at International Marine in Camden, Me., where he acquired nautical titles.
Beginning May 1, R&L’s distribution division, National Book Network, will take over all distribution for McBooks. McBooks was a distribution client of NBN for five years prior to moving to IPG in 2007
"We are delighted to carry on the legacy of such an impressive list of historical nautical fiction," Jed Lyons, CEO of R&L, said in a statement. "We look forward to using Rowman & Littlefield’s additional publishing and marketing resources to further grow this storied program."
