Michael Viner, who as head of Dove Audio helped develop spoken-word audio into a mainstream product but who may be better known for publishing controversial books, died over the weekend after a battle with cancer. Viner founded New Millennium, using many Dove titles to help launch the company. After New Millennium filed for bankruptcy in 2004 (following a court ruling that New Millennium owed author Otto Penzler $2.8 million for breach of contract), Viner resigned and started Phoenix Books in June 2005, once again drawing on spoken-word and print titles from his past companies.
Phoenix was acquired by Dwight Opperman in November 2007 with Viner staying on as president. In a prepared statement, Opperman said, "We are deeply saddened by this loss.”
Phoenix’s current list includes titles from Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor who was forced to resign, plus Duchess of Death: The Biography of Agatha Christie and The Price: My Rise and Fall as Natalia, New York’s #1 Escort.
