Legacy Lit, an imprint of Grand Central Publishing, is devoted to publishing bold, vibrant stories from underrepresented and marginalized voices. Legacy Lit's offerings include works of memoir, narrative and investigative nonfiction, titles focused on social justice and current events, women’s interest stories, and select fiction. Krishan Trotman, founder, v-p, and publisher of Legacy Lit spoke to PW about the motivation behind establishing the imprint; the broad-ranging body of titles on Legacy Lit's list; and where she sees the trailblazing imprint in the future.
Tell me about the mission behind Legacy Lit and how the imprint is uplifting BIPOC and other diverse voices.
At Legacy Lit we elevate and celebrate voices that are not traditionally represented in literary and cultural spaces. We aim to pull people out of the margins of their own communities by publishing books for everyone—people who are grieving, male survivors of assault, working women of color, genderqueer folks, to name a few.
Why did you choose the name Legacy Lit for the imprint, and how does it help to capture your aspirations for the books and authors you publish?
Legacy Lit was inspired, in part, by one of our authors, the late Representative John Lewis, author of Across That Bridge, which is a reflection on his work as a civil rights activist with lessons for readers. I wanted to give the imprint a name that would reflect the timelessness of books and that would capture the mission, too. Years later, the book is a part of Representative Lewis’s legacy. All books are—they’re the stamp that authors put on the world. So Legacy Lit felt fitting.
You’ve shared a few of your recent and upcoming titles—Black Boy Smile by D. Watkins; Brandon Kyle Goodman’s You Gotta Be You; Baynard Woods’s Inheritance; A Place Called Home by David Ambroz; and Devin Allen’s No Justice, No Peace. What makes each title distinctive and what unites them under the umbrella of Legacy Lit?
Each of these authors has a singular and distinct voice and viewpoint. Our authors are serious, funny, probing, fiery, and curious—really full people on the page who inspire and teach. All Legacy Lit books are mission-driven, so they add up to a truly dynamic list of conversation starters.
Talk about how you are both building relationships with your existing authors and reaching out to new writers?
Writing a book is no small feat, so we take a lot of care in making sure to guide authors through the process of bringing their dream book to life. We’re also big connectors here at Legacy Lit. We’re fortunate to be in a community with brilliant authors and literary and publishing professionals—it’s only right that they know and support one another. And these connections come back to us in the form of writers who everyone should read!
Where do you envision Legacy Lit in five years?
There’s quite a lot on the vision board, but in five years’ time we’ll have a full fiction/nonfiction list and will be flourishing in our partnerships with literary and social justice organizations. I envision Legacy Lit as an imprint that has a positive impact on the publishing industry through both books and programming.
For authors seeking to publish their work: what kinds of stories are you looking for going forward?
We’re always looking for books that reflect the world we live in. From big-think books to narrative nonfiction and novels, we want to authentically showcase the grit and grime of the human experience alongside the profound joy and insight that every reader has once felt while knee-deep in a book.
