The owners of the independent publisher Ulysses Press and the book packing and publishing company Spot Gloss Media have banded together to form Bluestone Books. The new company “will specialize in popular culture, practical nonfiction, and concept-driven children’s titles," per an announcement. Its first list of nine titles is planned for this summer, and the founders hope to release 25-30 books annually.
Bluestone is the brainchild of Keith Riegert, CEO of Ulysses and one of the cofounders of Perfect Bound, an online marketplace that connects publishers and printers while also providing title management services. Spot Gloss was formed late last year through the merger of Hollan Publishing, owned by Holly Schmidt, and Castle Point Publishing, run by Bruce Lubin. The company develops books in a range of adult categories as well as titles for the children’s and Christian markets, and Schmidt and Lubin have worked on dozens of titles that have been published by Ulysses over the last 20 years.
The Spot Gloss team will be responsible for the development of all Bluestone titles. In addition to utilizing the services of Perfect Bound, Bluestone will also use Ulysses' distributor, Simon & Schuster, for distribution and depend on Ulysses for marketing and publicity.
The company’s launch list includes Chicka Chicka Dorm Room, a college-centric parody of the 1989 children's book; You Can’t Take It With You, a guide to decluttering before you die; and The Creative Game Master’s Trivia & Activity Book, designed for fans of Dungeons & Dragons.
“When Keith approached us with the idea to join forces on a new business, I was excited by the opportunity to operate as an entrepreneurial independent publisher, but with the distribution might of S&S,” Lubin said in a statement.
