Press Release
Hachette Books Scotland30/04/2008
HACHETTE LIVRE UK TO START SCOTTISH PUBLISHING LIST
Hachette Livre UK is pleased to announce the formation of Hachette Books Scotland, a new imprint which will publish a small list of Scottish-originated fiction and non-fiction.
Bob McDevitt, who was previously Hodder Headline’s publishing scout in Scotland, will become the Publisher of Hachette Books Scotland, reporting to Martin Neild in London.
Bob will be supported by Wendy McCance who is promoted to Editor. She will be working from the Headline offices in London and will manage both the fiction and non-fiction titles.
Hachette Books Scotland will publish a list of 10–12 high-quality commercial titles a year, focusing on new talent and established names. The list will specialise in sport, cookery/lifestyle, autobiography/memoir, humour, history, and in genre, reading group and literary fiction. Titles already commissioned include:
• The latest book from renowned Scottish chef Sue Lawrence in which she interviews around 50 prominent Scots about their memories of food and of growing up in Scotland. This evocative and nostalgic book will re-visit the recipes, allowing people to rediscover those forgotten tastes of their youth.
• A debut novel from Glasgow-based lawyer G.J. Moffat: Daisychain is a tale of corporate greed and murder, with a shocking secret at the heart of it all. This is the first title in a two-book deal launching a thrilling new talent onto the Scottish crime scene.
• The inspirational autobiography of Barbara Dickson, one of Scotland’s most successful entertainment exports.
Bob McDevitt will be responsible for sales and marketing of HBS titles in Scotland and will co-ordinate their distribution in the rest of the UK with the Headline sales force. Bob will also continue to look for suitable projects to co-publish with other Hachette Livre UK publishing companies where appropriate.
Bob McDevitt says:
“I am really looking forward to working with our authors on what I hope will be a small but perfectly formed publishing programme. There is a wealth of writing talent in Scotland and a strong appetite for books with a Scottish flavour. I hope Hachette Books Scotland can deliver a hearty feast for readers!”
Martin Neild says:
“This is a great opportunity to develop the excellent work that Bob has being doing for us in Scotland over the past few years. It will enable us to find and publish exciting new Scottish writers who might not otherwise find a place on London lists and publish and sell them in Scotland with the full commitment which Bob will provide, backed up by the international resources of Hachette elsewhere.”
Literary agent Jenny Brown of Jenny Brown Associates says:
“This is a highly welcome and refreshing development which recognises the exciting diversity of writing here, and our strong market for well-published Scottish books. Hachette Books Scotland offers an interesting new channel for writers and their stories.”
For further information, please contact: Clare Harington on 07778 810764 or clare.harington@hachette-livre.co.uk
Or Bob McDevitt at
Hachette Books Scotland, 2a Christie Street, Paisley, PA1 1NB
01236 736 365 07876 508 716
bob.mcdevitt@hodder.co.uk
Notes on the Scottish market:
The phenomenal success of Maw Broon’s Cookbook last Christmas (sales of over 150,000 copies) highlighted the potential in Scottish publishing.
Scotland currently has a lively publishing scene with many excellent independent publishers producing a wide range of titles. In the past couple of years, Mainstream has entered into a publishing deal with Random House and Canongate has capitalised on their phenomenal international success by opening an office in London.
The national retailers (Waterstone’s, Borders and WH Smith) have all put in place marketing and promotion structures to cater to the Scottish market. Initiatives such as a Scottish Book of the Month and a Scottish chart have been very effective in promoting Scottish authors. There are also a number of strong independent booksellers providing a valuable addition to their local communities.
The Herald newspaper also carries a weekly chart of Scottish bestsellers (supplied by Waterstone’s), and the Sunday Herald publishes a quarterly ‘Review of Scottish Books’.