Atria Books Announces Co-Publishing Agreement with UK Publisher Short Books

(NEW YORK) – July 30, 2012. Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc., and Short Books, a premiere independent publisher in the United Kingdom, have teamed up to launch an exciting trans-Atlantic co-publishing agreement under the name Marble Arch Press.

The new imprint will be introduced in Fall 2012 and will publish in the US and Canada, in both print and ebook editions, approximately 12 titles each year from Short Books’ UK list, bringing the best in contemporary British writing to the North American marketplace.

Short Books, launched in 2001 and a founding member of the Independent Alliance, has consistently garnered sales and attention disproportionate to its size. The company has published a series of bestsellers including How to Be A Bad Birdwatcher, Walking Ollie, Good Granny Guide, Amo, Amas Amat, and All That (published as Carpe Diem in the US), Dreaming in Chinese. Short Books also published David Brooks’ bestseller The Social Animal in the UK and Commonwealth markets where it has so far sold more than 50,000 copies.

Judith Curr, Executive Vice President and Publisher of Atria Books commented: “Even as digital distribution and marketing take on ever-greater importance in our industry, quality content remains the driving force in successful publishing. The Short Books list reflects the varied interests and impeccable editorial taste of its founders and it is a privilege for Atria to be able to introduce such a delightful collection of books and authors to American readers. ”

Aurea Carpenter, who together with Rebecca Nicolson co-founded Short Books, added: “This is a huge opportunity for our authors. Judith Curr is one of the most

creative people in US publishing. We are thrilled to be linking arms with a publishing house of this size and quality.”

This is the first international co-publishing agreement for Atria. Under the Marble Arch banner, British authors including Justin Webb, Emma Craigie, Betsy Tobin, Sofka Zinovieff and Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall will now see their titles appearing in the US market.

The name Marble Arch Press refers to the well-known London landmark near Hyde Park, and is also a nod to Atria’s own Washington Square Press imprint (Washington Square having its own “marble arch” monument).

Atria Books, currently celebrating its tenth anniversary, is the publishing home to such popular authors as Vince Flynn, T.D. Jakes, Shirley MacLaine, Kate Morton, Jodi Picoult, Brad Thor, Jennifer Weiner, Zane, and Rhonda Byrne, author of the international bestsellers The Secret, The Power, and The Magic. In addition to Atria and Atria Trade Paperbacks, the imprint includes Washington Square Press and Strebor Books and has ongoing co-publishing agreements with Beyond Words, Cash Money Records.

Atria Books is an imprint of Simon & Schuster, a part of CBS Corporation. Simon & Schuster is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Online, and international companies in Australia, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. For more information about Atria, visit our website at http://imprints.simonandschuster.biz/atria.