Myriad Editions

Myriad Editions is an independent UK publishing house based in Brighton, Sussex, specialising in three genres: topical atlases, graphic non-fiction and original fiction. With its stated aim being "to showcase new writers and artists, build fresh audiences for their work, and establish a literary niche against the mainstream", [1] Myriad has built a reputation for discovering and nurturing award-winning authors, such as Jonathan Kemp,[2] Elizabeth Haynes, and Natasha Soobramanien.[3][4] The publisher and managing director is Candida Lacey.[5][6]

History

Myriad Editions was founded as a book packager in 1993 by the late Anne Benewick.[6] Myriad's flagship atlas, The State of the World Atlas, was originally devised by Michael Kidron and Ronald Segal and is now authored by leading international peace researcher Dan Smith, OBE. It has sold more than 700,000 copies worldwide.[7]

Myriad Editions continues to publish award-winning atlases that map political, social and environmental concerns. Most of the atlases are distributed internationally, through publishers including Penguin and the University of California Press in the USA, Earthscan in the UK, Éditions Autrement in France, Eva in Germany, Obeikan in Saudi Arabia, Publifolha in Brazil, Maruzen in Japan, Sigma in Taiwan and Pajera in Thailand.

Myriad Editions also publishes special projects for the United Nations and other international organizations. These include a miniAtlas series on global development for the World Bank and a series of atlases on health issues for the World Health Organization and the American Cancer Society.

In 2005, Myriad Editions published The Brighton Book, a mixture of reportage, fiction, graphics and photographs; contributors included Jeanette Winterson and Nigella Lawson, alongside new writers.[6] The imprint went on to publish full-length novels written by two of the anthology's contributors: Martine McDonagh’s I Have Waited, and You Have Come and Lesley Thomson’s A Kind of Vanishing.[8]

In 2009, the independent publishing company was awarded an Arts Council England grant to further develop their fiction publishing.[9] With this funding, Myriad was able to publish two début novels by local authors in 2009, The Cloths of Heaven by Sue Eckstein and Glasshopper by Isabel Ashdown.

In Spring 2010, Myriad Editions launched a fiction list with three new novels: The Noise of Strangers by Robert Dickinson, The Clay Dreaming by comic artist Ed Hillyer and The Spider Truces by Tom Connolly. The company went on to publish several more new novels, including Quilt, by Nicholas Royle, Invisibles by Ed Siegle, 4a.m. by Nina de la Mer, Elizabeth Haynes's Into the Darkest Corner, winner of Amazon's Book of the Year in 2011 and Amazon's Rising Star Award for debut novels,[10] and Sue Eckstein's second book, Interpreters.

The Myriad fiction list initially focused on first-time authors from the south-east of England but in 2013 the company increased and broadened its output, taking on titles from a more national and international perspective, as well as graphic novels.[11][12][13] Among recent acquisitions are Belonging by Umi Sinha,[14] Blackheath by Adam Baron,[15] and Noon in Paris, Eight in Chicago by Douglas Cowie.[16]

Competitions

First Fictions

In 2012, a biennial "boutique literary festival" called First Fictions was established by Myriad Editions in collaboration with the University of Sussex,[17] with the aim of celebrating and championing first novels, both past and present.[18][19]

First Drafts and First Graphic Novel Competition

As part of Myriad Editions' stated mission to support new writers and uncover new talent they organise two competitions for work in progress, in order to enable promising writers to benefit from constructive and professional feedback at an early stage in their careers.[20]

The First Drafts competition (formerly called the Writer's Retreat Competition) has since 2010 been open to all writers who have not yet published or self-published a book of fiction to submit a prose fiction work-in-progress, the prize being a week-long writing retreat at West Dean College,[21] near Chichester, in addition to detailed editorial feedback and mentoring by a Myriad author.[22]

The First Graphic Novel Competition, held every two years, offers winners "the opportunity to develop their work with Myriad’s creative and editorial team, with a view to future publication".[23] The prize was first awarded in 2012, with the winner being published by Myriad the following year.[24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About", Myriad website.
  2. ↑ Lisa Campbell, "London Triptych wins Authors Club prize", The Bookseller, 18 April 2011.
  3. ↑ Natasha Soobramanien Q&A, Foyles.
  4. ↑ "Awards", Myriad.
  5. ↑ "Myriad opportunities", Book Brunch, 23 May 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 "An Interview with Candida Lacey, Myriad Editions Managing Director", Creative Future Literary Awards, 13 April 2015.
  7. ↑ Laura Smith, "All new jaw-dropping stats!", Evening Standard, 18 September 2003.
  8. ↑ "Publisher Feature: Interview with Myriad Editions". Myriad's fiction editor Victoria Blunden talks with Rosy B. Vulpes Libris, 18 February 2010.
  9. ↑ Victoria Gallagher, "Myriad gets", The Bookseller, 12 February 2009.
  10. ↑ Elizabeth Haynes at Amazon.
  11. ↑ Charlotte Williams, "Myriad looks further afield for growth", The Bookseller, 5 November 2012.
  12. ↑ Caroline Carpenter, "Myriad Editions signs Bristol Short Story Prize winner", The Bookseller, 27 March 2014.
  13. ↑ Caroline Carpenter, "'Expanding' Myriad signs six", The Bookseller, 21 April 2015.
  14. ↑ Jade Craddock, Review of Belonging by Umi Sinha, We Love This Book, 16 September 2015.
  15. ↑ Adam Galbinski, "Meet Adam Baron, author of Blackheath: You have to work at a relationship after children", Jewish News, 11 March 2016.
  16. ↑ Sarah Shaffi, "Story of de Beauvoir love affair to Myriad", The Bookseller, 17 August 2015.
  17. ↑ "Broadcast: News items – First Fictions debut features an Ian Rankin premiere", University of Sussex.
  18. ↑ About First Fictions: A Festival for Writers and Readers.
  19. ↑ "Myriad Editions launch First Fictions festival", Writers Online, 20/ December 2011.
  20. ↑ "Competitions", Myriad.
  21. ↑ Paul McVeigh, "Myriad Editions Writer's Retreat Competition", Short story opportunities, 29 December 2013.
  22. ↑ "First Drafts Competition", Myriad.
  23. ↑ "First Graphic Novel Competition", Myriad.
  24. ↑ Richard Bruton, "Myriad First Graphic Novel Competition", Forbidden Planet, 30 November 2013,

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 6/15/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.