Canongate acquires Severn House Publishers
Some exciting news has recently been announced and that is my publisher, Severn House, has been acquired by Canongate. Severn House has published fifteen of my crime novels both the DI Andy Horton police procedurals and the Art Marvik marine thrillers. Here is hoping the relationship continues. Below is the press release on the acquisition.
PRESS RELEASE
The Canongate
Board is pleased to announce that Canongate has bought Severn House
Publishers for an undisclosed sum from Edwin Buckhalter and his family.
Buckhalter
founded the independent house in 1974 and has grown the specialist
fiction publisher that focuses on the US library market into a highly profitable
and respected list. Buckhalter and Mandy Shaw will remain in
consultancy roles but step down as Chairman and Company Secretary. The
rest of the Severn House staff, including Kate Lyall Grant as Publisher, will
continue in their current roles and move into Canongate’s west London
offices.
In a connected
development Kate Gibb, until recently Canongate’s Finance and Operations
Director, has been promoted to C.O.O. of Canongate and in this expanded
role will also sit on the Severn House Board of Directors alongside Jamie
Byng, Canongate’s C.E.O., and David Young, Canongate’s
Chair.
The deal was in
part financed by Handelsbanken, who have taken over from the Royal Bank of
Scotland as Canongate’s bankers.
Jamie Byng, CEO,
Canongate said “Severn House is a very impressive publishing
operation and I have great admiration for Edwin and the manner in which he has
grown his company into such a successful and interesting business with an
excellent team of staff and a terrific list of authors. When we were presented with
this opportunity to buy Severn House, it became clear very quickly that
the two companies were extremely complementary and I am delighted, as are
the Canongate Board and shareholders, that we have concluded this
deal. I’m also very pleased that Kate Gibb is moving into the position of
C.O.O. Kate played a critical role in the acquisition of Severn House and her
contribution to Canongate continues to grow in so many important ways.”
Edwin Buckhalter,
Chairman, Severn House said “It is no secret that I am long past
retirement age, and recently we have been approached by several companies on both
sides of the Atlantic. But when we were introduced to Canongate, it was
immediately obvious that this was a perfect fit for two apparently
disparate lists. I have always been impressed by Canongate's creativity,
entrepreneurial spirit and fierce independence, and I am confident that their
youthful outlook and energy will add new dimensions and potential for our authors.
With Canongate's expertise, Severn House and its imprint Crème de la Crime
will continue to flourish, retaining name and personality. I
can't think of a
better future or safer hands for the company I started more than forty years
ago.”
For further information
please contact Jenny Fry, Communications Director, jenny.fry@canongate.co.uk
Where to buy
Pauline Rowson's books USA
Pauline Rowson's books UK
From your local bookshop
Also available as an ebook and on Amazon Kindle, Kobo and for loan from UK, USA, Irish and Commonwealth libraries
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