Coriolis Group Founders Launch New Company
by Steven Zeitchik -- Publishers Weekly, 6/24/2002
Keith Weiskamp and Jeff Duntemann, cofounders of the computer book publisher Coriolis Group, have formed a new company, Paraglyph Press, that will publish some of Coriolis's backlist as well as new titles. Earlier this year, Haights Cross, which acquired Coriolis in February 1999, closed down the company and sold off its assets (News, Apr. 1). Paraglyph has acquired over 50 Coriolis titles and plans to publish 10 to 15 new frontlist titles annually. It also plans to revise about five titles per year. Distribution will be through PGW.
Another former Coriolis executive, Steven Sayre, is also part of Paraglyph. He explained that while the Haights Cross acquisition was originally welcomed by Coriolis for its injection of cash, the team soon became upset with both management changes and the parent's priorities. "The Exam Cram series [a line that examined how to become certified in various technical fields] started eclipsing the programming and development guides and everything else," said Sayre. Paraglyph's list, Sayre said, will focus heavily on high-level technology books and very little on certification guides, a category he describes as "too crowded." And this time, he and his colleagues are taking no chances: so far they've invested only their own money.
