Tin House Goes Solo

by Raya Kuzyk -- Publishers Weekly, 9/26/2005

After three years working with Bloomsbury USA on a joint publishing venture known as Tin House Books/Bloomsbury, Tin House Books is now an independent company with offices in Portland, Ore., and New York City, and distribution to the trade through Publishers Group West.

"The contract was up with Bloomsbury, and it was a good time to make that move," said Lee Montgomery, executive editor for the literary journal Tin House, who was named editorial director of the book publishing division. As an independent, Tin House will continue to publish new literary voices as well as reprints of contemporary and classic works of fiction and nonfiction. All previously published books will continue to be published as part of the Tin House/Bloomsbury banner and be distributed by Holtzbrinck.

The decision to split with Bloomsbury was a mutual one. "We agreed that it would be better for them to do it on their own," said Karen Rinaldi, editorial director of Bloomsbury USA. "To be with a big publisher meant they needed to commit in a big way." Another factor in the split, Montgomery said, was the departure of Jeanne McCulloch, Tin House Books/Bloomsbury editor-in-chief, in the spring.

Tin House's first list will launch next spring led by Best of Tin House.