Taunton's Deals

by Staff -- Publishers Weekly, 6/5/2006

Taunton Press has struck two deals in recent weeks that will tie the home improvement publisher to two well-known partners. In the first agreement, Taunton has signed a long-term partnership with Scripps Howard that will result in Taunton publishing a series of cookbooks by Food Network chefs. In return, Scripps, which owns the Food Network, will use material from Taunton to upgrade its various Web sites.

The first books due out under the deal are Robin Miller's Quick Fix Mealsand an as-yet-untitled book from Alton Brown. Both are set for release in 2007. Taunton Press president Jim Childs said details on how the books will be promoted on the Food Network and on foodnetwork.com are still to be worked out.

Under the second deal, Taunton will publish two to four books annually in cooperation with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The books will be produced under a joint Taunton Press/ National Trust imprint and the organization will help promote the books to its 250,000 members. The first book under the partnership, Where We Lived, will be released in December.