From Self-Published to SMP Licensing Deal
From Self-Published to SMP Licensing Deal
by Bridget Kinsella, Children's Bookshelf -- Publishers Weekly, 10/19/2006
Last year Steve Syatt, a public relations veteran who helped launch children's brands including Bob the Builder, decided to launch a brand of his own called Shushybye, with stories about dreams and sleeping. He self-published the first book, Shushybye: Snoozles Saves the Night, and sold over 3,000 on consignment at Borders stores throughout California.
Last month St. Martin's Press announced a worldwide rights deal for books from the Shushybye brand. Jean Feiwel, publisher at Holtzbrink, said that SMP is repackaging Snoozles Saves the Night to be released by the end of the year, but the first Shushy line of books from SMP will publish in fall '07.
"It's a St. Martin's property, and because it's kids I'm going to be its fairy godmother," said Feiwel, "but it is not formally part of the Feiwel & Friends or Square Fish imprints. It's a licensing deal and we are treating the Shushy books as an imprint in and of itself."
SMP plans a series of four or five novelty books with enhanced component, like CDs night lights andpuppets. "We're still in the costing stages of that," said Feiwel. Snoozles Saves the Night will include a CD.
"It's my intention for Shushybye to become a beloved bedtime book series for children," Syatt told PW. "What better books for bedtime than books about dreams and going to sleep?"
