David Ford Opens in London

by Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 3/12/2007

Former Little, Brown Books for Young Readers publisher David Ford and his partner, marketing executive Brett Brubaker, have launched a book packaging and consulting firm based in London with an office in New York. Brubaker & Ford Ltd. will provide editorial, agenting, design, printing and marketing services for both children's and adult book projects.

Brubaker, whose clients have included Bertelsmann Book Group, Time Warner Book Group, the New York Times and Condé Nast Publications, said he and Ford want to keep the operation "on the smaller side." B&F now employs "a small platoon of freelancers," including two designers, an editor and some production people, said Ford. They are currently working on about 30 books, including picture books, young adult and adult novels, and illustrated gift books.

Although Ford and Brubaker are working with authors and illustrators on both sides of the Atlantic, Ford said initially they will spend most of their time in London. "It's far easier to work more intimately with people [in the U.K.], because the country's smaller." Ford—who also served as managing director of Walker Books UK and founded Candlewick Press and the Georgia bookstore G.J. Ford Bookshop—has spent more than 20 years living in the U.K. Brubaker, however, is new to the country. "Brett has his finger on the pulse," Ford said, referring to Brubaker's wide-ranging experience (he's also worked with Armani and Prada) and younger age. "But I come in handy when ancient references are made to the way things used to be done and how we can make it better," he said.

B&F is working with both established and new authors. It is also working with an American publisher, reformatting some of its bestselling titles, and collaborating with another packager on a book that will be unveiled at Bologna.