Seven Stories Plans First-Ever Simultaneous U.S./U.K. Release

By Lynn Andriani -- Publishers Weekly, 4/4/2008 8:07:00 AM

New York independent publisher Seven Stories Press is about to simultaneously publish a book in the U.S. and U.K. for the first time in its 12-year history. Rogue Economics by Loretta Napoleoni was released first in the author’s native Italy in February and has been on the Italian bestseller list since then. The house has sold rights in 10 countries. Publisher Dan Simon said, “I think it has real bestseller prospects here.” After an initial print run of 10,000, Seven Stories is on its way back for a second printing of 5,000 copies. Simon said he has “high hopes that we can go the distance with it.” The book officially pubbed in the U.S. April 1, and pubs in the U.K. on April 24.

An extensive web marketing campaign and author web site (which features a trailer for the book) has helped catapult Rogue Economics into bestseller territory. It’s off to a strong start in the U.S. As of yesterday afternoon, Amazon ranked it #2 in international current events. Borders and Hudson News are doing promotions and Napoleoni was on the independent news program Democracy Now. Seven Stories is handling U.S. publicity, while its U.K. distributor, Turnaround, is on the case in England. 

An economist and journalist, Napoleoni lives in London, is married to an American, and returns regularly to Italy. Simon attributed part of her popular appeal to her ability to “really speak intelligently and insightfully on the state of the economy, both in the U.S. and around the world.” Rogue Economics is Napoleoni’s third book with Seven Stories, following Terror Incorporated and Insurgent Iraq.