Fulcrum Publishing Splits Into Two Divisions
By Judith Rosen -- Publishers Weekly, 9/25/2009 7:20:00 AM
Fulcrum Publishing in Golden, Colo., is marking its 25th anniversary by narrowing its list and splitting into two divisions—Fulcrum Books, which will continue to be based in Colorado, and Speaker’s Corner, which will be based in the Upper Midwest. Under the new arrangement, which goes into effect January 1, Derek Lawrence, currently associate publisher of Fulcrum Publishing, and Sam Scinta, publisher of Fulcrum Publishing will become publishers of Fulcrum Books and Speaker’s Corner, respectively.
“There have been a slew of recent articles emphasizing the importance of being small, focused and nimble in order to best thrive in the coming years,” explained Scinta. “This new structure refines our focus even more, allowing us to be increasingly responsive to our authors and to booksellers.” Fulcrum’s sales have remained relatively strong in spite of the recession up about 5% last year with projections for another 5% gain this year, according to marketing manager Erin Palmiter-Groce.
Under the new arrangement, Scinta will continue to expand Fulcrum’s current affairs-oriented Speaker’s Corner series, which includes books like former Senator Gary Hart on national security strategy, Under the Eagle’s Wing, and former Chilean ambassador Heraldo Munoz on the Iraq war, A Solitary War, as well as its Native American list. Fulcrum Books will focus on travel, gardening, history, nature and popular culture, and will publish far fewer titles in fiction, memoir and children’s.
While the categories will be narrowed, the number of books published each year, 25 to 30, will remain roughly the same, said Palmiter-Groce. Fulcrum Books will publish 20 books a year; Speaker’s Corner 6 to 10. Currently Fulcrum has 450 titles in print
