Podium is taking the winner’s stage in the publishing arena these days thanks to an emphasis on contemporary romance titles that are hitting bestseller lists. For the publishing house that was known as one of the largest audiobook publishers in the world, the move into print and e-book publishing has been nothing but a boon.
Biggest hits to date include K.A. Knight’s Den of Vipers and C.R. Jane’s Pucking Wrong series, beginning with The Pucking Wrong Number. There’s also been healthy demand for Julie C. Dao’s Now Comes the Mist, a Dracula retelling; the MM romantasy A Spell for Heartsickness by Alistair Reeves; and a new C.R. Jane series that launched this spring with The Wrong Quarterback.
“BookTok, baby!” is a major driver of these titles’ success, according to VP, Editorial Director, Nicole Passage. “The romance community—both readers and authors—has been incredibly adept at harnessing the power of social media, in particular TikTok, to amplify content in this genre and deliver happily-ever-after upon happily-ever-after to an audience voracious for love stories.” Passage points to the increase in demand for romance literature in general, which bumps up subgenres at which Podium excels, including romantasy, dark romance, sports romance, reverse-harem, and MM, to name just a few.
Launched in 2012 as an audiobook creator, Podium gained attention with its audiobook adaptation of Andy Weir’s e-book original The Martian, which became a huge bestseller. Now rebranded Podium Entertainment, it has three divisions: Podium Audio, Podium Publishing, and Podium International.
Podium’s publishing arm also dabbles in thrillers, horror, science fiction, fantasy, and literary fiction. Fall 2025 titles include At Poupon’s Table, wine distributor Kermit Lynch’s debut; thriller author Joe Hart’s gothic suspense Wyndclyffe; Bryn Greenwood’s thriller Nobody Knows You’re Here; Old Guns, the first in a new military sci-fi series by J.N. Chaney and Nicholas Sansbury Smith; and My Big Goblin Space Program, an isekai LitRPG from Scott Warren.
The publisher’s expansion beyond audiobooks and digital-only sales has taken its titles into brick-and-mortar stores, and Passage notes the thrill of seeing Podium titles on Barnes & Noble tables and in big-box retailers such as Target and Walmart. The publishing house has also created deluxe print editions of some titles, including Knight’s Den of Vipers, which was originally self-published.
“Sprayed edges, stenciled artwork, and exclusive content such as bonus scenes and a signed letter from the author serve to differentiate the Podium edition from those previously available,” Passage says. Passage also spotlights creative displays by retailers, including alternating spines and sprayed edges facing out, as helping the success of these titles in traditional retail stores.
“Podium’s core mission is to grow our authors’ readership, so, after conquering the major digital realm, expansion of our line into brick-and-mortar retailers was the logical next step,” says Publisher Victoria Gerken. The publishing house sees only growth in the future. Its expertise in content and performance marketing allows it to engage audiences where they are and drive discovery in unique ways. Releasing physical books and placing them where readers live and shop increases access to authors’ work and “is a true complement to our already strong online sales,” according to Gerken.
Podium’s mission is amplification across all formats for all its authors. “Our historical success aiding indie authors in scaling their business has proven that our nimble, digital-first approach can likewise help traditionally published authors attain new heights,” Gerken says. “As we further establish our reputation with traditional retailers and libraries, we look forward to continuing to reach untapped audiences for all of our authors."
