In a huge move for our industry's distribution operations, earlier this year Ingram bought the distribution side of Perseus Books Group, adding PGW, Consortium, Legato and Perseus Distribution. Together, the Perseus distribution brands and the Ingram Publisher Services (IPS) brand represent hundreds of publishers that have strong ties with independent bookstores and carry just the kinds of titles that make indies stand out from the competition. With the help of Ingram, Shelf Awareness takes a look at the wealth of publishers and books that Ingram represents.

Adaptability to change is a requirement for any organization today. At Ingram Content Group, they're not just adapting; they're making change happen--for the benefit of our entire industry.

Shawn Morin

Ingram is in the process of combining the sales and marketing excellence of the four Perseus distribution brands it acquired in March--Publishers Group West (PGW), Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, Perseus Distribution, and Legato Publishers Group--with Ingram's leading digital, physical and print-on-demand solutions that back its existing distribution brand, Ingram Publisher Services (IPS).

Bookstores will continue to see many of the same familiar faces in the newly organized sales organization. Several moves have been made in sales leadership to create a comprehensive team for each retail channel. Kim Wylie (PGW, IPS and Legato), Kim Highland (Perseus Distribution) and Jim Nichols (Consortium) are directing the sales strategy for their respective organizations across all channels, as well as heading up the brands' national accounts teams. Jeanne Emanuel is leading a shared sales team for field accounts, mass merchandising, specialty retail and specialty wholesale, and Elise Cannon is directly responsible for all distributed field sales. Meredith Greenhouse is overseeing the international sales team for all distribution brands.

This combined sales group is backed by the strength and reach of Ingram's operations, which are being integrated into all Perseus distribution operations. Ingram is also investing in Perseus's Jackson, Tenn., distribution center and introducing its shipping and packing standards to the operation, including new packaging for smaller orders that reduces the possibility of damages in transit.

"Combining the talent, expertise and passion for books from both Perseus and Ingram is a win for our industry," said Shawn Morin, CEO and president, Ingram Content Group. "As we integrate our businesses, we're focused on continuing to provide the best service to our clients and customers while collaborating to create new ways to support booksellers and publishers, expanding opportunities and ways for them to succeed."

Phil Ollila

Nearly six months after Ingram Content Group bought Perseus Books Group's distribution operations, the merger of Ingram's distribution arm, Ingram Publisher Services, with Perseus's distribution brands--Publishers Group West, Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, Legato Publishers Group, Perseus Distribution, and Constellation digital services--is moving along well, according to Ingram chief content officer Phil Ollila. Some parts of the merger are completed or well underway. Others, like fully upgrading Perseus's Jackson, Tenn., warehouse, will take more time. "We're happy about our progress," Ollila says.

The ultimate goal is deeply important to the book world: Ingram wants to be, as Ollila puts it, "the company that brings the best of independent publishing to independent bookstores in ways that make the businesses of both groups better." For independent bookstores, that means streamlining and improving service so that booksellers will spend less time on back office, administrative matters and shipping problems and "have more time to talk about books and more time to run their businesses better."

Already the merger has meant substantial, concrete improvements for indie bookstores. As announced earlier this month, as of October 1, all Perseus books will be in stock in all four Ingram warehouses across the U.S. rather than only in the Perseus warehouse, meaning that those titles "will be available faster to independent bookstores, no matter where the stores are," Ollila comments, and offering "the fast level of service that every bookseller needs." He adds that the merger of Ingram's now-huge distribution operations with its extensive wholesaling operation makes the company "one of the most relevant business partners for independent bookstores."

By many measures, the integration is going well. For one, the new colleagues Ingram acquired along with the purchase have been enthusiastic and "have turned out to be one of the best things about the acquisition," Ollila says. "They're doing a great job of helping integrate the businesses." He notes that when Ingram acquired Perseus's distribution operations, "the intent was to acquire a healthy business and people in the business who knew what they were doing. This turned out to be true--the team is really wonderful." One reason they're happy to be with Ingram, Ollila says, is because they like "the vision we have for growing the company."

That vision includes major investments in people and systems. The company is beefing up its sales force in New York, and now has "one of the largest sales forces for independent booksellers of all the publishers," Ollila says. The company's investment in operations ranges from the million and a half dollars it's putting into the former Perseus Jackson, Tenn., warehouse to bring it aboard with Ingram's systems to "making iPage available to all," Ollila says. "We're bringing the best Ingram has to offer to a business that didn't have a high level of investment."

Ingram is also beginning to work closely with its new client publishers, who number about 600. At Ingram Publisher Services, strong categories were art, tech, how-to and advice, Ollila notes. Now Ingram's publishers have a remarkable and powerful range, "from Akashic in Brooklyn to Grove/Atlantic and everything in between," Ollila says. They include some of the most famous names in indie publishing, including Greystone Books, City Lights, AdventureKEEN and Skyhorse. Now literature, literary fiction, poetry, architecture, among many other categories, are "part of the Ingram bag." Those "big and not-so-big independent publishers all get equal treatment, all have a voice, and all work through the best independent sales force in the market," Ollila adds. Many of them are having outstanding years and have some "great books coming out this fall."

Ollila emphasizes that in book publishing, independent publishers are becoming ever more important, and that as always, independent publishers' titles are a great fit for independent bookstores--the kinds of books that distinguish them from their competition.

Those publishers are in an unusual situation: "The barriers of entry for creating a publishing program are lower and lower," Ollila observes. "The hard part is identifying what books to publish and figure out how to bring them to market. Our independent publishers are the best at this," and often they find gems that are "overlooked or passed on by major houses" or are written by authors "who don't want to be published by a big house. These publishers see trends before others observe them."

This is Ingram's distribution sweet spot: "We think the market is moving toward independent publishing," Ollila says. Already known for excellence in wholesaling, Ingram wants to be known as "the company that brings independent books to independent bookstores."

Ingram's distribution brands have longstanding, close ties to literary independent presses. The natural affinity between literary indie publishers and indie bookstores is obvious in many ways: most indie publishers focus on exactly the kind of literary titles that distinguish a lot of indie bookstores from their more commercial mainstream competitors. The connection works both ways: indie bookstores have proven especially important in introducing major indie press literary titles, often at events like the ABA's Winter Institute. Consider some of the many literary presses distributed by Ingram's distribution brands:

Bellevue Literary Press (Consortium)
Since its founding in 2007, Bellevue Literary Press has published fiction and nonfiction at the intersection between the arts and sciences. It garnered international attention in 2010 when Paul Harding's debut novel, Tinkers--about a man on his deathbed remembering his life and the life of his father--won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. It was the first time in nearly 30 years that a book published by a small press won that prize, and according to Erika Goldman, publisher, co-founder and editorial director of Bellevue Literary Press, Tinkers' win would not have been possible without the help of independent bookstores.

"Our relationships with independent booksellers couldn't be more important," she said. "Like small press publishers, they're a community of ardent readers. The advocacy of the indies for a book can be contagious and powerful--they led the charge on Tinkers, spreading the love all the way to the Pulitzer Prize."

Dalkey Archive Press (IPS)
Named for Irish author Flann O'Brien's final novel, The Dalkey Archive, Dalkey Archive Press has published literary, avante-garde fiction, poetry and works of literary criticism since its creation in 1984. Among the press's major titles are Voices from Chernobyl by Svetlana Alexievich, the 2015 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the forthcoming Bottom's Dream, the first English-language translation of Arno Schmidt's 1,496-page magnum opus. The press received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle in 2011.

"Indie bookstores are extremely important, especially to a publisher like us," said Jake Snyder, associate director at Dalkey Archive Press. Last year, the press moved its U.S. office from Chicago to South Texas and received a warm welcome from indies in that area. "In many ways, indies cultivate continuing readers in ways that most other outlets cannot," he continued. "I am thinking here of recommendations from store employees to customers."

Grove/Atlantic (PGW)
When independent publishers Atlantic Monthly Press and Grove Press merged in 1993, Grove/Atlantic brought together more than 100 years of combined publishing experience: Atlantic Monthly Press began as a book publishing imprint of the Atlantic Monthly magazine in Boston in 1917, while Grove Press was founded in 1951. Among Grove/Atlantic's major recent titles are Helen Macdonald's bestselling memoir, H Is for Hawk, Lily King's historical love story Euphoria, Viet Thanh Nguyen's The Sympathizer, which won the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and Tim Murphy's debut, Christodora, about activists and bohemians in New York City's Lower East Side from the 1980s into the 2020s.

"As an independent publisher, we have an enormously special and cherished relationship with the indie booksellers," said associate publisher Judy Hottensen. "Some of our greatest successes in the past several years have been bolstered by our push at Winter Institute and regional shows, and bookseller gatherings around the country. H Is for Hawk, Euphoria and The Sympathizer were all championed early by the indies; their contagion was an integral part in getting the galleys read by more and more people."

McSweeney's (PGW)
Nonprofit McSweeney's, San Francisco, Calif., was founded in 1998 by author Dave Eggers and initially published a literary journal called Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern. The press has since expanded into novels, poetry collections and more periodicals, helping launch the careers of emerging writers like Adam Levin (The Instructions) and John Brandon (A Million Heavens) as well as published established names like John Sayles, Michael Chabon, Robert Coover, and George Saunders. Dave Eggers, best known for A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, was an Honor Book Recipient of the ABA's 2016 Indies Choice Book Awards.

"Indie bookstores are our life-blood, the brick-and-mortar meeting place between our publications and our audience," said Claire Boyle, McSweeney's sales and marketing manager. "We all started out doing this because we had an indie bookstore we got lost in once and never came out of. The support we get from the indie bookstore bookselling community, from the ever-trusted staff picks to impassioned handselling, is so crucial to our operation. It's so trustworthy and personal to have a bookseller tell you, 'I loved this book, and think you will too.' One of our bestselling titles, All My Puny Sorrows [by Miriam Toews], became recognized and continues to do well largely because of the love indie bookstores have shown us."

Outpost19 (IPS)
Despite being just a few years old, Outpost19, San Francisco, Calif., has already begun to garner critical acclaim and industry attention. It publishes new fiction and nonfiction along with an annual, California-themed anthology called the California Prose Directory. One of Outpost19's first breakout titles was Jamie Brisick's biography, Becoming Westerly: Surf Legend Peter Drouyn's Transformation into Westerly Windina, about a transgender surf legend. Other significant titles include the novel What Becomes Us by Micah Perks and the forthcoming debut novel The Adventures of Joe Harper by Phong Nguyen.

"Indies have been and continue to be essential to our success," said senior editor and publisher Jon Roemer. "Initially, one of our primary strategies was author events, and we witnessed enormous generosity from indie hosts, big and small, across the country. Now, when our books are on their shelves, they make us look cool, and hopefully, in return, we're giving them something different and special to crow about. I'm intensely aware of the curation at indie stores and moved whenever our books make the cut."

Independent bookstores serve not just as a place to buy a great book but also as a hub for the community, and nowhere is that more noticeable than in the children's area. The continued growth of both independent bookstores and the children's book market further cements that connection. Ingram's distribution brands represent a range of children's publishers who offer a vast amount of titles, including diverse books, global imports and nonfiction storytelling. Among those publishers:

Annick Press (PGW)
Canadian publisher Annick Press has been publishing fiction and nonfiction for children and teens since 1975. Named for founders Rick Wilks and Anne Millyard, Annick has offices in Toronto and Vancouver and publishes more than 25 new titles each year. Perhaps best known for classic picture books such as Robert Munsch's The Paperbag Princess, which has sold close to 12 million copies and been translated into 15 languages, and Red Is Best by Kathy Stinson and Robin Baird Lewis, Annick has recently gained notice for publishing award-winning middle-grade nonfiction and YA books that are committed to diversity and deal with drugs, bullying, sexuality, mass media and depression.

"The independent bookselling community are key players for us," said co-founder Rick Wilks. "With a publishing program that emphasizes storytelling on contemporary themes, it's critical that knowledgeable booksellers connect our titles with their customers. And they do! We often hear that independents will fill out their orders by turning to the Annick backlist and restocking."

Boyds Mills Press (Perseus Distribution)
Created in 1990, Boyds Mills Press is the trade book division of the family media brand Highlights for Children, which publishes children's magazines, puzzle books and other products. Boyds Mills Press publishes a range of fiction and nonfiction books for young readers and has two imprints: Calkins Creek, which publishes nonfiction and historical fiction about U.S. history, and WordSong, which publishes poetry. Boyds Mills Press's 2015 title You Nest Here with Me by Jane Yolen, Heidi Stemple and Melissa Sweet was a success that benefited greatly from independent bookstores, and this year's The Knowing Book by Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Matthew Cordell received a similarly strong push from indies.

"Independent bookstores are a critical channel for us," said Kerry McManus, manager of book marketing for Boyds Mills Press. "You Nest Here with Me was one title independent booksellers really got behind. Jane, Heidi and Melissa [the authors and illustrator] all have personal relationships with independent bookstores and their booksellers in their local communities. The bookstores supported them by scheduling events to promote You Nest Here with Me and our promotional materials for the book were used--and loved--by the independents as well."

Enchanted Lion (Consortium)
Founded in 2003, Enchanted Lion Books, Brooklyn, N.Y., is an independent, family-owned children's publishing company that began with a focus on publishing illustrated nonfiction for children, but later shifted to translating international children's books into English. The press's first such title, Anne Herbauts's Prince Silencio, arrived in stores in 2006. Some of Enchanted Lion's recent successes include Enormous Smallness: A Story of E.E. Cummings by Matthew Burgess and Kris Di Giacomo, Bear Despair by Gaëtan Dorémus and Fox's Garden by Princesse Camcam. In 2015, Enchanted Lion was awarded the BOP-Bologna Prize for Best Children's Publisher of the Year for North America.

"Independent bookstores are key to independent publishing," said publisher Claudia Bedrick. "Both indie publishers and indie bookstores are founded on passion, taste, specificity and individual vision, which means that both flourish in a climate of dialogue. Many of the books published by independent presses aren't going to reach their full potential or come to life in the fullest sense possible if they are just left to sit on the shelves of chains and big box stores. But at independent stores, these very same books will be bought for precisely the conversation that can be had around them and for the hand-selling opportunities they afford."

Groundwood Books (PGW)
Groundwood Books, Toronto, is a Canadian children's publisher that's part of House of Anansi Press and has been operating for more than 35 years. The press is committed to diversity and what some consider difficult or controversial topics. This February, Groundwood Books launched a Windows and Mirrors catalogue that focuses exclusively on diverse books, and at this year's Bologna Children's Book Fair, Groundwood Books was awarded the BOP-Bologna Prize for Best Children's Publisher of the Year for North America. A recent Groundwood title, Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson and Sydney Smith, a wordless picture book, was named to many best of the year lists in 2015.

"Over the past few years, Groundwood has received the most amazing support from indie booksellers who are looking for books that matter," said Barbara Howson, v-p sales and licensing. "Unless a bookseller supports our books by ordering and selling them, then they will remain books in a warehouse without an audience, and that is why we are most grateful for indie support."

Lemniscaat (IPS)
Founded in the Netherlands in 1963, Lemniscaat is one of the oldest and best known children's publishers in Holland and publishes fiction and picture books that reflect an international, multi-cultural sensibility. Among Lemniscaat's major titles are Sam and the Construction Site by Tjibbe Veldkamp and Alice Hoogstad, Playground by Miles van Hout and the upcoming The Big L Hotel by Sjoerd Kuyper and Nancy Forest-Flier, winner of the Silver Pencil, the Dutch equivalent of the Newbery Medal.

Indie bookstores were important in helping this Dutch publisher find fans in the highly competitive American picture book world, said Ellen Myrick of Myrick Marketing & Media, who handles much of Lemniscaat's U.S. marketing efforts. "Independent booksellers like Kids Ink [in Indianapolis, Ind.], BookPeople [in Austin, Tex.], Parnassus Books [in Nashville, Tenn.] and more took a chance on picture books that were sometimes taller, were perhaps a bit less busy, and featured an overall artistic sensibility that could be considered Dutch with their respect for space and light. Independent bookstores make Lemniscaat's books discoverable and help ensure that these books of beauty and humor continue to find their way across the water."

Owlkids Books (PGW)
For more than 35 years, Owlkids Books, the book publishing division of Bayard Canada, has published children's nonfiction, picture books and kids magazines, aiming to nurture children's imaginations and a child's natural love of learning into a lifetime of reading. Owlkids' offerings include nonfiction about science, social studies and the arts, and in 2008, Owlkids acquired the children's book publisher Maple Tree Press, adding more than 100 titles to its library. Some of Owlkids Books' big recent titles are Mom, Dad, Our Books and Me by Danielle Marcotte and Josée Bisaillon, an ode to reading, and Skunk on a String, a debut title by Thao Lam.

According to Judy Brunsek, director of sales and marketing at Owlkids, independent bookstores are vital to the company. "We attended the ABA's Children's Institute last year and this year," she said. "It's a great opportunity to develop those one-on-one connections that still drive this business."

Nonfiction titles make up the foundation of many indie bookstores' offerings, and for good reason--stores can customize their offerings to meet the unique needs of their community. Ingram's distribution brands distribute hundreds of nonfiction publishers whose books cover just about every imaginable book category. Here is a sampling of some of those publishers:

AdventureKEEN (PGW)
Last October, Adventure Publications, Cambridge, Minn., merged with travel and outdoor guide company Keen Communications to become AdventureKEEN. Founded in 1988 by Gordon and Gerri Slabaugh, Adventure Publications is the largest independent publisher of birding books in the U.S., and publishes guides to everything from animals, constellations and trees to Disney theme parks, stairway walks in San Francisco, Calif., and haunted places in New Orleans, La. AdventureKEEN's backlist of more than 400 titles also includes cookbooks, books of regional history and more nature-related titles.

"There is no greater potential for success than giving a local retailer a local book; it's the ground floor for a Main Street shop," said Richard Hunt, president of AdventureKEEN. "They know their customers prize learning about where they live, be it local hikes, history, birds, sports, parks or personalities. We see smart independents spotlight those books that sell themselves by virtue of a regional connection. A book that has a state or city in the title is perhaps the ultimate 'hey, baby' impulse item. Independent bookstores are often seen as the heart and soul of their cities and we wouldn't be still breathing without them."

Berrett-Koehler (IPS)
Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco, Calif., was founded in 1992 by Steven Piersanti, former CEO of Jossey-Bass Publishers (now part of Wiley), and publishes progressive titles in business, current events, personal growth and self-help. Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins, an autobiographical account of shady infrastructure dealings in underdeveloped countries, has sold more than one million copies. Eat That Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time by Brian Tracy has sold more than 900,000 copies.

"We released The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man by John Perkins and were thrilled at the support of the indies to host John through events at their stores, so that he could connect one-on-one with his fans," said Kristen Frantz, v-p of sales and marketing. "We have also appreciated the indies support of our bestselling titles over the years including Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute [and] The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die by John Izzo. We are especially pleased with the support of the Arbinger Institute's newest book, The Outward Mindset. And we are excited about our new release Fiercely You: Be Fabulous and Confident by Thinking Like a Drag Queen by Jackie Huba with Shelly Steward Kronbergs, which is getting a lot of interest and support from indies."

Greystone Books (PGW)
Founded in 1993 by publisher Rob Sanders, Greystone Books, Vancouver, publishes titles about nature, the environment, travel, adventure, sports and current events and is committed to high-quality nonfiction books that have both local and international appeal. A major fall title is The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by German author Peter Wohlleben, a career forest ranger. Originally published last year in Germany, the book became an immediate sensation and sold more than 300,000 copies.

"Independent bookstores are great supporters of Greystone books and authors," said Jen Gauthier, director of sales and marketing for Greystone. "Village Books in Bellingham [Wash.] has hosted sold-out events for David Suzuki at Mount Baker Theatre, as well as many in store events for our authors. Midwest and Great Lakes booksellers have long supported Candace Savage, author of Bird Brains, Crows and Prairie, through tireless handselling. Independent booksellers champion the new and unproven, sharing their excitement about fresh new literary voices with each other and with readers."

Harvard Business Review Press (Perseus Distribution)
Harvard Business Review Press publishes books with highlights from Harvard Business Review, which was founded in 1922 as a magazine for the Harvard Business School and has an English-language circulation of more than 250,000. Managing Oneself by Peter Drucker, part of the Harvard Business Review Classics series, is an ever-popular title. Collections of material from the Review also sell well: HBR 10 Must Reads on Emotional Intelligence and HBR 10 Must Reads on Managing Yourself have been on the Indiebound paperback nonfiction list in the past year, in part thanks to merchandising efforts, such as dedicated spinners and tables, at independent bookstores like the Tattered Cover and Joseph-Beth Booksellers.

"Harvard Business Review Press has been very successful in expanding brand awareness and increasing sell-through in recent years by working closely with the Perseus Distribution field sales team to partner with independent bookstores," said Sarah McConville, publisher of HBR Press and v-p of marketing for HBR Group. "We've developed innovative merchandising programs to increase market share of our bestselling branded series paperbacks, which include the HBR 10 Must Reads, the HBR Guides, the HBR 20 Minute Managers, and the HBR Classics."

The New Press (Perseus Distribution)
The New Press is a nonprofit publisher of intellectual work from traditionally underrepresented voices written to "promote and enrich public discussion and understanding of the issues vital to our democracy and to a more equitable world." It was founded in 1992 by André Schiffrin and Diane Wachtell, both of Pantheon Books, who brought several authors with them, including Studs Terkel, whose Race was the publisher's first bestseller. In 1995, the New Press released James Loewen's Lies My Teacher Told Me, which has since sold more than a million copies. Noam Chomsky's Understanding Power is another major backlist title. The New Press recently published Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by sociologist Arlie Hochschild, which seeks to bridge the "empathy wall" dividing both sides of the political spectrum.

"From our earliest days, independent booksellers have been crucial to the New Press's success," said publisher Ellen Adler. "It was the indie bookselling community that made The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander the enduring national bestseller that it has become."

New World Library (PGW)
New World Library, Novato, Calif., began in 1977 under the name Whatever Publishing; founders Marc Allen and Shakti Gawain published the company's first four titles. Gawain's Creative Visualization became a bestseller, selling six million copies worldwide, cementing the press's position as a publisher of New Age and creative titles that "show us how to create far better lives for ourselves and a world that works far better."

Three of the company's enduring bestsellers are The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle, The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Valerie Ann Worwood and The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell. All are promoted more like frontlist than backlist.

"When New World Library steps outside its core publishing categories, it's been the indie bookstores who have risen to the occasion," said associate publisher Munro Magruder. "The best example of this is Kent Nerburn's Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder, which has become a Midwest/Upper Midwest regional bestseller and academic favorite."

Search Press (Legato)
Search Press North America is an arm of the U.K. publishing company Search Press, which was founded in 1970. Search Press is a leading arts and craft publisher that has received numerous awards and accolades: in 2015, it was named Independent Publisher of the Year by the Independent Publishers Guild, and for both 2015 and 2016 it was named Craft Business Best Book Publisher. Among Search Press's significant titles are Half Yard Kids by Debbie Shore, Paint Yourself Calm by Jean Haines and 100 Little Christmas Gifts to Make by Search Press Studio. In 2015, the Search Press title Half Yard Christmas by Debbie Shore won the Silver Award Best New Craft book at the International Craft Awards.

"Indies are very important to us," said Robert Woodcock, director of sales for Search Press North America. "We are an independent ourselves and want our books visible to as wide a public as possible. Being an art and craft publisher, we work with independent bookstores as well as independent art and craft stores. Pretty much every day I am in contact with an independent book or art/craft trade store. It's incredibly important to what we do."

Skyhorse Publishing (Perseus Distribution)
Since 2006, Skyhorse Publishing, New York City, has published books about outdoor sports, adventure, team sports, nature and country living and now has a backlist of some 6,000 titles, 13 imprints, more than 900 titles planned for the next year and has had 40 New York Times bestsellers. Skyhorse now also publishes children's books, humor, true crime, travel guides and some literary fiction.

"As book publishing and marketing has changed in the last decade, some things haven't changed," said Bill Wolfsthal, v-p of Skyhorse. "For many kinds of books, especially literary fiction and many kinds of narrative nonfiction, there is no better way of making a book a success than winning over the reps who call on independent bookstores and the buyers, managers and store workers who can spread the word about a book they love. It's old-fashioned, but it's essential to our business."