New Orbit Press Release

Sounds good to me!

This can only mean more quality works of fantasy and science fiction for the coming years. . .

Patrick
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Hachette Book Group to Launch
Science Fiction and Fantasy Imprint, Orbit

(New York, NY - May 30, 2006) Hachette Book Group USA announced today the US launch of a Science Fiction and Fantasy imprint, Orbit.

Orbit is the UK’s #1 Science Fiction and Fantasy imprint. Its head, Tim Holman, will move to the US in July as Orbit’s Publishing Director. He will continue as Publishing Director of Orbit in the UK, an imprint of the Little, Brown Book Group (formerly Time Warner Book Group), and will also oversee the launch of Orbit in Australia. These two new lines will give Orbit a major presence in the three largest English-language markets in the world.

In the UK, Orbit’s market share so far in 2006 is 23.8 percent, and Orbit had all five of the top new-author debuts of 2005. Its bestselling writers include Robert Jordan, Laurell K. Hamilton, Terry Brooks, Iain M. Banks, Tad Williams, and Trudi Canavan.

In the US, Orbit will be incorporated into Little, Brown and Company under its Publisher, Michael Pietsch. The imprint will publish its first titles in 2007 and is planned to grow to 40 titles a year, in hardcover and paperback, within the first three years.

Tim Holman said: "I believe that there is a fantastic opportunity for a dynamic new SF/Fantasy imprint to thrive in the US, and I am hugely looking forward to working with my new colleagues. David Young’s understanding of SF/Fantasy publishing has been a key factor in Orbit’s success in the UK over the last ten years, and I am delighted that he and Michael have made this decision to launch the imprint in the US. The face of SF/Fantasy publishing is about to change, and with the support of the Little, Brown team I believe that we will be in a unique position to make every book we publish stand out."

Michael Pietsch said: "Science Fiction and Fantasy novels are some of the greatest and widest-selling novels of our time. Little, Brown’s commitment to publishing original writers of the highest imaginative quality led us to want to expand into this area, and Tim Holman’s standout success at Orbit made him the clear choice for the role. We look forward avidly to using our marketing experience and relationships with booksellers, reviewers, librarians, and the online world in launching Orbit at the highest level."

David Young said: "Tim has done a wonderful job in making Orbit the dominant SF/Fantasy imprint in the UK, and Michael Pietsch and I look forward to working with him to give Orbit a significant presence in the US. This genre has a truly global reach, and the launch of this imprint demonstrates the desire of the Hachette Livre companies in the US, UK, and Australia to work together to publish effectively in their key markets."