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US-based Hachette Book Group [HBG] has created a new publishing division, which will act as home to its science fiction and fantasy imprint Orbit and graphic novel and manga imprint Yen Press.
The new division will be named after Orbit, and is expected to "strategically strengthen" the publisher's presence in what HBG described as "increasingly vital segments of the book buying market".
Tim Holman, who moved to New York in 2006 to help set up the sci-fi imprint, has been appointed vice president and publisher of the new division, and will report to David Young, c.e.o and chairman of HBG.
Holman said although the two imprints would "develop independently", by combining them in a single division the team could better focus its efforts "in a number of key areas to great effect".
"Both Orbit and Yen Press are publishing in genres that can no longer be considered marginal," he said. "It is almost impossible to imagine popular culture today without them. Our challenge is to embrace this change, to be creative and forward-thinking, and to engage with the new audiences that we know are out there."
Kurt Hassler, who becomes the sole publishing director of Yen Press when his colleague, co-publishing director Rich Johnson, leaves at the end of October, will report to Holman. Alex Lencicki has been appointed marketing and publicity director for the new division. "I believe that we have the right publishing vision and the right publishing team," said Holman.
Young explained that the move gave HBG "the perfect platform for building our business in two genres that have significant potential for future growth".
He added: "Tim has grown Orbit to be the market-leading imprint in the UK, and his publishing experience is perfectly suited to the opportunities presented by both Orbit and Yen Press in the US market...The establishment of this new division reflects not only our belief that it makes publishing sense for Orbit and Yen Press to be more closely connected within the company, but also our commitment to the genres in which they publish."