Bella Books

Bella Books is a small press publisher of lesbian literature based in Tallahassee, Florida.

Bella Books
Founded2001 (2001)
Country of originUnited States
Headquarters locationTallahassee, Florida
DistributionTwo Rivers Distribution
Key peopleLinda Hill, Publisher
Fiction genresLesbian fiction
Official websitewww.bellabooks.com

History

Kelly Smith, along with other investors, created the corporation in Michigan in 1999 as an outgrowth of Smith's long relationship with A Woman's Prerogative Bookstore in Ferndale Michigan.[1] Bella Books was named after a Jack Russell terrier who sat court at the bookstore. In 2004 Smith left the company and was replaced by the current chief executive officer Linda Hill, who is also the chief executive officer of Spinsters Ink and BeanPole Books. Hill moved the press to Tallahassee in 2005.

Since the publication of its first title in 2001, its primary focus has been on lesbian fiction. The press publishes lesbian romance, lesbian mystery and lesbian speculative fiction novels and lesbian erotica short-story anthologies. In 2003 it bought the backstock of Naiad Press,[2][3] including the majority of the backlist for Jane Rule. In 2004, it bought the backstock of defunct Rising Tide Press. In 2005 it acquired distribution rights for New Victoria Press, including the works of Sarah Dreher. In 2008 it acquired reprint rights to the work of Ellen Hart. A typical production year includes 24-30 trade paperback releases as well as reprints of classic titles. Total titles in print exceed 300.

Titles first appearing in English-speaking markets are translated for distribution in France (KTM Editions, Editions Dans L'Engrenage), Germany (Verlag Krug), Spain (Egales) and the Czech Republic (LePress). Some titles are also acquired for hardcover editions by InsightOut Book Club, a division of the Quality Paperback Book Club.

By 2012 the biggest part of the business was in distribution for small feminist and LGBT publishers.[4]


Awards

More than one hundred[5] of its catalog titles have been shortlisted or have won Lambda Literary Awards or Golden Crown Literary Society Awards, and in 2004 it won the Lambda Literary Foundation's Independent LGBT Press Award.[6]

Notable authors

Notable authors include:

Notes
  1. Seajay, Carol (1 September 1999). "On Feminist Publishing". Feminist Bookstore News. No. 3/4. p. 25. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  2. Bullough, Vern L. (2002). Before Stonewall: Activists for Gay and Lesbian Rights in Historical Context. Psychology Press. p. 262. ISBN 9781560231936.
  3. Vitello, Paul (13 November 2011). "Barbara Grier, Publisher of Lesbian Books, Dies at 78". The New York Times.
  4. Kirch, Claire. "Women's Presses Tweak Their Business Models". www.publishersweekly.com. Publishers Weekly.
  5. "Our Award Winning Authors". Bella Books. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  6. Cerna, Antonio Gonzalez (2005-07-09). "17th Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Lambda Literary. Retrieved 2017-09-28.
  7. "Winners of the 26th Annual Lambda Literary Awards Announced". Lambda Literary. 3 June 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  8. "The 27th Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists". Lambda Literary Foundation, March 4, 2015.
  9. "18th Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Lambda Literary. 9 April 2005.
  10. "31st Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists -". Lambda Literary. 7 March 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  11. "20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Lambda Literary. 30 April 2007.
  12. "21st Annual Lambda Literary Awards". Lambda Literary. 18 February 2010.
  13. "29th Annual Lambda Literary Award Finalists Announced". Lambda Literary. 14 March 2017.

References

Further reading
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