13th December 2024
Company Spotlight
Leap of faith: how Carole Tonkinson’s new imprint aims to shift the wellbeing dial
Launching in January with an account by Caroline Darian, the daughter of Dominique Pélicot, Tonkinson’s imprint Leap seeks to inspire, inform and empower – and cater for readers ill-served by the current market, she tells us
42 A
year on from starting at Bonnier Books UK as editor-at-large, Carole Tonkinson is launching a new imprint, Leap, next month, which turns the traditional
concept of ‘wellbeing’ on its head. “Leap is the collective noun for leopards
so our logo is a leopard,” Tonkinson tells The Bookseller. “Leopards leap better together – that’s the informing ethos of the list.” The imprint – of which the official tagline
is “books to inspire, inform and spark change” – replaces the previous lifestyle list Lagom. Years after alighting the publishing
journeys of Joe Wicks and Pinch of Nom, Tonkinson believes the wellbeing space has moved on. “This is not a wellbeing imprint, that’s the first thing,” she says firmly. “This is replacing Lagom, which is winding down in December.” She explains: “I joined Bonnier a year ago
last month [following a decade at Pan Macmillan]. I was asked to take on Lagom and I looked at what was created and I just think the market has moved on a lot in the 10 years since I started at [imprint] Bluebird, [when] there was Yellow Kite, then Bluebird, then Green Tree etc… a lot of those imprints have been faded out or reinvented. “But the wellbeing space is completely
crowded and a little out of step with what consumers want now. People know more about their gut microbiome or attachment style or neurodivergence; there’s a more informed readership that doesn’t want a one-size- fits-all approach.” Readers are much better informed now, and
self-improvement no longer cuts it. The market needs to address the collective, Tonkinson says. “Readers want quality information to help them navigate issues and life stages better – and not just for themselves, but also for others.” She wants to shift the publishing direction from the “tech bro” vision of wellbeing.
Features Company Spotlight
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