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Rising Stars
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SFF fans”. She describes the imprint as a “love letter to fantasy and science fiction”, but I would also argue that it will become a monument to Leech Mateos’ love for the genre. When I ask why she has stayed within SFF publishing for most of her career, the answer is simple: “I love it. I think that there is no genre like it for its capacity to speak truths and to invent. I think it is uniquely capable of addressing history and the future, while also entertaining and uplifting. It can treat the most serious topics with real magic.” Keeping the SFF community at the heart of her publishing strategy is crucial for Leech Mateos, who wants to make sure “that community, homage and fan service are at the heart of what we do” while drawing new people in. “I’m such a recruiter. I’m really evangelical about fantasy. I really don’t believe that there isn’t a story that couldn’t be made better for everyone with a bit of magic.”
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n 2022, Leech Mateos said: “Quality and clarity are key, but schedules are the reigning kings of all publishing.” This speaks to the publishing director’s continuing commitment to brilliance
and careful time management. Bloomsbury Archer’s annual output will be kept intentionally small, peaking at 12 hardbacks a year. “We want all our books to complement each other and not compete with each other,” Leech Mateos explains. “When you do a smaller number of books, you can be creative. When you are publish- ing in a trend-led way, you are at the mercy of the market and have to move faster. We are choosing to be more bespoke in our approach.” Leech Mateos intends to maintain contact and conversations with her authors. “I want
happy, creatively fulfilled authors. Personally, I think it’s really hard to do that when you have a lot of authors. Maybe someone else can manage it, but for me time is how I show I really care. It’s time in editorial. It’s time in publishing and it’s time with the author.” She adds: “The team is growing, but it’s so exciting to be able to give that time as a publishing director. Normally, when you get to be a publishing director, you lose touch with your authors more and more, you end up having to work on strategy and at brand level because of the sheer weight of the number of titles.” The SFF industry has changed since Leech
Mateos began her publishing career. She praises how subscription boxes have gone from “strength to strength”, becoming huge players in the market, and celebrates new dedicated championing spaces retailers have created, such as Waterstones’ SFF book of the month slot. SFF is now mainstream, and the appetite for beautiful stories and beautiful products is ferocious. “It’s amazing to see SFF consistently at the top of the charts. If you had said that to me at the very start of my career, I would never have believed it… I’m excited to start dominating the chart with Bloomsbury Archer.” For Leech Mateos, “starting a new imprint
in this booming space and making it feel organic and true is always on my mind”. She is setting her sights on “adding to the fantasy and science fiction culture without losing that Bloomsbury ‘thing’”. What is this Bloomsbury “thing”, I ask? “It’s a deft mix of quality and classic with the unexpected, and new,” she replies. “I think it’s the sort of place where you could publish anything as long as it was brilliant.”
Bloomsbury Archer Forthcoming titles
Among the Burning Flowers Samantha Shannon 11th Sept, £18.99, 9781526685254
A fiery prequel to The Priory of the Orange Tree where the great wyrm Fýredel threatens the future of Yscalin and the dreams of Marosa Vetalda, her betrothed Aubrecht Lievelyn and Estina Melaugo.
The Great When Alan Moore 1st Sept, £9.99, 9781526643247 The paperback edition of Moore’s riotous fantasy novel about an alternate London is given an elegant cover update.
As Many Souls as Stars Natasha Siegel 6th Nov, £18.99, 9781526684622
A re-imagining of the Faustus legend sees the daughter of an alchemist strike a deal with a shadowy demon figure – a deal that will intertwine their lives and fates forever.
Dawn of the Firebird Sarah Mughal Rana 4th Dec, £18.99, 9781526674371 The first book in an epic fantasy trilogy. Rejected daughter of the emperor, Khamilla takes her place at court when she discovers her ability to wield cosmic light after a raid ends her peaceful life with a nomadic tribe.
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