Astra Publishing House is a new adult trade publisher of international literary fiction and nonfiction. Astra's adult imprint is led by publisher Ben Schrank and Editorial Director Alessandra Bastagli.
Astra also includes DAW Books, devoted to science fiction and fantasy, and Astra Books for Young Readers, featuring seven children's book imprints, including Boyds Mills Press, Calkins Creek, Hippo Park, Kane Press, mineditionUS, TOON Books and Wordsong.
Astra House
Astra Publishing House, an imprint of Penguin Random House Publisher Services, is dedicated to publishing books that celebrate excellent storytelling and a strong point of view. They can introduce readers to new perspectives about their everyday lives as well as the lives of others.
They publish adult literary fiction and nonfiction and "mission-driven" children's books, as well as a literary magazine. Their mission is to "build bridges between readers and writers from all corners of the world," according to Astra Publishing House CEO Ben Schrank.
The company's imprints include Astra House, an adult trade publisher of American and international literary fiction and poetry; mineditionUS, a leading picture book publisher; the established children's book imprints Boyds Mills Press, Calkins Creek, Kane Press, and Wordsong; and Astra Quarterly, an international literary magazine.
Astra Publishing House's publications have earned a constellation of starred reviews and numerous prestigious awards. Its books are distributed in the US and around the world.
As a publishing house, Astra's imprints aim to publish a mix of classic and contemporary works, including literary fiction and nonfiction, children's books, and comics. In order to do this, Astra's editors focus on the "best literary writing from authors who experience their subjects deeply and personally;" writers who represent multifaceted expressions of intellectual thought and personal experience; and writers who can "introduce readers to new perspectives about their everyday lives as much as the lives of others."
As a member of Astra's editorial team, you'll help shape the company's overall vision and strategy. You'll also assist in developing and promoting the company's book imprints. You'll have the opportunity to work closely with a variety of authors and to collaborate on all aspects of book production.
DAW Books
DAW Books is one of the longest-standing independent publishers of science fiction and fantasy. The company was founded in 1971 by former Ace editor Donald Wollheim and his wife Elsie. Over the years they have published over 2,000 titles, including works by authors such as Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams, C. J. Cherryh, Mercedes Lackey, Kristen Britain, and Melanie Rawn.
They have a solid record of diversity, and are well-known for welcoming authors from underrepresented groups such as queer writers and writers of color. They also strive to publish a diverse range of genres.
Initially a small publisher, DAW quickly expanded into a larger operation under the leadership of Wollheim’s daughter Betsy and co-publisher Sheila Gilbert. DAW’s success in science fiction and fantasy led to a number of notable Hugo Award winners, including C.J. Cherryh’s Downbelow Station and Patrick Rothfuss’s The Kingkiller Chronicle series.
In recent years, however, DAW has faced challenges, especially with some of their more popular authors. Some of them, such as Patrick Rothfuss and Michelle West, were notorious for not turning in lengthy manuscripts despite numerous delays.
This has lead to some weird audiobook decisions and even a Facebook post from the company’s head stating that DAW was “going under” in order to get a sale. Thankfully, they have been acquired by Astra Publishing House and will be continuing to work under the new owners.
Astra Publishing House is a subsidiary of Thinkingdom Media Group, a Chinese publishing conglomerate that already has a strong literary reputation in the country. They publish a broad range of books, from fiction to nonfiction and children’s literature. They are headquartered in Beijing and have a global reach.
Astra Books for Young Readers
Astra Publishing House is comprised of the adult literary imprint, Astra House, dedicated to publishing the best writers from the US as well as around the world; DAW Books, devoted to science fiction and fantasy; Astra Books for Young Readers featuring seven children's book imprints: Calkins Creek, Hippo Park, Kane Press, mineditionUS, TOON Books, and Wordsong; and Astra Magazine.
The first book to fall under this new umbrella, Astra, by author Joanna Bower, follows the life of a woman named Astra Brine. Born on a remote BC commune to a neglectful father, Astra moves to Calgary at age twelve and is confronted with the challenges of living in a city where she can't depend on anyone for help.
In this compelling debut, Astra Brine finds her way in the world as she learns to navigate the lines between dependence and love, need and desire. As she encounters people who, by turns, want to rescue, control, become, change or escape her, Astra is forced to reckon with the truth of her own nature.
While this is a story that's common enough, Bower's writing and stylistic choices elevate it to a revealing look at one woman's beginning, middle and close to end. She also examines the ramifications of Astra's decisions, as she struggles with growing up to become a responsible adult.
As she begins her tween years, Astra is determined to be a successful musician. She's a natural at it, and soon she's on tour. But when she and her band lose their sponsorship, Astra finds herself in a bind.
Despite her unconventional upbringing, Astra proves to be an ingenious and resourceful musician. Her music is a powerful voice and a recognizable style, and it has the power to reach others through her lyrics and art. Astra's story will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
mineditionUS
One of the most prestigious picture-book publishers in the world is expanding its US presence with mineditionUS. The company has a longstanding tradition of creating emotionally resonant and artistically sophisticated picture books, with an emphasis on the board book format.
mineditionUS is led by a team of highly skilled professionals who have a wealth of experience and knowledge in the art and science of children's literature. Their portfolio includes a slew of titles that will delight young and old alike, including the award-winning The Biuty Queens by Ivan Monalisa Ojeda, the first children's novel to chronicle New York City's Latin American trans community; Art in the Age of Canceling Culture by Farah Nayeri, the first book about art to tell the story of a woman's life in modern Iran; and Astra XV by Leonard Marcus, which aptly carries on Astra Publishing House's tradition of reimagining American history from many points of view.
The small company is headquartered in New York and is led by Michael Neugebauer, who has been in the publishing business for over 20 years. Among its imprints are DAW Books, the science fiction and fantasy label; Astra House, a new adult trade publisher of the best in American literary fiction and nonfiction; Astra Young Readers, an array of children's book titles; and Calkins Creek, a historical imprint with a big brain.
TOON Books
Astra Publishing House is dedicated to publishing books for children and adults that celebrate excellent storytelling, have a strong point of view, and introduce readers to new perspectives about their everyday lives as well as the lives of others. TOON Books, an imprint of Astra Publishing House, publishes graphic fiction and nonfiction for young readers ages four and up.
TOON Books is owned and operated by Francoise Mouly, the founder, publisher and editor of RAW Books & Graphics, an avant-garde comics and graphics magazine, and of a kids comics anthology she co-edited called Little Lit. She founded a separate RAW Junior division in 2000 to publish books of comics for younger readers, and in 2008 she launched TOON Books, her own line of hardcover comics for emerging readers.
Since its inception, TOON Books has received numerous awards and accolades for its unique approach to graphic storytelling. It is the first high-quality comics designed for young readers, and each book has been carefully vetted by educators to ensure that the language and narrative will nurture the youngest minds.
To help teachers integrate comics into their classrooms, TOON Books offers a variety of free resources on their website. They include downloadable lesson plans and activities, videos and online readers, and the "CarTOON Maker," which allows students to make their own paper puppets.
The TOON website also includes the Readers Theater, a program that encourages students to read the comics aloud with their teacher and to use the cartoons as a springboard for discussing the content of each comic. Moreover, TOON Books has published several research studies on the effectiveness of its comics in classrooms.
TOON Books is looking for an experienced Executive Editor with a background in high-quality literary fiction and non-fiction children's books and comics to join their small editorial team. The ideal candidate will have a global outlook, knowledge of the field and connections with the creators, excellent editorial skills, effective written and oral communication skills and a proven commitment to the values outlined in Astra House's mission statement.