A group led by author and former Congressman Robert Mrazek; author, former Congressman, and bookstore owner Steve Israel; and former American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher is launching Compass Rose Publishing, a publisher that aims to create "an innovative alliance within the universe of independent booksellers."
As co-chair Oren Teicher put it, "Our focus is on recognizing the critical role physical retailers play in the literary marketplace. Compass Rose is dedicated to reframing the relationship between publishing and independent bookstores." He added, "I do recognize that the publishing business is highly competitive, but I think there is room for a slightly different model that recognizes the substantial value indie booksellers bring to the table."
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Compass Rose plans to announce its first titles later this month. Beginning in February, it will publish one book a month in various genres, including memoir, literary thrillers, high adventure, mystery, and new editions of classics.
Compass Rose has an advisory board of independent booksellers who will, among other things, provide input on future title recommendations as well as operational matters. The current board of 11, which may expand by three or four in the next weeks, includes owners and/or staff members from Blue Willow Books, Houston, Tex.; Books & Books, Miami, Fla.; Flyleaf Books, Chapel Hill, N.C.; Green Apple Books, San Francisco, Calif.; Norwich Bookstore, Norwich, Vt.; Politics & Prose, Washington, D.C.; Powell's Books, Portland, Ore.; Print: A Bookstore, Portland, Maine; the King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, Utah; Theodore's Bookshop, Oyster Bay, N.Y., (owned by Steve Israel); and Water Street Books, Exeter, N.H.
The company also plans to partner with hundreds of other indies across the country "to harness their collective economic muscle while creatively promoting those books directly to their dedicated readers and book buyers in a voice and method that is authentic to each store."
The company has also created a "bookstore staff appreciation rewards" program that will reward employees. Partner and industry advisor Steve Israel was an eight-term Congressman from Long Island in New York who in 2021 opened Theodore's Books in Oyster Bay, N.Y., and has written two satires of Washington. Concerning the staff appreciation program, he said, "Indie bookstores operate on very thin margins and our employees are often compensated at the most basic living wage. That's why we've created a staff appreciation reward system for every store that wants to join us. The employees will receive ongoing stipends from Compass Rose in recognition of their contribution to the success of their store."
Chair and publisher Robert Mrazek was a five-term Congressman from Long Island in New York and has written 12 books, mostly military and historical fiction, and wrote and co-directed the 2016 film The Congressman. He commented: "With a world in turmoil, our goal is to appeal to those readers looking for books that offer hope and optimism and embrace themes like honor, courage, empowerment, humor, and love. It is our intention to publish any author on any subject that creatively and commercially engages these topics."
Staff includes v-p and senior editor James Bock, who worked at Crooked Lane Books, Alcove Press, and elsewhere and is experienced in multiple genres, including literary fiction, historical fiction and non-fiction, memoirs, mysteries and thrillers.
Compass Rose Publishing has four investors, who "have given the company enough funding to run with no revenue for a year and no profit until the third year," according to the Washington Post's Ron Charles, who wrote about the venture on Friday.