Valerie Merians and Dennis Johnson, founders and publishers of Melville House, have announced a partnership with Illuminating Media LLC, headed by David Kelsey, that will see a major recapitalization of the Melville House company. The new partners will also implement an advisory board, which will consist of Merians, Kelsey, and Johnson, as well as other leading figures from the industry.
Melville House was launched in 2001 and will celebrate its 25th anniversary in October. Over the years it has become known for a wide variety of literary fiction and nonfiction, as well as for "crashing" books, or publishing titles quickly, including official publications like The CIA Torture Report and The Mueller Report.
"I like to call it action publishing," said Johnson. "Crashed books are very hard to do, but the company has a mission, and the mission is to let people know what's really going on, and what they can do about it--as fast as we can."
Illuminating Media LLC is the publisher of CT Examiner, an online news entity with a focus on local and investigative reporting as well as cultural topics; and Majuscule, a forum for long-form essays and letters from promising writers early in their careers.
"I am very pleased to have partnered with Valerie and Dennis to provide additional stability to Melville House and begin a long-term plan for further success," said Kelsey. "I view my role as a steward of the unique reputation cultivated by Melville House founders and staff, and I intend to continue to respect the type of publishing decisions that have been appealing to Melville House's broad audience."
Merians commented: "I'm flattered that Dave recognizes the importance of what we've been doing. Dennis and I will be stepping back eventually and we're looking forward to working with Dave on a leadership succession plan that will take the company into the future."