According to a press release sent out by John Colby, Boylston & Company has acquired the assets of the late Byron Preiss, including iBooks and BPVP. As previously reported, Colby/Bricktower had been the “Stalking Horse” to acquire the assets in a bankruptcy auction, with a bid of $125,000 on the table. Such an amount seems low given the number of contracts Preiss had — numbering in the thousands — but their duration and exclusivity may not have been extensive. While Colby’s initial offer was $125K, it is unknown if they participated in an auction or not — the auction had been delayed once already due to objections from creditors.

J. Boylston & Company, Publishers, announces the acquisition of the companies owned by the late Byron Preiss. Ibooks, the trade publishing house known for its extensive backlist titles in science fiction, fantasy, history, popular culture, and military nonfiction will continue its publishing program of bringing new and solid titles to the marketplace. Readers of notable authors as Isaac Asimov, Roger Zelazny, Stan Lee, John Betancourt, and Chris Beakey will enjoy new and familiar favorites as the company develops its rich backlist while presenting a new generation of writers to booksellers.

Milk & Cookies Press represents the children’s imprint and features writers such as the late Fritz Leiber and Cadecott Award winner David Wiesner for their title “Gonna Roll the Bones.â€?

Byron Preiss Visual Publications, Inc. is a book packager known for high-profile authors such as Carl Reiner, Philip Caputo, Jay Leno, Jane Goodall, and Mia Hamm.

These companies had been forced into bankruptcy early this year following the tragic death of Byron Preiss in 2005. Publishers Group West (PGW) will continue to serve as distributor for these titles as well as adding our sister company, Brick Tower Press, to its domestic and international sales channels. On behalf of the writers, designers, contributors, artists, and booksellers we can work together to continue Byron’s publishing vision.

1 COMMENT

  1. Oh, Lord, I hope that isn’t them, Ali. The most interesting book on that site is “Adorable Zucchini, More Magic Than the Pumpkin.” It almost looks like a vanity press.

  2. I agree with Tim. The stuff with Byron sure doesn’t seem like a good fit. I guess this just means all the legalities will likley continue to drag out.