In another indie publishing deal, digital-first commercial fiction publisher Hera Books has been taken over by Canelo which has supported the publisher since it was set up in 2018 by former Kobo UK content lead Lindsey Mooney and ex-Bookouture associate publisher Keshini Naidoo.
Mooney is stepping down from the firm to pursue other opportunities while Naidoo will remain as Hera’s publishing director, with the press becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Canelo and Canelo managing director Iain Millar also becoming Hera’s managing director.
Mooney says, ‘It’s been an incredible few years launching and running Hera, and I’m so proud of the books and company we have built. With Hera reaching a sustainable place, it felt like the right time to try some new things, and I’m delighted that Hera has such a firm foundation for the future. Canelo has been exceptionally supportive of us and I know that Hera will go from strength to strength with their support and Keshini’s editorial nous. They will remain good friends. I will be cheering it and our brilliant authors on.’
Millar says, ‘We were thrilled to work with this fantastic team as it launched and then took off. This next phase should mean both Hera and Canelo have even more impact. I’d particularly like to pay tribute to Lindsey, whose role in forging a thriving business cannot be underestimated, and to Keshini, who we are delighted to welcome to Canelo. They’ve put everything into building Hera, and with the author list they’ve put together, it’s no wonder the company is flourishing. We can’t wait to help continue that journey.’
Naidoo says, ‘Building Hera alongside one of my oldest friends has been one of my biggest life achievements, and I could not be prouder of everything we have accomplished as a team. Despite the many challenges, we have created a dynamic publishing house with fantastic authors and market-led titles, offering a breadth of page-turning, quality fiction. I’m so excited to see how Hera will soar to even greater heights under Canelo’s aegis, whilst still retaining our core values of being unashamedly commercial and always inclusive.’
Backlist specialist Open Road buys British indie ebook publisher Bloodhound Books