(February 17, 2011, Toronto, ON) Toronto-based publisher Dundurn has acquired Napoleon & Co., publishers of award-winning fiction, mysteries, children’s picture books, YA fiction, and educational material. Dundurn publisher Kirk Howard purchased Napoleon from owner Sylvia McConnell in mid-February, with final details to go into effect on March 1, 2011. Dundurn will continue with publishing plans for all currently scheduled books. Sylvia McConnell and her associate, Allister Thompson, will continue to work with Dundurn. Both publishers are currently represented by Kate Walker & Co.
“We are delighted with this acquisition,” says publisher Kirk Howard. “Sylvia has a very respectable list of authors, and has published a wide variety of award-winning, or nominated titles. It’s a natural fit.” Having built Napoleon & Co. from the ground up, the sale of the company is bittersweet for McConnell, though, she admits, it is also an exciting time. “The emotion of handing over the work of twenty-two years in the publishing industry is mitigated by the fact that I have long admired Dundurn and I know that my authors and their books will be finding a good home with Kirk’s company.”
Established in 1972 by Kirk Howard, Dundurn started primarily as a small publisher of Canadian history, military history, politics, current affairs, and biography. Since then Dundurn has expanded its original mandate and now features an award-winning list of mysteries, fiction, YA fiction, and coffee table gift books along with a variety of other genres. The company has grown over the years through the acquisition of other small publishers including Hounslow Press, Simon & Pierre, Boardwalk Books, and Sandcastle Books. More recent acquisitions include Natural Heritage Books and the English-language imprint of Montreal’s XYZ Publishing. Dundurn now publishes over one hundred titles a year, making it one of the largest Canadian publishers.
For more information about Napoleon & Co. authors and titles, or Dundurn, please contact:
Karen McMullin, Publicity Manager
416-214-5544 x227 | kmcmullin@dundurn.com