In our monthly newsletter, we have an occasional series where Catalyst founder/publisher Jessica shares news and updates from behind the scenes at Catalyst HQ (you can subscribe to our newsletter here). The piece below is from our most recent newsletter, and is a look back at our biggest year so far.
Things will be a little slower here and on our social media through the new year, but we’re really excited about what 2020 has in store. If you’re celebrating a holiday this month, all of us here at Catalyst wish you the happiest one, and a very happy new year. We’ll see you in 2020!
It feels like forever ago that I had this dream to publish books from Africa, but the dream really only began to take shape a few short years ago.
This has been quite a year for Catalyst and for me, personally, as it feels like we’re starting to make our stride as a publishing company. People are beginning to associate Catalyst with books from Africa, with a strong focus on Southern and Eastern Africa. We’re becoming known for quality books, with strong emphasis on women writers, crime novels, and, through our Story Press Africa imprint, graphic novels. And our releases for next year will highlight a stronger focus on children’s books spanning from early readers to young adult. And now, with distribution in South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia, we’re becoming known as a regional publisher in South Africa. The reputation we’re building for quality literature from Africa is growing—slow but steady—and I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished.
January of 2019 opened bright and clear with 6 books under our belt, published from late 2017 through the end of 2018. December of 2019 closes with 12 total books published in the two years we’ve been in operation, so we’ve added six books this year. And 2020, we will hit the ground running with 5 books coming out in the first two months and another 4 books by June, for a total of 9 in the first half of 2020.
I couldn’t have done it without key people in place: Ashawnta Jackson, our marketing manager, who oversees so much of the public iteration of our story; Izak de Vries, who has marketed our books and our press in South Africa with a dedication and passion and commitment that I am enormously grateful for; SarahBelle Selig, who has taken on the management of our publicity and public presence in South Africa; our partners from Jive Media Africa, Robert Inglis and Hilary Kromberg Inglis, who make Story Press Africa possible; Matt Powers, who has helped launch the new science-based imprint Powers Squared; Jill Bell and Becky Powers, both who copy-edit and provide editorial expertise; Karen Vermeulen, who designs our covers and other graphic needs; Kathy McInnis, who designs all our interiors; and the very good people—Jennifer, Isabelle, and Nathan—at Nordlyset Literary Agency, who handle our rights sales. Let’s not forget Consortium, our amazing North American distributor. I’m very grateful for the people who have come alongside me and made this work possible.
I’m also very grateful for the authors who have put their faith in our ability to produce quality books and to market them well. We will keep working hard for all of you.
