In big news for science fiction and fantasy publishing, DAW Books is no longer an independently owned publisher. This morning, Astra Publishing House announced its acquisition of the storied SFF imprint.
In a press release, DAW co-publishers (and, until today, owners) Betsy Wollheim and Sheila Gilbert said, “We are extremely pleased by Astra’s enthusiasm, and thrilled that we will be the sole SFF imprint of their company (a first for DAW). We think this is the perfect fit for us, and it’s exciting and refreshing to be an integral part of a new and growing company. It speaks volumes about Astra’s respect for our company that they have included our entire staff. We’re very happy.”
Previously, DAW was partnered with Penguin Random House, which distributed DAW’s titles. (PRH also distributes Astra Publishing House’s books.)
DAW Books was founded in 1971 by Donald A. Wollheim and his wife, Elsie B. Wollheim. It was the first imprint exclusively devoted to science fiction and fantasy, and over the years has published more than 2000 books from a long list of well-regarded authors, including Patrick Rothfuss, Tad Williams, Melanie Rawn, Tanith Lee, Nnedi Okorafor, and Seanan McGuire.
Astra Publishing House was established in 2016 and includes imprints that publish books for adults and young readers. Astra COO Ben Schrank said in a statement, “We’re so excited to have DAW join our group here at APH. We have long been impressed with their amazing authors and unparalleled place in the pantheon of science fiction and fantasy publishing. We can’t wait to help them build on their legacy so they can continue to publish the very best books in the genre.”
And Astra certainly isn’t waiting; there’s already a DAW page on their website, where you can read more about the company and its staff and history.
