Bonnier Books UK today launches its new dedicated music imprint, Nine Eight Books, unveiling a selection of its initial titles set to publish from November this year (2021).
Nine Eight Books will provide a year round publishing home for broad, bold and entertaining musical perspectives. Working with some of the world’s greatest artists and writers, the Nine Eight list will include memoirs, social histories, genre explorations and first person oral narratives where music is always at the heart of the story.
Titles acquired for publication in 2022 include When Does the Mind-bending Start? a memoir of “triumph, tragedy and high comedy” from World of Twist’s Gordon King, an indepth profile on the Bee Gees by Bob Stanley acquired as part of a three-book deal; the “searing” long-awaited autobiography from musician and legendary former Lush frontwoman, Miki Berenyi and a non-fiction work by songwriter Nadine Shah which ruminates on grief, fame and human behaviour in “hilarious but heartwrenching fashion”.
Pete Selby, Publishing Director, said: “Our aim is to publish books which will not only appeal to music afficionado’s and fans but also curious readers who simply love a good story. Having spent my life working in music I have always been drawn to those record labels that have the ability to maintain the listener’s trust and interest through incredible, diverse and accessible releases – and this is exactly the template that we aspire to replicate at Nine Eight Books. By publishing about 12 books a year we can provide a focused and nurturing home for our authors, who in turn will create a rich body of work that our readers can always rely on to inspire, inform and, most importantly, entertain.”
Perminder Mann, CEO, Bonnier Books UK: “I’ve really enjoyed seeing Pete’s vision for Nine Eight Books take shape, with a broad and fascinating list of books already in the pipeline. What sets Nine Eight apart is its commitment to working with artists and talent from all works for life, helping them tell their unique stories and drawing them to the attention of music fans around the world. An exciting component of our growth strategy, I can’t wait to see the list evolve.”
Selby joined Bonnier Books UK in the summer of 2020 with extensive experience across publishing and music industries. Prior to two recent senior publishing positions at WHSmith and The Roald Dahl Story Company Ltd, Selby led the music and books division at Sainsbury’s for eight years where he conceived and launched the company’s exclusive vinyl record label and co-wrote two books on the Now That’s What I Call Music compilation brand.
In March this year, Selby appointed Melissa Bond as senior editor. Bond has previously worked at the National History Museum, where she was in charge of print editorial content, and at Simon & Schuster, where she worked on a broad range of music titles, including Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run.
