MAIN NEWS HEADLINES

August 15-31, 2004 Edition

Genesis Press Taps

Kensington to Handle

Sales, Distribution

NEW YORK, NY/08/09/04—Kensington Publishing Corp. will assume sales and distribution operations for African American publisher Genesis Press, Inc., based in Columbus, Miss.

Kensington will assume sales for traditional sales channels, and also will handle subsidiary and foreign rights. Genesis Press is the largest privately-owned African-American book publisher in the country, founded in 1993 by two attorneys, Wilbur and Dorothy Colom, Genesis publishes about 30 titles per year under several imprints.

Kensington has a growing list of distribution clients, including BET Books.

Kensington Publishing Corp. is the last remaining independent U.S. publisher of hardcover, trade and mass market paperback books. The company is known as an astute and determined David-vs.-Goliath publisher of titles in the full spectrum of categories, from fiction and romance to health and nonfiction. Kensington now accounts for about 7 percent of all mass market paperback sales in the U.S. Through the Kensington, Zebra, Pinnacle and Citadel press imprints, the company releases close to 600 new books per year and has a backlist of more than 3,000 titles.

Genesis publishes romance, titles, including African-American, Hispanic, Asian, and interracial fiction.