UK indie producer and publisher B7 Media has announced an exclusive deal with Eyewear Publishing to produce a range of audiobooks, with releases covering both fiction and non-fiction titles.

Forthcoming titles to be given the audiobook treatment include That Summer in Puglia by Valeria Vescina and Queen, Jewel, Mistress by Ruth Stacey. In the realm of non-fiction, Christopher Jackson’s study of a tennis icon, Roger Federer: Portrait of an Artist explores the man, player, and aesthetic and moral figure of our times. More titles are to be announced.

“Having successfully worked with Eyewear in dramatising for BBC Radio 4 Sumia Sukkar’s debut Syrian novel The Boy from Aleppo Who Painted the War it’s great to be working with Todd Swift and his talented publishing team again. The opportunity to produce a range of audiobooks drawing upon Eyewear’s rich and eclectic catalogue of fiction and non-fiction titles represents an exciting new audio venture for B7 Media,” said Andrew Mark Sewell, Managing Director of B7 Media.

Eyewear Publishing, founded in 2012 by Todd Swift, has, in a comparatively short period, established a considerable presence in contemporary poetry, but has now expanded its remit to publish novels and non-fiction. With an estimable list of books, totalling over 100 titles, Eyewear is renowned for actively seeking out emerging talent, along with publishing more established authors.

Eyewear’s Managing Director, Todd Swift says; “As director of Eyewear Publishing I am thrilled and honoured to be associated with B7 Productions in turning great written works into great sonic works. Audiobooks are part of the present and future of publishing in a big way no one can afford to ignore, and I can’t think of a better team than B7 to adapt and produce the debut range of Eyewear Audiobooks.”

Over the last decade B7 Media has carved out a growing reputation for its audio drama productions and is a preferred supplier to BBC Radio and Audible. Sewell sees B7 Media’s expansion into audiobooks as a natural fit to the company’s output and wants to help support small press publishers to grow their presence in this market; “Audiobooks continue to be a growth market, but all too often small press publishers don’t have the time or resources to best capitalise upon this market opportunity. By drawing upon our talent relationships, global distribution network and award-winning audio drama expertise, we can offer indie publishers with a more equitable deal and creative solution to extend the market reach of their titles in this vibrant and competitive market.”

The Eyewear audiobook range will be overseen by Senior B7 Media Producer, Helen Quigley, who says; “Being both passionate and inspired by audio and the limitless opportunities it presents in storytelling, I’m delighted to be working with Eyewear Publishing producing Eyewear’s new audiobook range. People’s appetite for telling and listening to stories goes back centuries and the growing market for high-quality audiobooks reflects that. I’m looking forward to producing some great stories told by Eyewear’s talented authors.”

ABOUT EYEWEAR PUBLISHING

Eyewear Publishing Ltd. is an independently-funded publishing company founded in 2012 based in London, UK with an eclectic and international range of titles.

Todd Swift, the founder, was inspired by his mentor Louis Dudek, an early small-press advocate, to pursue publishing as a form of critical and cultural advocacy, and community building.

Eyewear’s books have been recommended by such figures as Stephen Fry, Salman Rushdie, Clare Pollard, Vicki Feaver, and The Rev. Jess Jackson.

Eyewear has a commitment to the wider world of prose, and poetry, in English and translation. As a publisher Eyewear is also respected for actively seeking out emerging talent, as well publishing more established authors.

Eyewear’s books have won major prizes for criticism (The Pegasus Award) and for poetry (The Edwin Morgan Award), and been longlisted and shortlisted for numerous others, including The Forward Prize and the Somerset Maugham award from the Society of Authors.

Authors who have collaborated with Eyewear include a Poet Laureate of Canada, a TS Eliot winner, a Pulitzer winner, and the world’s leading expert on John Ashbery. Their renowned pamphlet series has been shortlisted for the prestigious Michael Marks Award, given each year at The British Library. Their novels have been optioned for film, and adapted for radio and broadcast on the BBC.

Eyewear is well-versed in what is good to read. Through their annual Melita Hume Poetry Prize they discover, support and develop exciting new poets, while also taking great pleasure in working with writers at all stages of their careers. Their Sexton and Beverly prizes also encourage writers, in various genres.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]