Myriad gets

Independent publisher Myriad Editions has been awarded £60,000 by Arts Council England to develop its fiction publishing. As part of an initial three year programme, the publisher will work with creative writing courses in the south-east and nurture local talent.

Candida Lacey, managing director, said: "This is a vote of confidence that enables us to buck the current trend and diversify from our core business. And it's a recognition that independent publishers are increasingly important as the seedbeds of new talent. We have on our doorstep a rich pool of aspiring writers, several creative writing courses and an audience eager for literature and literary events."

Myriad is best known for its State of the World Atlases, but has recently started to build a small list of fiction and graphic non-fiction. In April Myriad will be starting its fiction venture with Sue Eckstein's debut novel, The Cloths of Heaven.