You are viewing your 1 free article this month. Login to read more articles.
New SFF imprint Bloomsbury Archer 'out to make some real publishing magic'
Bloomsbury is launching a new science fiction and fantasy imprint, Bloomsbury Archer, which it says will cross "the constellation of speculative fiction", helmed by publishing director Vicky Leech Mateos. The ‘Archer’ derives from the existing Bloomsbury emblem of Diana, Roman goddess of the hunt, and references the new imprint’s "pursuit of the very best storytelling and new stars".
Leech Mateos will build a list that covers fantasy, science fiction, crossover stories, speculative romance, horror and mythological retellings. The US branch will be led by publishing director Noa Wheeler (editor of Bloomsbury’s current biggest brand, Sarah J Maas) and vice president of marketing and publicity Erica Barmash.
The list kicks off with Samantha Shannon’s Among the Burning Flowers, a prequel to the Roots of Chaos series, which will be released in September 2025. Shannon’s full backlist will also move under the new imprint.
Also in September, Alan Moore’s The Great When will be Archer’s first mass-market paperback. New acquisitions to follow include Natasha Siegel’s As Many Souls as Stars in November 2025; Sarah Mughal Rana’s Islamic-inspired epic fantasy Dawn of the Firebird in December; and Sam Beckbessinger’s "female rage horror", Femme Feral, in April 2026.
Continues…
Read More
Leech Mateos had previously worked at HarperVoyager for nearly six years, a stint that included being named on The Bookseller’s 2022 Rising Stars list, before being hired by Bloomsbury in 2023 with the aim to ramp up the publisher’s SFF footprint. All of Leech Mateos’ acquisitions since joining will move to the new imprint following its September launch. Leech Mateos said: "As an editor, I’m always hunting for stories that transport and bring joy, while also telling me something true. It’s an honour to take that quest forward with Bloomsbury, which has published the most groundbreaking authors across genre fiction."
She added: "The aim will be to take books to market using Bloomsbury’s brand-building toolkit, which has launched some of the biggest names in genre, while holding inclusivity and cultures of fandom and community close. A focused, individual approach to each title with first-rate author care is key and I’m already blown away by the breadth of the list. Bloomsbury Archer is out to make some real publishing magic."
Bloomsbury’s MD of group sales and marketing Kathleen Farrar said: "Bloomsbury’s rich history in these genres needs no introduction. From the original publication of the fantasy classic Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, to the top-selling authors of recent years, Samantha Shannon and Sarah J Maas, Bloomsbury has led the fantasy space for decades. Now we have the opportunity to formally expand with the creation of a new imprint."
Bloomsbury Archer will sit under Bloomsbury General, the division set up by Katy Follain in 2023.
