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Will Atkinson, the former head of Atlantic Books, has set up a new publishing company, Wilton Square, whose initial aim is to provide a safe and secure home for authors previously published by Unbound.
Atkinson, who joined Eye Books as publisher and managing director earlier this year, will be joint CEO of the new company, along with Dan Hiscocks, the founder of Eye. Wilton Square will be part of the Eye Books Group and will use Eye’s existing internal infrastructure. It aims to start trading by mid-August.
Since Unbound went into administration in March, Atkinson has been offering contracts to Unbound authors whose rights have already reverted. He has also struck a deal with Macmillan Distribution, the defunct company’s distributor, whereby those Unbound authors who have stock at Macmillan can transfer it over to Wilton Square without it having to leave the warehouse.
With the announcement on Friday 1 August that Unbound’s successor company Boundless has also ceased trading, all rights will now revert to authors, creating an opportunity for more Unbound authors to join Wilton Square.
‘I have been in the industry for 40 years, and it’s from that secure base that I can extend this offer,’ said Atkinson. ‘My co-CEO Dan Hiscocks has also run a steady and successful publishing company which has always paid its bills since it was founded in 1996, so we can reassure Unbound authors that they are safe with us and will be getting their Wilton Square royalties after the next royalty period. A simple stock transfer at Macmillan is all that’s required to ensure continuity.’
In the near future, he said, Wilton Square will also commission and publish its own books, and the list will be more attuned to Eye Books’ sensibilities. ‘But the immediate priority is to look after those first-class authors who were handpicked by Unbound editors.’
Matthew Hogg, commercial director of Macmillan Distribution Ltd, said: ‘Recognising the difficulties of the Boundless situation for all parties concerned, we are happy to be able to offer, where applicable, the opportunity for the continuation of MDL’s distribution services through Wilton Square Books.
‘We have worked with Will and members of his team on previous occasions, and this familiarity will enable both businesses to respond quickly to the evolving situation. We expect our combined experience and capabilities to bring stability for both authors and retailers.
‘We are also delighted to be forming this new relationship to support the wider future publishing ambitions of Wilton Square Books, which is something that has been in discussion now for some time.’
Dan Hiscocks said he was delighted to be able to offer hope to Unbound authors. ‘For the past few months we have been putting together an initiative to try to create something positive from what has clearly been a distressing situation for Unbound authors.
‘I’m excited that we can now unveil that plan publicly and I’m looking forward to welcoming many of those authors to the Eye Books Group. For me, there couldn’t be a better way of marking our forthcoming 30th anniversary next year.’
