The Sunset Corporation of America (SCA) shut down its Sunset Book Publishing Company imprint last month, according to its Chairman Don Lichterman, who announced the news on his podcast and on his blog. Lichterman said to his followers that he “is not picking up any more books to publish and distribute and that he did not even want his own books up at retail anymore.” He went on to say that “we just moved over my books and the Joseph Atman books to the Lulu Publishing company and that way they can do all the work and merely pay us royalties every pay period.”
Lichterman had also stated on his podcast that any current releases will be published and distributed by Lulu Press. Lulu Press is also partnered with Ingram Book Group, which is one of the largest book wholesale distributors and the distributor for Sunset Books.
SCA opened the Sunset Book Publishing Company in 2009, when it released Lichterman’s debut book entitled, ‘Three Weeks in June’. At that time, the book company started to publish and distribute books such as Moyers on America: A Journalist and His Times by Bill Moyers, Andy Lacky’s Art, Angels and Miracles along with The Women and the Ape. There are 16 Sunset books in print; the company released about 2 titles each year.
Lichterman founded Sunset Books in New York City, in 2009, after writing his first book, ‘Three Weeks in June’. Lichterman then focused on Distribution. The book company began distributing other books such as Almost Adam, All The Presidents Women, Memoir In Two Voices, Crazy Bones Educational Math Workbook, the Go Army Spiral Bound Cookbook, A Bugs Life, Flik the Inventor, Springsteen on Springsteen: Interviews, Speeches, and Encounters (Musicians in Their Own Words), ABBA: The Official Photo Book, Dreams to Remember: Otis Redding, Stax Records, and the Transformation of Southern Soul, One Love: Life with Bob Marley and the Wailers, High School Musical and the Hannah Montana Advanced Learning Reading, Writing & Math Workbook and Raggs Rocks Coloring/Activity Book with FREE Musical DVD.
Disclosing that whether the company would ever return to publishing at a later date, Lichterman said that he now intends to focus on his podcast, his blog, his 11 other entertainment & media companies at SCA as well as continuing his day to day work with his non-profit organization, Sustainable Action Network (SAN). At SAN, his work with animal & wildlife welfare, political and social justice activism is an obvious focal point in his life. “The concept that I had initially was to take writers and eventually use those writings to create films or TV Shows which is how I wanted things to come full circle using the book company almost as a conduit to the film company”
In further to this restructuring and consolidation, SCA moved Three (3) books to be worked via Lulu Press. They are Lichterman’s authored books entitled ‘Three Weeks in June’ and critically acclaimed and top selling book, ‘Diary of a Ram Fan’ and the Joseph Atman fantasy tale, ‘Something Known’.
Any other books that have stock remaining whether it is at Amazon, Alibris or at SCA, will be sold as closeouts and sold at Lichterman’s merchandise and collectibles store, The Vending Lot, the largest entertainment merchandise & collectible store in the world.
"There were a few reasons for closing down the Sunset Book Company but it was mostly due to just streamlining the company," said Don Lichterman. "Not much will be affected as no staff will be let go and any book is placed where they want to be by now and not only that, Andy Lacky is also re publishing his great book, Art, Angels and Miracles, and that in part is what made that ultimate decision to move on"
Sunset Books became part of the Sunset group of entertainment and media companies back in 2009, near when the entire company had started; Lichterman said this move, which comes on the heels of the company’s overall restructuring and rebranding this year, offers "there is absolutely nothing we can do distribution wise that Lulu won’t be able to do better for myself and my books (Three Weeks in June & Diary of a Ram Fan) or for Joe (Joseph Atman) and his ‘Something Known’" “Besides,” he says, “Lulu is uses Ingram (Book Group and Spark) anyway and so there is really nothing lost and we probably have more to gain as far as getting these individual books into even more outlets than we did”.
Lichterman also noted that when Sunset Books was created in 2009, it was key in "picking up newly written books written and created by world leaders was great for cross promotion and aligning the likes of my unknown name with say a popular person such as Bill Moyers."
According to Lichterman, zero or no staff members based in New Jersey or in any satellite offices are losing their jobs.
Comments