Skyhorse Publishing

History

The current president and publisher is founder Tony Lyons, former president and publisher of Lyons Press till 2004, who named it after Brando Skyhorse, an editor at the company. As noted by Publishers Weekly, "Skyhorse's list will have some similarities to the old Lyons Press, with books on sports, flyfishing, nature and history a central part of Skyhorse's publishing program. The list includes narrative nonfiction, military history, gambling and business titles. In addition, [Tony] Lyons intends to bring back 'forgotten classics.'"

Growth and expansion

In 2010, Skyhorse acquired Arcade Publishing with its portfolio of 500 titles, as well as another 300 titles through the acquisition of Allworth Press. Skyhorse also announced the acquisition of Sports Publishing with its 800 titles, and the launch of a children's and young adult imprint called Sky Pony Press. By 2011, Skyhorse grew "from one imprint to five, and from eight employees to more than 40," The company "entered a three-year, 30-book licensing agreement with Norstedts of Sweden to acquire world English rights to a range of titles on crafts, health, fitness and cooking." At this point, Publishers Weekly listed Skyhorse Publishing as one of the fastest-growing independent presses.

Skyhorse added 250 new titles to its catalog with its acquisition of science-fiction and fantasy publisher Night Shade Books in 2013. Also, that year Skyhorse announced the launch of the new imprint, Carrel Books, catering to the library market with books on medicine/health, history, biography/memoir, business/careers, among others. In 2014, Skyhorse partnered with Perseus Books Group to acquire the assets of Good Books. While Perseus retained the Mayo Clinic line of health books from the Good Books catalog, Skyhorse obtained all other books assets, including the New York Times Bestselling Fix-It and Forget-It series. Another Skyhorse imprint, Talos Press published its first book in 2014. And in partnership with the literary agency, International Transactions, Skyhorse launched the new imprint, Yucca Publishing, featuring "both new and established authors who have 'intent, literary strength, and fresh, new visions."

In May 2015, partnering with David Talbot, founder and former editor-in-chief of Salon, Skyhorse launched the investigative book imprint Hot Books. Hot Books’ first title, released September 2015, The Beastside: Living (and Dying) While Black in America, is written by D. Watkins, who in an interview with Fresh Air host Terry Gross on NPR recounts harrowing stories of growing up in East Baltimore.

Skyhorse announced that it will be starting a new division in 2016 called Racehorse Publishing that will publish a range of categories, including promotional titles, instant books, and classic works of literature. The promotional line is to be released under the new Clydesdale Press imprint. Another new imprint, Seahorse Press, will publish books on boating, sailing and sea adventures.

Revenues are expected to rise 30% to about $43 million in 2015 over the 2014 fiscal year, with e-book sales up 23% through the third quarter of 2015, compared to the same period in 2014. To manage close to 1,000 titles that it stands to publish in 2016, Skyhorse increased staff from 56 to 81 in 2015. According to publisher, Tony Lyons, going after specialty customers and big publicity hits is a priority for 2016.

Skyhorse Publishing marked its 10th Anniversary in September 2016, posting revenue of more than $43 million for 2015, and having a backlist of 6,000 titles. With 93 people now on staff, the company plans to release 900 books in 2017 through its 18 imprints. Practical books for sports lovers, gardeners, cooks and gamers, etc., sold over 3,000,000 copies in total during 2015 and are expected to sell even more in 2016. Adult coloring books, first introduced in May 2015, have sold over 4,000,000 copies.

In December 2016, Skyhorse announced the launch of a new venture to extend its brand into the TV, film and streaming digital arenas, teaming up with boutique production company Thank You, Brain! Productions. The enterprise will mine the intellectual property of Skyhorse and translate the pages of books into a visual medium.

Notable books and authors

In 2008, Skyhorse published the erotic travelogue Around the World in 80 Lays, by Joe Diamond, writer for Playboy TV's travel series Sexy Things to Do Before You Die. Skyhorses's 41st bestseller "Defeating ISIS: Who They Are, How They Fight, What They Believe" by Malcolm Nance, debuts as #9 on the New York Times e-book bestseller list, July 3, 2016.

As of September 2016, the company has published 45 New York Times Best Sellers, as can be found combing the New York Times Best Seller Lists. Notable among these are A Man Called Intrepid, American Conspiracies, Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, Gameknight999 Series, Man Who Killed Kennedy. Recent best sellers include Kitty Genovese, Hands of War, Secrets of the Notebook, Search for Anne Perry, Surgeon in Blue, Spymistress. and Framed: Why Michael Skakel Spent Over a Decade in Prison for a Murder He Didn't Commit by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., arguing that Skakel is not guilty of the Murder of Martha Moxley for which he was convicted in 2002 but released pending a new trial in 2013.

Skyhorse has also published the works of four Nobel Prize Novelists, including: Samuel Beckett, Octavio Paz, Ivo Andric and Mo Yan, who won the Prize in 2012, as well as by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Elie Wiesel.

The book, The Walk by Philippe Petit, about his daring walk between the NYC World Trade Center Towers, released by Skyhorse on July 21, 2015, based on a major motion picture also titled The Walk directed by Robert Zemeckis and released on September 30, 2015. On September 16, 2016, Skyhorse released the official motion picture tie-in book Snowden, timed to the release of the Oliver Stone film by the same name.

Skyhorse has published thirty-five titles about the assassination of John F. Kennedy, including many promoting conspiracy theories. The company was reported to have invested $1 million on acquisition, printing and marketing for the publication of eight new books on the subject in 2013; as well as $300,000 to $400,000 on the reprints of seventeen others. Authors on the subject published or re-published by Skyhorse include Richard Belzer, Gaeton Fonzi, Jim Garrison Mark Lane, Peter Dale Scott, Roger Stone, Jesse Ventura, and Harold Weisberg.