Sunday, August 29, 2010

NBN Signs Writers of the Round Table Press for Distribution of SmarterComics

The concept was simple: carefully select some of the best business, self-help and motivational books ever written and make them visually appealing to the Twitter generation of readers. Franco Arda, founder of SmarterComics teamed with book packager Corey Michael Blake and Writers of the Round Table Inc., to package the best selling books with authors such as sales guru Tom Hopkins, The Pitbull of Personal Development Larry Winget, performance psychologist Dr. John Eliot, and Latino sensation Robert Renteria.

With interest and enthusiasm building for this comic book series, Blake went on the hunt for a distribution partner who could deliver, and took an immediate liking to National Book Network (NBN) who has signed on to introduce the SmarterComics series and other Writers of the Round Table Press titles to the U.S. and international markets.

John Groton, NBN's VP of Sales, had this to say about their relationship with Writers of the Round Table Press: "We are always on the lookout to discover creative, well-organized and exciting new publishers. In this case, I can honestly say we have scored in a big way; and we particularly look forward to getting the SmarterComics series in the marketplace as quickly as possible."

NBN, one of the oldest independent book distributors in the United States, is a powerhouse among distributors, Blake says. Representing 85 publishers, NBN utilizes long-standing experience and relationships to promote books through multiple channels.

"They have made us feel like family and we appreciate the enthusiasm they have for our series and our authors," Blake added.

Gail Kump, NBN's Vice President of Business Development, shares Blake's enthusiasm. "In my 30 years of publishing, I have not seen anything this inventive, this fresh," Kump says.

One thing Kump and Blake both want to make clear: these business comic books are not children's cartoons. These are illustrated graphic novels that should be shelved in the business or self-help sections of the bookstore, right next to the original versions, Kump says. That way, a reader can choose a quick, illustrated, engaging summary, and follow up with the original version for more depth.

"I passionately believe we're on to some revolutionary work in the book business," Blake says. "SmarterComics has conceived of a brilliant idea and we’re proud to help package and publish the series. By adding NBN to the mix, we’re well positioned to dive in."

Writers of the Round Table Press is the publishing division of book packager Writers of the Round Table Inc., led by Corey Michael Blake. Visit http://www.roundtablepress.com/ and http://www.roundtablecompanies.com/.