Peter Mayer
Encyclopedia
Peter M. Mayer is an American
independent publisher
who is president of The Overlook Press/Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc.
, a Woodstock, New York
- based publishing company he founded with his father in 1971. At the time of Overlook’s founding, Mayer was head of Avon Books
, a large New York - based paperback publisher. From 1978 to 1996, Mayer was CEO of Penguin Books
, where he introduced a flexible style in editorial
, marketing
, and production . Previously, while at Avon Books, Mayer successfully launched the trade paperback as a viable alternative to mass market and hardcover
formats. Recently, Mayer financially revived both Ardis, a publisher of Russian literature
in English, and Duckworth
an independent publishing
house in the U.K.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
independent publisher
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
who is president of The Overlook Press/Peter Mayer Publishers, Inc.
The Overlook Press
The Overlook Press is an American independent publishing house based in New York. It was formed in 1971 by Peter Mayer, who had previously worked at Avon and Penguin Books, where he was CEO from 1978 to 1998. A general-interest publisher, Overlook has over one thousand titles in print, including...
, a Woodstock, New York
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
- based publishing company he founded with his father in 1971. At the time of Overlook’s founding, Mayer was head of Avon Books
Avon (publishers)
Avon Publications was an American paperback book and comic book publisher. As of 2010, it is an imprint of HarperCollins, publishing primarily romance novels.-History:...
, a large New York - based paperback publisher. From 1978 to 1996, Mayer was CEO of Penguin Books
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
, where he introduced a flexible style in editorial
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
, marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
, and production . Previously, while at Avon Books, Mayer successfully launched the trade paperback as a viable alternative to mass market and hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
formats. Recently, Mayer financially revived both Ardis, a publisher of Russian literature
Russian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
in English, and Duckworth
Gerald Duckworth and Company Ltd
-History:Founded in 1898 by Gerald Duckworth, Duckworth is an independent British publisher. It was important in the development of English literature in the first half of the twentieth century, being the publisher of figures such as Virginia Woolf , W. H. Davies, Anthony Powell, John Galsworthy...
an independent publishing
Small press
Small press is a term often used to describe publishers with annual sales below a certain level. Commonly, in the United States, this is set at $50 million, after returns and discounts...
house in the U.K.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...