Quirk Books: Difference between revisions
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=== Mission and History === | === Mission and History === | ||
Quirk Books was established in 2002 in Old City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<ref name=":0">"About" ''Quirk Books,'' https://www.quirkbooks.com/about/. Accessed 8 Oct 2025.</ref> It was founded by David Borgenict, best-selling author of the ''Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook'' series.<ref>"Publisher Profile: Quirk Books" ''The Children's Book Council'', https://www.cbcbooks.org/2025/01/23/publisher-profile-quirk-books/. Accessed 8 October 2025.</ref> It was started as a book packager for publishers such as Chronicle books, but then started publishing its own books, mostly exclusively in the gift books category.<ref>"Quirks Work at Quirk Books." ''Publishers Weekly'', vol. 264, no. 17, 2017, pp. 4''. ProQuest'', <nowiki>http://libgateway.susqu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/quirks-work-at-quirk-books/docview/1892133472/se-2</nowiki>.</ref> Quirk's mission is to publish "seriously entertaining, engaging, and unconventional books for adults and children of a variety of genres," and since the beginning that has been their goal. Though they are headquartered in Philadelphia, they have their books distributed world-wide by Penguin Random House. <ref name=":0" /> Brett Cohen, who worked with Quirk Books as their acting president, stepped down in 2021 as the original founder, David Borgenict, stepped back into his role.<ref>"Changes at Quirk Books" ''Locus Magazine'', https://locusmag.com/2021/04/changes-at-quirk-books/. Accessed 8 Oct 2025.</ref> In October 2025, after being on an acquisitions pause | Quirk Books was established in 2002 in Old City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<ref name=":0">"About" ''Quirk Books,'' https://www.quirkbooks.com/about/. Accessed 8 Oct 2025.</ref> It was founded by David Borgenict, best-selling author of the ''Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook'' series.<ref>"Publisher Profile: Quirk Books" ''The Children's Book Council'', https://www.cbcbooks.org/2025/01/23/publisher-profile-quirk-books/. Accessed 8 October 2025.</ref> It was started as a book packager for publishers such as Chronicle books, but then started publishing its own books, mostly exclusively in the gift books category.<ref>"Quirks Work at Quirk Books." ''Publishers Weekly'', vol. 264, no. 17, 2017, pp. 4''. ProQuest'', <nowiki>http://libgateway.susqu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/quirks-work-at-quirk-books/docview/1892133472/se-2</nowiki>.</ref> Quirk's mission is to publish "seriously entertaining, engaging, and unconventional books for adults and children of a variety of genres," and since the beginning that has been their goal. Though they are headquartered in Philadelphia, they have their books distributed world-wide by Penguin Random House. <ref name=":0" /> Brett Cohen, who worked with Quirk Books as their acting president, stepped down in 2021 as the original founder, David Borgenict, stepped back into his role.<ref name=":1">"Changes at Quirk Books" ''Locus Magazine'', https://locusmag.com/2021/04/changes-at-quirk-books/. Accessed 8 Oct 2025.</ref> In the early summer of 2025, Quirk Books laid off several staff members and paused their publishing program as a result of "marketplace and operational practices."<ref>Hershberger, Katy. "Quirk Lays Off Union Staff, Pauses Editorial Operations." ''Publishers Lunch'', 3 July 2025, https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/07/quirk-lays-off-union-staff-pauses-editorial-operations/. Accessed 8 October 2025.</ref> However, in October 2025, after being on an acquisitions pause, Quirk Books was sold to Andrew McMeel Publishing, effective as of October 1st, 2025.<ref name=":2">Cader, Michael. "Quirk Books is Sold to Andrew McMeel" ''Publisher's Lunch'', 6 October 2025, https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/10/quirk-books-is-sold-to-andrews-mcmeel/. Accessed 8 October 2025.</ref> | ||
=== Ownership and Structure === | |||
As said above, Quirk Books was recently sold to Andrew McMeel Publishing as of October 2025. The original founder and president, David Borgenict, will serve as the publisher under the Quirk Books imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing. <ref name=":2" /> Before the acquisition, Quirk Books acted as an independent incorporated company, and does still currently work for profit. The publishing house was considered small, with only 22 employees as of June 2025. Around this time, 13 employees of Quirk Books elected to form a union with the NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia.<ref>Kirch, Claire. "Quirk Books Employees Elect to Form a Union." ''Publishers Weekly'', vol. 272, no. 22, 2025, pp. 7''. ProQuest'', <nowiki>http://libgateway.susqu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/quirk-books-employees-elect-form-union/docview/3218442333/se-2</nowiki>.</ref> In 2021, when Brett Cohen stepped down, Borgenict became the president and Jhantheigh Kupihea was promoted to publisher. Monkea Hewlett, who was the vice president and director of sales, also stepped down during this time. Other promotions were as followed: Nicole De Jackmo as the new senior vice president of sales, marketing and publicity, Megan Dipasquale as the vice president of finance, Andie Reid as the art director, Jane Morley as managing editor, and Mandy Sampson as senior production and sales manager. <ref name=":1" /> | |||
=== Financial Information === | |||
Since Quirk Books was an incorporated company and is currently in transition of ownership, financial information is unavailable at this time. | |||
=== News === | |||
As said before, Quirk Books was aquired by Andrews McMeels Publishing in October 2025, meaning that they will publish Quirk Book's frontlist and backlist titles. Quirk Books will become an imprint of the company, with Dave Borenicht as the publisher under the imprint. Borenicht seems optimistic, as he says "I’ve been a fan of Andrews McMeel since I was in high school and I opened my first The Far Side calendar. I’m thrilled to be placing Quirk in their hands, and I’m really looking forward to doing some creative, independent publishing together."<ref>"Andrew McMeel Aquires Quirk" ''Locus Magazine'', https://locusmag.com/2025/10/andrews-mcmeel-acquires-quirk/. Accessed 8 October 2025.</ref> | |||
Revision as of 08:45, 8 October 2025
Background Information
Mission and History
Quirk Books was established in 2002 in Old City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[1] It was founded by David Borgenict, best-selling author of the Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook series.[2] It was started as a book packager for publishers such as Chronicle books, but then started publishing its own books, mostly exclusively in the gift books category.[3] Quirk's mission is to publish "seriously entertaining, engaging, and unconventional books for adults and children of a variety of genres," and since the beginning that has been their goal. Though they are headquartered in Philadelphia, they have their books distributed world-wide by Penguin Random House. [1] Brett Cohen, who worked with Quirk Books as their acting president, stepped down in 2021 as the original founder, David Borgenict, stepped back into his role.[4] In the early summer of 2025, Quirk Books laid off several staff members and paused their publishing program as a result of "marketplace and operational practices."[5] However, in October 2025, after being on an acquisitions pause, Quirk Books was sold to Andrew McMeel Publishing, effective as of October 1st, 2025.[6]
Ownership and Structure
As said above, Quirk Books was recently sold to Andrew McMeel Publishing as of October 2025. The original founder and president, David Borgenict, will serve as the publisher under the Quirk Books imprint of Andrews McMeel Publishing. [6] Before the acquisition, Quirk Books acted as an independent incorporated company, and does still currently work for profit. The publishing house was considered small, with only 22 employees as of June 2025. Around this time, 13 employees of Quirk Books elected to form a union with the NewsGuild of Greater Philadelphia.[7] In 2021, when Brett Cohen stepped down, Borgenict became the president and Jhantheigh Kupihea was promoted to publisher. Monkea Hewlett, who was the vice president and director of sales, also stepped down during this time. Other promotions were as followed: Nicole De Jackmo as the new senior vice president of sales, marketing and publicity, Megan Dipasquale as the vice president of finance, Andie Reid as the art director, Jane Morley as managing editor, and Mandy Sampson as senior production and sales manager. [4]
Financial Information
Since Quirk Books was an incorporated company and is currently in transition of ownership, financial information is unavailable at this time.
News
As said before, Quirk Books was aquired by Andrews McMeels Publishing in October 2025, meaning that they will publish Quirk Book's frontlist and backlist titles. Quirk Books will become an imprint of the company, with Dave Borenicht as the publisher under the imprint. Borenicht seems optimistic, as he says "I’ve been a fan of Andrews McMeel since I was in high school and I opened my first The Far Side calendar. I’m thrilled to be placing Quirk in their hands, and I’m really looking forward to doing some creative, independent publishing together."[8]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "About" Quirk Books, https://www.quirkbooks.com/about/. Accessed 8 Oct 2025.
- ↑ "Publisher Profile: Quirk Books" The Children's Book Council, https://www.cbcbooks.org/2025/01/23/publisher-profile-quirk-books/. Accessed 8 October 2025.
- ↑ "Quirks Work at Quirk Books." Publishers Weekly, vol. 264, no. 17, 2017, pp. 4. ProQuest, http://libgateway.susqu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/quirks-work-at-quirk-books/docview/1892133472/se-2.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Changes at Quirk Books" Locus Magazine, https://locusmag.com/2021/04/changes-at-quirk-books/. Accessed 8 Oct 2025.
- ↑ Hershberger, Katy. "Quirk Lays Off Union Staff, Pauses Editorial Operations." Publishers Lunch, 3 July 2025, https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/07/quirk-lays-off-union-staff-pauses-editorial-operations/. Accessed 8 October 2025.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cader, Michael. "Quirk Books is Sold to Andrew McMeel" Publisher's Lunch, 6 October 2025, https://lunch.publishersmarketplace.com/2025/10/quirk-books-is-sold-to-andrews-mcmeel/. Accessed 8 October 2025.
- ↑ Kirch, Claire. "Quirk Books Employees Elect to Form a Union." Publishers Weekly, vol. 272, no. 22, 2025, pp. 7. ProQuest, http://libgateway.susqu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/quirk-books-employees-elect-form-union/docview/3218442333/se-2.
- ↑ "Andrew McMeel Aquires Quirk" Locus Magazine, https://locusmag.com/2025/10/andrews-mcmeel-acquires-quirk/. Accessed 8 October 2025.
