From PGW's Chapter 11 to Soft Skull Press's new chapter

Or something like that. Here's the scoop direct from Richard, but basically the deal is that Soft Skull is being acquired by Winton Shoemaker, which is also acquiring Counterpoint Press. Soft Skull and Counterpoint will be restructured as imprints of the larger organization, and Richard will be overseeing both.

In a way, I will always be a Soft Skuller. I never did quite get out the door until this past April, when my last project was finally completed. I found it hard to leave because, of all my experiences working in publishing, from large press to teeny, whether as a publicist, editor, book designer, reading series curator, freelancer, or Associate Publisher, my time at Soft Skull was the best and most fulfilling. Without Richard's innovative strategies and uncanny knack for scrappy miracles, SSP probably would have disappeared completely years ago. He'll continue to do what's best for Soft Skull and Soft Skull's authors, without a doubt. (Best of luck, darlin!) Shifts in focus related to the press's growth, my own theories about what works and doesn't for poetry publishing, and everything we learned along the way lead to my decision to found Bloof Books to continue the kind of poetry publishing I did there, something I wouldn't have been ready to do without Soft Skull and Richard's encouragement. So it's all gonna work out fine.

As Richard notes, Soft Skull is *not* over. And they deserve and can really use your support now! He's offering 40% off EVERYTHING now at the Soft Skull store.

So I'll take this opportunity to suggest you pick up some of the poetry, if you haven't. For instance, there are only 9 copies of Jennifer L. Knox's A Gringo Like Me left in stock. After those are sold, Bloof will be rereleasing the book in a new edition (yay!) to match her forthcoming Drunk by Noon (yay!). (The other Soft Skull poetry titles will continue to be sold and distributed as before, no worries.)