Navigate to News section

New Jewish Publishing House To Launch in 2015

Fig Tree Books promises novels, short stories, and out-of-print classics

by
Sara Ivry
June 11, 2014
(Shutterstock)
(Shutterstock)

Would-be novelists of the Jewish American experience, rejoice! There will soon be a new place to shop your brilliant manuscripts (or to have them join a slush pile of wannabe best-sellers). Fig Tree Books is launching in March 2015 as a venue for “original high quality literary fiction” and the revival of the classics, according to its website. Editor-in-chief Michelle Caplan told the blog The Whole Megillah they’re looking for, “epic, weighty novels that make you think; quirky contemporary stories; accessible literary fiction; life-affirming, emotional narratives; cross-over mysteries; classics that could change your life—as long as they share an authenticity, integrity and originality at their core.” In short—everything!

Of course, so are more established presses like Random House (Portnoy’s Complaint), Penguin (The Mind-Body Problem), Macmillan (The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay), and FSG (The Collected Stories: Grace Paley) to name a handful.

Like other small presses, Fig Tree will accept unsolicited manuscripts as well as ones represented by agents. Founded by Fredric D. Price, who stepped down as president and CEO of the pharmaceutical company Chiasma last year, Fig Tree has not yet said what books or authors it has corralled into its stable. Animated by lots of Latin dummy text, its website is still a work in progress.

Sara Ivry is the host of Vox Tablet, Tablet Magazine’s weekly podcast. Follow her on Twitter@saraivry.