IUniverse
Encyclopedia
iUniverse, founded in October 1999, is a self-publishing
company, co-located with AuthorHouse
in Bloomington, Indiana
. Publishers Weekly
notes iUniverse has partnerships with The Writers' Club (under Writers Club Press) and the Writer's Digest (under The Writer's Showcase).
purchased a 49% stake in the company. As part of the agreement, Barnes & Noble was to offer iUniverse titles both in their online bookstore and at their physical stores.
In 2004, porn star and ex-criminal Amy Fisher
's memoir If I Knew Then about how she pled guilty to first-degree aggravated assault and served seven years in prison, became the best-selling book in iUniverse's history, selling 32,445 copies up to 2004. Nevertheless, according to a 2005 Publishers Weekly article, out of the more than 18,000 titles published by iUniverse until 2004, only 83 had sold at least 500 copies and only 14 titles had been sold through physical Barnes & Noble stores.
In September 2007, iUniverse was purchased by Author Solutions
, the parent company of hedge fund
owned rival AuthorHouse
. On January 22, 2008, Author Solutions
announced iUniverse operations would move from Lincoln, Nebraska
to Bloomington, Indiana
to be co-located with AuthorHouse
. In June 2008, it was announced that Author Solutions would "onshore" iUniverse's Shanghai, China operations—creating more than 140 new jobs in its Indiana headquarters over the next few years.
In 2011, iUniverse was ranked #1 of 12 in the online book publishing category by TopTenReviews.com. The company earned the TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award, and was appraised as an indie publisher that “does a great job with its basic features, up-to-date marketing and helpful paid add-on services.”
Self-publishing
Self-publishing is the publication of any book or other media by the author of the work, without the involvement of an established third-party publisher. The author is responsible and in control of entire process including design , formats, price, distribution, marketing & PR...
company, co-located with AuthorHouse
AuthorHouse
AuthorHouse, formerly known as 1stBooks, is a self-publishing company based in the United States. AuthorHouse uses print on demand business model and technology.-History:...
in Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
. Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
notes iUniverse has partnerships with The Writers' Club (under Writers Club Press) and the Writer's Digest (under The Writer's Showcase).
History
iUniverse initially focused on business-to-consumer print-on-demand publishing as well as publishing both new and reprinted titles. Soon after they were founded, Barnes & NobleBarnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble, Inc. is the largest book retailer in the United States, operating mainly through its Barnes & Noble Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered at 122 Fifth Avenue in the Flatiron District in Manhattan in New York City. Barnes & Noble also operated the chain of small B. Dalton...
purchased a 49% stake in the company. As part of the agreement, Barnes & Noble was to offer iUniverse titles both in their online bookstore and at their physical stores.
In 2004, porn star and ex-criminal Amy Fisher
Amy Fisher
Amy Elizabeth Fisher is an American woman who became known as "the Long Island Lolita" by the media in 1992, when, at the age of 17, she shot and severely wounded Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the wife of her lover Joey Buttafuoco...
's memoir If I Knew Then about how she pled guilty to first-degree aggravated assault and served seven years in prison, became the best-selling book in iUniverse's history, selling 32,445 copies up to 2004. Nevertheless, according to a 2005 Publishers Weekly article, out of the more than 18,000 titles published by iUniverse until 2004, only 83 had sold at least 500 copies and only 14 titles had been sold through physical Barnes & Noble stores.
In September 2007, iUniverse was purchased by Author Solutions
Author Solutions
Author Solutions, Inc. is the parent company of the self-publishing companies/imprints AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, and Wordclay. These publishers include the largest and second largest print-on-demand book publishers in the United States...
, the parent company of hedge fund
Hedge fund
A hedge fund is a private pool of capital actively managed by an investment adviser. Hedge funds are only open for investment to a limited number of accredited or qualified investors who meet criteria set by regulators. These investors can be institutions, such as pension funds, university...
owned rival AuthorHouse
AuthorHouse
AuthorHouse, formerly known as 1stBooks, is a self-publishing company based in the United States. AuthorHouse uses print on demand business model and technology.-History:...
. On January 22, 2008, Author Solutions
Author Solutions
Author Solutions, Inc. is the parent company of the self-publishing companies/imprints AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, and Wordclay. These publishers include the largest and second largest print-on-demand book publishers in the United States...
announced iUniverse operations would move from Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
to Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington, Indiana
Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the southern region of the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 80,405 at the 2010 census....
to be co-located with AuthorHouse
AuthorHouse
AuthorHouse, formerly known as 1stBooks, is a self-publishing company based in the United States. AuthorHouse uses print on demand business model and technology.-History:...
. In June 2008, it was announced that Author Solutions would "onshore" iUniverse's Shanghai, China operations—creating more than 140 new jobs in its Indiana headquarters over the next few years.
Industry Recognition
iUniverse has been recognized by both industry groups and independent publishing watchdogs. In 2003, iUniverse received the coveted Editors' Choice designation from PC Magazine in a comparison of six print-on-demand companies. The article was published in the magazine's May 27, 2003 issue.In 2011, iUniverse was ranked #1 of 12 in the online book publishing category by TopTenReviews.com. The company earned the TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award, and was appraised as an indie publisher that “does a great job with its basic features, up-to-date marketing and helpful paid add-on services.”
Noteworthy Authors
Through iUniverse, several authors have gone on to publishing success. They include:- iUniverse author Ralph Fertig, who took his book Love and Liberation: When the Jews Tore Down the Ghetto Walls to number four on the Los Angeles Times best seller list in 2003.
- iUniverse author, Lisa Genova’s first book, Still Alice debuted at number 5 on the New York Times Bestseller list and spent 36 weeks on it. Initially shunned by literary agents, Genova finally decided to self-publish. Still Alice would go on to win the 2008 Bronte Prize, be honored with a nomination for the 2010 Indies Choice Debut Book of the Year by the American Booksellers AssociationAmerican Booksellers AssociationThe American Booksellers Association is a non-profit industryassociation founded in 1900 that promotes independent bookstores in the United States and Canada. The ABA and its members support freedom of speech, literacy, and programs that encourage reading...
, and win the 2011 Bexley Book of the Year. Traditional publisher, Simon & Shuster would eventually acquire the book, confirming Genova’s success as a published author. Still Alice has sold over a million copies in print, in 25 languages. - Prominent Hollywood executive Paula WagnerPaula WagnerPaula Wagner is an American film producer and film executive.-Early career:Wagner began her career at Creative Artists Agency. In 1993 she launched Cruise/Wagner Productions with her former CAA client Tom Cruise. C/W's first film, Mission: Impossible, was an international hit that brought the...
, who produced films such as the Mission: Impossible movies, Vanilla SkyVanilla SkyVanilla Sky is a 2001 American psychological thriller film directed, co-produced and co-written by Cameron Crowe. The film is an English-language remake of the 1997 Spanish movie Abre los ojos , the screenplay for which was written by Alejandro Amenábar and Mateo Gil...
and The Last SamuraiThe Last SamuraiThe Last Samurai is a 2003 American epic drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. The film was inspired by a project developed by writer and director Vincent Ward, who had previously filmed the movie in 1990, starring...
, has optioned the film, television, and stage rights of iUniverse author, Trisha Ventker’s book, Internet Dates From Hell, at the Author SolutionsAuthor SolutionsAuthor Solutions, Inc. is the parent company of the self-publishing companies/imprints AuthorHouse, iUniverse, Xlibris, and Wordclay. These publishers include the largest and second largest print-on-demand book publishers in the United States...
Book-to-Screen PitchFest (BTS) in Los Angeles, California, which took place on July 22-23, 2011. After hearing Ventker’s pitch, Ms. Wagner wasted no time giving her nod of approval saying, “I’m always looking for projects with real audience appeal, and with Internet dating being such a part of our techno-centric world, I was immediately drawn to Trisha’s personal journey of life and love online.” - In August 2011, film producer, Gene GutowskiGene GutowskiGene Gutowski born as Witold Bardach Son of Julius Bardach and Anna Bardach ....
, published his memoirs, With Balls and Chutzpah, with iUniverse. The autobiography details his survival in Nazi-occupied Poland, his daring escapes, and achieving Hollywood fame as the producer of famous films like RepulsionRepulsionRepulsion is a 1965 British psychological thriller film directed by Roman Polanski, based on a scenario by Gérard Brach and Roman Polanski. It was Polanski's first English language film, and was shot in Britain, as such being his second film made outside his native Poland. The cast includes...
, Cul-de-SacCul-de-SacCul-de-sac is a 1966 British psychological thriller directed by the Franco-Polish director Roman Polanski. It was Polański's second film in English, written by himself and Gérard Brach...
, Fearless Vampire Killers, and the Oscar Award-winning, The Pianist. - iUniverse published "Lust for Danger" by author K. S. BrooksK. S. BrooksK. S. Brooks is best known for her action-adventure spy novels and fine art photography.-Early life:...
in August of 2001. . Brooks went on to sign with Cambridge Books, a division of Write Words Inc., and since has produced four children's books and two additional espionage novels.
External links
- iUniverse - official site