Lou Aronica
Encyclopedia
Lou Aronica is an American editor and publisher, primarily of science fiction
. He co-edited the Full Spectrum anthologies with Shawna McCarthy
. As a publisher he began at Bantam Books
and formed their Bantam Spectra science fiction and fantasy label. Later he moved on to Avon
and helped create their Avon-Eos science fiction and fantasy label.
, Isaac Asimov
, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Raymond Feist, William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Neil Gaiman. During this phase of his career, Aronica acquired five consecutive winners of the Nebula award.
His Full Spectrum anthology series ran 5 volumes. Full Spectrum 4, co-edited with Amy Stout and Betsy Mitchell, won the 1994 World Fantasy Award
for Best Anthology
. He also started the Star Wars book publishing program.
As Mass Market Publisher for Bantam, he launched the Crime Line mystery imprint and worked with bestselling authors Elizabeth George
, Robert Crais
, and Diane Mott Davidson
.
After leaving Bantam in 1994, he became Publisher of the Berkley Publishing Group, where he started two imprints, Boulevard and Signature. During this time he acquired and edited futuristic mysteries by J.D. Robb (a pen name of author Nora Roberts).
In 1995, Aronica became Senior Vice President and Publisher for Avon Books, where he launched the Eos science fiction and fantasy imprint and expanded Avon's romance books program. The author list at Eos has included Raymond Feist, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, Sheri Tepper, and Dennis Danvers. He left Avon in 1999 after the acquisition of the company by The News Corporation.
Since leaving Avon, he has co-authored several books, including The Culture Code with Clotaire Rapaille. His novels The Forever Year and Flash and Dazzle were published under the pen name Ronald Anthony. In 2003, he established The Fiction Studio, a creative development company with a publishing imprint for new authors, and in 2008, with literary manager Peter Miller, he established The Story Plant, a small commercial imprint for strong genre authors.
Full Spectrum (1988) with Shawna McCarthy
Full Spectrum 2 (1989) with Shawna McCarthy and Amy Stout and Pat LoBrutto
Full Spectrum 3 (1991) with Amy Stout and Betsy Mitchell
Full Spectrum 4 (1993) with Amy Stout and Betsy Mitchell
Conscientious Equity (2010), with Neal Ashbury
The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as They Do (2007), with Clotaire Rapaille
Miraculous Health: How to Heal Your Body by Unleashing the Hidden Power of Your Mind (2008), with Dr. Rick Levy
A Million Thanks (2005), with Shauna Fleming
The Forever Year, under pen name Ronald Anthony
Flash and Dazzle (2007), under pen name Ronald Anthony
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
. He co-edited the Full Spectrum anthologies with Shawna McCarthy
Shawna McCarthy
Shawna Lee McCarthy is an American science fiction and fantasy editor and literary agent. She is married to science fiction artist Wayne Douglas Barlowe....
. As a publisher he began at Bantam Books
Bantam Books
Bantam Books is an American publishing house owned entirely by Random House, the German media corporation subsidiary of Bertelsmann; it is an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group. It was formed in 1945 by Walter B. Pitkin, Jr., Sidney B. Kramer, and Ian and Betty Ballantine...
and formed their Bantam Spectra science fiction and fantasy label. Later he moved on to Avon
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:...
and helped create their Avon-Eos science fiction and fantasy label.
Career
Lou Aronica started the Spectra imprint at Bantam when he was 27 years old. His first acquisition for Bantam Spectra, David Brin’s Startide Rising, won a Hugo and a Nebula award. Bantam Spectra went on to publish New York Times bestsellers for Arthur C. ClarkeArthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
, Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Raymond Feist, William Gibson, Neal Stephenson, and Neil Gaiman. During this phase of his career, Aronica acquired five consecutive winners of the Nebula award.
His Full Spectrum anthology series ran 5 volumes. Full Spectrum 4, co-edited with Amy Stout and Betsy Mitchell, won the 1994 World Fantasy Award
World Fantasy Award
The World Fantasy Awards are annual, international awards given to authors and artists who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the field of fantasy...
for Best Anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
. He also started the Star Wars book publishing program.
As Mass Market Publisher for Bantam, he launched the Crime Line mystery imprint and worked with bestselling authors Elizabeth George
Elizabeth George
Susan Elizabeth George is an American author of mystery novels set in Great Britain.Eleven of her novels featuring her lead character Inspector Lynley have been adapted for television by the BBC as The Inspector Lynley Mysteries.-Biography:George was born in Warren, Ohio to Robert Edwin and Anne ...
, Robert Crais
Robert Crais
Robert Crais is an American author of detective fiction. Crais began his career writing scripts for television shows such as Hill Street Blues, Cagney & Lacey, Quincy, Miami Vice and L.A. Law. He lists amongst his literary influences the authors Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Ernest...
, and Diane Mott Davidson
Diane Mott Davidson
Diane Mott Davidson, born , is an American author of mystery novels that use the theme of food. Several recipes are included in each book, and each novel title is a play on a food or drink word....
.
After leaving Bantam in 1994, he became Publisher of the Berkley Publishing Group, where he started two imprints, Boulevard and Signature. During this time he acquired and edited futuristic mysteries by J.D. Robb (a pen name of author Nora Roberts).
In 1995, Aronica became Senior Vice President and Publisher for Avon Books, where he launched the Eos science fiction and fantasy imprint and expanded Avon's romance books program. The author list at Eos has included Raymond Feist, Gregory Benford, Ben Bova, Sheri Tepper, and Dennis Danvers. He left Avon in 1999 after the acquisition of the company by The News Corporation.
Since leaving Avon, he has co-authored several books, including The Culture Code with Clotaire Rapaille. His novels The Forever Year and Flash and Dazzle were published under the pen name Ronald Anthony. In 2003, he established The Fiction Studio, a creative development company with a publishing imprint for new authors, and in 2008, with literary manager Peter Miller, he established The Story Plant, a small commercial imprint for strong genre authors.
Anthologies
The Bantam Spectra Sampler (1985)Full Spectrum (1988) with Shawna McCarthy
Full Spectrum 2 (1989) with Shawna McCarthy and Amy Stout and Pat LoBrutto
Full Spectrum 3 (1991) with Amy Stout and Betsy Mitchell
Full Spectrum 4 (1993) with Amy Stout and Betsy Mitchell
Nonfiction Books Co-Authored
The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (2009), with Sir Ken RobinsonConscientious Equity (2010), with Neal Ashbury
The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way to Understand Why People Around the World Live and Buy as They Do (2007), with Clotaire Rapaille
Miraculous Health: How to Heal Your Body by Unleashing the Hidden Power of Your Mind (2008), with Dr. Rick Levy
A Million Thanks (2005), with Shauna Fleming
Fiction Books Authored
Blue (2011)The Forever Year, under pen name Ronald Anthony
Flash and Dazzle (2007), under pen name Ronald Anthony
External links
- Fiction Studio
- Who's Who Speaks video interview