E-books - Jamaican style! Hope Road to deliver a fresh experience to readers
Published:Sunday | March 11, 2012 | 12:00 AM
Rosemarie Hudson, the entrepreneurial print publisher who started BlackAmber publishers, has now set her sights on e-books.
Hudson, who was born in Jamaica but grew up in the United Kingdom, recently launched her e-publishing company, HopeRoad, and continues to give voice to Caribbean, African and Asian writers.
"There is still a need for this. With HopeRoad, we're making use of all the modern tools, social media and so on," she said.
Hudson noted that in the United States, 57 books are bought every second, and while the sale of print books is slowing, the sales of e-books are definitely on the rise.
She said there were many advantages to e-books, not least of which is how easily they can be carried around. "Think of the weight. You can have hundreds of books with you while travelling and there is no extra weight," she said.
So far, Hudson has created e-books from such titles such as Brixton Rock, the award-winning cult title by Alex Wheatle (BlackAmber), and the much-lauded Sarmada by Fadi Azzam (Haus Publishing), which has been long-listed for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.
Next month, the company will be releasing titles on Mary Seacole and American jazz legend Miles Davis.
"As a stand-alone e-book publisher without a catalogue of printed books, I am something of a pioneer. But I am completely enthused by the new concept of e-books. They are the next natural step within the publishing industry, and I knew that this was the direction I just had to take. Our new website will showcase our fantastic list, which I hope will grow and include many more new writers and bring in new readers. That is what HopeRoad is all about. It's a journey we can all share - and a destination."
HopeRoad is based in the United Kingdom, but according to Hudson, is "grounded" in Jamaica, her place of birth which she visits frequently.
As for the name, she joked that there was nothing "romantic" about the choice.
"I just love Hope Road. It's so beautiful!"