Q: In its sixth year, Mango Publishing is one of the fastest-growing publishers in the United States. That is quite the accomplishment! What is one of the biggest takeaways you have learned as Mango continues to grow?
A: One of the big surprises over the past few years has been how open the publishing industry is to new ideas. I know this isn’t always the brush we paint ourselves with within the industry, but we have been encouraged by how many like minded publishers we have been able to collaborate with around the globe, and often in exciting new ways.
Q: According to your website, Mango’s goal is to “create high-quality books that explore new ideas and start conversations with readers, on a global scale”. Can you share why Mango believes it is so important for books to reach a wide international audience?
A:So many of the important conversations we are having right now are truly global conversations, and I think it is important to be accountable to and to serve those readers regardless of where they are. Things get a lot more interesting when we can move beyond our own backyards and think about how does this topic relate to a reader half way around the world. We feel as though a book worth reading, should be worth reading everywhere
Q: Mango teams up with incredible authors and collaborators. What is the best part of having such a strong relationship with your authors?
A:Any publisher will tell you that their authors are their backbone, but this is even more true with a close-knit unit like Mango. Many of our authors have grown up with us, and have worked with us to help create the marketing strategies we use today. We love having authors that push us into the future, and ask those fun ‘what if we tried this’ type of questions.
Q: Can you share a forthcoming Mango title that you are excited about, and why?
A:I have a soft spot for space books and for kids books, so I'm particularly excited for Luna Muna by Kellie Gerardi. I have a well read copy of Gerardi’s first book, Not Necessarily Rocket Science, sitting on my bookshelf, and her first foray into kids books is really going from strength to strength. Luna Muna is a beautifully written and illustrated story that is going to resonate with girls who dream of one day going into space, and the message is even more interesting now that Gerardi has actually been to space herself.
