Altadena-Based Prospect Park Books is Acquired By Turner Publishing

Altadena-based Prospect Park Books has been sold to Turner Publishing Co., according to an announcement released Sunday. 

The acquisition, effective Sunday, January 31, comprises more than 100 existing titles and approximately 11 titles in the process of being published. Turner is purchasing the assets of the company, including the titles, inventory, name, and other intellectual property. 

In 2006, Colleen Dunn Bates founded Prospect Park Books in Pasadena with the publication of the first edition of Hometown Pasadena. She gradually expanded the title roster to include fiction (including mysteries), cookbooks, humor, memoir, and regional nonfiction. 

Although the authors and titles have roots in many states, as well as Canada and France, Prospect Park’s core strength has been in publishing California authors, including Naomi Hirahara, Lian Dolan, Chris Erskine, Christine Moore, Bill Esparza, Phoef Sutton, Gar Anthony Haywood, Charles Phoenix, Marla Jo Fisher, Andy Weinberger, George Geary, Mary Lea Carroll, Sean Carswell, Rachel Harper, Hans Röckenwagner, Gina Fattore, Karen Rizzo, and Lou Mathews.

“I  have sold Prospect Park Books, after 15 proud years as a member of our book community,” Bates said in an email. “Those of you who know me know how much effort I put into linking us all, and I’ve so valued every minute of it. But I’ve also worked my tail off for 15 years as a 24/7 entrepreneur in one of the most challenging businesses imaginable, and I’m more than ready for a break.”

According to the release, Turner plans to maintain the Prospect Park Books and Tiger Van imprints and will continue to publish books under those imprints. (Prospect Park partnered with writer Jim Gavin to create Tiger Van Books in 2020.) 

Todd Bottorff, president and publisher at Turner, said, “Colleen has done impressive work building a great list of award-winning, beautifully written and designed books. We are honored that she would choose Turner to carry her publishing program forward.” 

Bates said, “Each of my books and authors is precious to me, so finding just the right home was essential — and Turner is exactly the home I’d hoped to find.”

Prospect Park Books was distributed by Consortium Book Sales, an Ingram Content Group Co. Turner is distributed by Ingram Publisher Services, so distribution will move from one Ingram book distribution company to the other. The Fisher Co. initiated the transaction and assisted in negotiations on behalf of Prospect Park Books.