Virgin Books
Richard Branson established Virgin Books in the late 1970s as a new division of his record company. The venture began quietly before expanding into book publishing during the latter part of the 1980s. A major turning point arrived when Virgin purchased WH Allen, a publisher already famous among Doctor Who fans for their Target Books imprint. This acquisition brought significant weight to the growing list. In 1989, Virgin Books became incorporated directly into WH Allen operations. By 1991, the parent company renamed the entity Virgin Publishing Ltd to reflect its new identity and scope.
The company found early success with the Doctor Who New Adventures novels starting in 1991. These officially licensed full-length novels continued the story of the popular science-fiction television series after it was cancelled in 1989. Virgin published this specific series until 1997 while also releasing a range of reference books from 1992 to 1998 under the Doctor Who Books imprint. Fans of the long-running show turned these pages eagerly during the years following the show's original run. The imprint served as a bridge between the television era and future generations of readers who wanted more stories about the Time Lord.
Random House acquired a 90% stake in the company in March 2007 through its United Kingdom division. Joel Rickett led the purchase according to reports from The Bookseller on the 5th of March 2007. This move shifted control away from the Virgin Group majority ownership structure. In November 2009, Virgin became an independent imprint within Ebury Publishing instead of remaining a standalone entity. Sadler left the company during this transition period as noted in trade press coverage from the 2nd of November 2009. The integration into Random House marked a new chapter for the publisher after three decades of operation.
Black Lace specialized in erotica and erotic romance written by female authors specifically for heterosexual female readers starting in 1993. The imprint did not publish novels written by men partly as a marketing scheme to better appeal to their target demographic. Over time it published more than 250 titles and sold over three million books exploring women's sexuality and themes like BDSM or group sex. Black Lace developed three specific lines within the imprint in 2006 including contemporary, historical and paranormal categories. A trilogy of werewolf erotica by Mathilde Madden launched in 2007 as the first series under that banner.
Virgin announced that Black Lace would add no new titles in 2010 before the line was relaunched in 2012.
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Common questions
When did Richard Branson establish Virgin Books?
Richard Branson established Virgin Books in the late 1970s as a new division of his record company. The venture began quietly before expanding into book publishing during the latter part of the 1980s.
What major acquisition did Virgin Books make to expand its list?
Virgin purchased WH Allen, a publisher already famous among Doctor Who fans for their Target Books imprint. This acquisition brought significant weight to the growing list and led to Virgin Books becoming incorporated directly into WH Allen operations in 1989.
Which series did Virgin Books publish starting in 1991 after the television show was cancelled?
The company found early success with the Doctor Who New Adventures novels starting in 1991. These officially licensed full-length novels continued the story of the popular science-fiction television series after it was cancelled in 1989.
Who acquired a 90% stake in Virgin Books in March 2007?
Random House acquired a 90% stake in the company in March 2007 through its United Kingdom division. Joel Rickett led the purchase according to reports from The Bookseller on the 5th of March 2007.
When did Black Lace stop adding new titles before being relaunched?
Virgin announced that Black Lace would add no new titles in 2010 before the line was relaunched in 2012. The imprint specialized in erotica and erotic romance written by female authors specifically for heterosexual female readers starting in 1993.