Released on: March 24, 2008, 5:05 am

Press Release Author: Kali Sudler-Brooks

Industry: Media

Press Release Summary: Plenary Publishing launched to develop and publish books of
African-American interest. The company will operate as a traditional publisher, and
seeks to add diverse titles to the African-American publishing industry.

Press Release Body: PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Tieffa N. Harper today announced the
formation of Plenary Publishing (www.plenarypublishing.com). Headquartered in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with a sales and distribution office in Charleston,
South Carolina, the company will publish fiction and non-fiction books of
African-American interest. Harper, a practicing attorney, created the publishing
company to fill a void that she sees in the African-American literary community.

Harper commented: "As a lifelong reader, I have a deep passion for books of all
genres that are written by authors with varying perspectives. After careful research
and speaking to aspiring authors and readers, I realized that today's
African-American reader seeks books that speak to their diverse life experiences or
interests. These books, however, still struggle to reach the marketplace, and if
they do, they do not receiving key marketing support. I decided to create a company
that is a creative and supportive publishing home for authors, and that understands
the reading interests and unique
marketing needs of our target audience. We also want to position our authors for
exposure to the mainstream market and across several entertainment mediums."

Plenary's mission is to develop and to publish stories that depict the depth and
beauty of the African-American community. In doing so, the company seeks to enhance
the depiction of African-Americans, inspire its target audience to actively improve
their lifestyles and create new opportunities for authors of color.

Plenary Publishing will operate as a traditional publisher that offers author
advances and royalties, and its business model is a hybrid of traditional and
emerging publishing trends. The company will initially release books in trade
paperback, E-Book and audio book formats, and will begin to release new books in
2009. The company is currently seeking fiction and non-fiction author submissions,
with an eye on contemporary fiction, Christian/inspirational fiction, romance,
mystery/thriller/suspense and non-fiction manuscripts addressing issues that are
relevant and important to the African-American community.

Plenary's team includes Harper, two acquisitions editors and a sales and fulfillment
staff that will work with each author from acquisition and development to production
and marketing. Harper estimated that the total life cycle of each book from start to
finish will be 10-12 months, and she emphasized that the company is committed to
dedicating significant editing, design and marketing resources behind each book.

Harper noted: "The key for our company is the development and aggressive marketing
of our authors and books, and staying abreast of the changes currently affecting the
publishing industry. Although we are a small press, this allows us to be risk takers
in what we will publish - books that may not have caught the eye of larger
publishers in an industry that is shortsighted on what it thinks African-Americans
want to read."

Harper believes that the editorial staff's collective business and community
experience will be an asset to its ability to identify new authors and to market
books. Harper stated: "We're coming into this industry with life and business
experiences that will significantly add to our company. Our team has experience in
the legal industry, search engine optimization and Internet marketing industry,
Information Technology industry and with handling multi-million dollar accounts in
the government sector. We're active in our communities, and we're all readers with
different interests. Our passion
and collective experiences will position Plenary to become a force in the publishing
industry."

Web Site: http://www.plenarypublishing.com

Contact Details: For more information, please visit Plenary's website at
www.plenarypublishing.com. Submission guidelines are available on the website.
Members of the media requesting additional information are asked to contact Kali
Sudler-Brooks at (215) 327-1807, or at kbrooks@plenarypublishing.com.

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