Britons Seek a New King (as in Stephen)

Can’t get your first book published? Now there’s help for first-time American novelists. Ironically, it comes from a British firm.

The British Book Co. (https://www.malvernfirst.com) has been publishing books for 20 years in England. In January, it opened a Redondo Beach branch specifically to discover, nurture and promote new American talent.

“One day Stephen King is going to die,” says British-born founder Tony Harold, who thrives on the enthusiasm of first-time novelists. “We do need a replacement for him and Grisham and other popular writers of the day.”

All books are published in England, then distributed stateside. Works cover a wide range of genres--novels, short story collections, nonfiction and children’s books.

Recent works include Joe Wolfson’s “Full Circle,” an autobiography by a surfer dying from cancer; Gordon Skene’s “Over Under Sideways Down,” a psychedelic ‘60s drama; and “Going Away Party,” a May-December romance by Wall Street wunderkind Laura Pedersen.

Harold chose the Los Angeles area after learning that this part of the U.S. offered the least amount of competition from other publishers, the greatest number of writers and the most book sales.

Eat your heart out, New York.