Last month’s news that computer-professional and web-designer press Wrox (or rather its parent company, Peer Information Group) had declared bankruptcy, leaving its authors (and those of its popular Glasshaus and Friends of Ed imprints) in limbo was soon followed by word that John Wiley & Sons had purchases the Wrox name and taken over the contracts for a selection of Wrox’s titles.
Today Apress publisher Gary Cornell announced that Apress will absorb the remaining 400-odd titles in Wrox’s backlist:
I’m pleased to announce that today Apress L.P. bought the remaining (and vast majority of the) intellectual property of Peer Information Group. Obviously, this is a rather large nut to swallow being more than 400 book contracts as well as various other properties, and it’s not helped by the somewhat chaotic nature of the remaining files at Peer’s offices in Birmingham. That having been said, I assure you Apress will proceed as rapidly as we can to untangle the knot.
For authors unsure of the status of their titles, Apress has set up an email alias for inquiries.
Apress will also unilaterally bring former Wrox contracts in line with some of its author-friendly policies, for example by striking any “right of first refusal” clauses in any of the assumed contracts.