Dorchester Publishing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | 1971 |
Area served | United States, North America |
Key people | John Prebich (former CEO), Robert Anthony (CEO) |
| Products | Mass market paperbacks, romance novels, horror, thriller, Western genres, magazines |
Dorchester Publishing was a publisher specializing in mass market paperbacks, predominantly recognized for its romance titles, while also producing works in horror, thriller, and Western genres.
Publication lines
Dorchester launched the Hard Case Crime series, featuring pulp-style mystery novels, and handled distribution of the Family Doctor health guidebooks throughout North America. Their Love Spell label concentrated on contemporary romance, serving as a complement to the more traditional Leisure Books imprint, which later shifted focus toward horror. Other imprints under Dorchester included Smooch, targeting young adult fiction, and Making It, which published trade paperback chick-lit novels.
The company additionally issued romance magazines such as True Confessions and True Story. These publications were supported by dedicated book clubs, fan registries, and an interactive website hosting "Dear Reader Book Clubs" that engaged audiences through serialized story chapters.
History
Established in 1971, Dorchester positioned itself as the longest-running independent mass market publisher in the United States.
In approximately 1982, the company acquired Leisure Books, converting it into an imprint focused on horror fiction. The Love Spell imprint was introduced in 1993, followed by the launch of thriller and young adult imprints in 2003. The year 2004 saw the debut of the trade paperback chick-lit imprint Making It, alongside Dorchester’s co-founding of the Hard Case Crime line with Charles Ardai. That same year, Dorchester expanded into magazine publishing by acquiring Sterling/MacFadden.
By 2010, facing substantial declines in sales, Dorchester transitioned from traditional print to digital formats and print-on-demand services while revising royalty structures. Nevertheless, the Mystery Writers of America removed Dorchester from its Approved Publishers list due to issues involving unpaid advances and royalties. CEO John Prebich resigned late in 2010, with Robert Anthony stepping into the role and committing to a thorough review of royalty payments. In addition, the Hard Case Crime imprint was transferred to Titan Books during that period. By early 2011, Dorchester was actively seeking buyers for several discontinued magazine titles.
At the close of 2011, BroadLit acquired subscriber lists and content from True Romance and True Love magazines, subsequently republishing themed story anthologies under the TruLOVE Collection brand.
In March 2011, author Brian Keene spearheaded a boycott in response to unresolved royalty payments and rights concerns; Dorchester reacted by pledging to cease sales of reverted titles and to settle outstanding royalties.
In August 2012, Amazon Publishing purchased publishing contracts for over 1,000 Dorchester titles through an auction. Authors were offered full payment of back royalties and had the option to either join Amazon Publishing or regain rights for alternate publishing routes including Kindle Direct Publishing.