Here’s some news that will launch a thousand book clubs. On July 8, Penguin Random House announced that titular dope queen, best-selling author, and erstwhile Vulture recapper Phoebe Robinson is launching her own publishing imprint, Tiny Reparations Books. Lit Hub reported that the imprint will be “partnering with Plume (a division of Dutton, which is in itself an imprint of PRH) and its publisher Christine Ball,†in a veritable matryoshka of publishing. The 2 Dope Queens podcast and HBO series star published her books You Can’t Touch My Hair (and Other Things I Still Have to Explain) and Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay with Plume. In 2019, Robinson also founded a production company called Tiny Reparations. Penguin Random House released a statement about the new imprint, saying:
“Tiny Reparations Books will be a highly curated imprint dedicated to publishing both literary fiction and nonfiction as well as essay collections that highlight and amplify unique and diverse voices. The imprint is committed to publishing complex, honest, and humorous work that not only reflects the current conversation but also pushes it forward.â€
In the press release for Tiny Reparations Books, Robinson addressed the “lack of diversity in publishing,†stating:
Tiny Reparations Books recognizes that the publishing landscape isn’t going to change until the actual work starts behind the scenes. I am thrilled to partner with Plume to help take this important step. And I look forward to bringing a wide range of voices to Plume and helping to push the boundaries of publishing.
With this news came an announcement that Plume has also acquired Robinson’s next book for publication in 2021, titled Six Feet Apart. We can all guess what that one will be about.