FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contacts:
Kourtney Jason, Pacific & Court
TWO SHORES PRESS ANNOUNCES ITS OFFICIAL LAUNCH WITH ITS DEBUT TITLE VIVARANAI
[August 27, 2024, Tiruchirappalli, India and Brooklyn, NY] – Aananth Daksnamurthy, a graduate of the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media, has launched Two Shores Press from Brooklyn-based Ulysses Press’ Indie Accelerator Program.
Two Shores Press was founded with the mission of creating a market for South Asian literature in anglophone markets and bridging the global north and south through literature. The press aims to uncover and promote extraordinary works that transcend geographical boundaries and connect readers across different communities. Based in Tiruchirappalli, India, and New York City, USA, Two Shores Press is actively scouting titles from South Asian languages for publication and distribution in the US. The press is also currently publishing in Tamil as it begins its journey.
Two Shores' debut book, Vivaranai, is the Tamil translation of the Swedish novel Detaljerna (The Details) by Ia Genberg, set for release at the end of September. The novel was shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2024. The Tamil translation is by Sahitya Akademi Award-winning Indian translator Kannaiyan Daksnamurthy.
Aananth Daksnamurthy graduated from NYU SPS’s MS in Publishing program in Spring 2024 with the prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship. He is one of the first recipients of the Ulysses Press Scholarship at NYU and was also awarded the inaugural SALT (South Asian Literature in Translation) initiative's Publishers' Travel Grant for self-directed study of the publishing market in the Indian subcontinent. A literary translator himself working between Tamil and English, he is an alumnus of the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) Summer School.
“Our overarching goal is to elevate South Asian literature from local and regional peripheries to global circulation. We aspire to see increased representation of South Asian literature in major literary award nominations, longlists/shortlists, bestseller lists, book club picks and major publishing deals. We are starting with literary fiction but will soon expand into other segments, especially children’s books,” Aananth said. “This dream of mine wouldn’t have materialized so quickly without Keith’s support and mentorship, and crucial to this journey. My capstone project at NYU’s publishing program is this very idea, and being able to take it to the real world is incredibly exciting.”
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with Aananth on this project,” said Keith Riegert, CEO Ulysses Press, “technology has accelerated the potential reach of literature around the world, but there remains a huge imbalance in where the most widely read literary voices come from. Aananth’s project is exactly what the publishing world needs.”
“From the moment he entered the MS in Publishing program at NYU SPS, Aananth has demonstrated leadership qualities and a passion for publishing that culminated in his Capstone thesis project, a carefully wrought plan to expand and elevate South Asian literature on a global scale. We are incredibly proud of Aananth and his many achievements,” said Andrea Chambers, associate dean of the NYU SPS Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media. “We look forward to watching Aananth's transformation of an academic exercise into a dream and reality that will benefit his country and publishing on an international scale.”
***
ABOUT TWO SHORES PRESSTwo Shores Press is an independent publishing house dedicated to bringing the vibrant literary traditions of South Asia to a global audience. With a focus on literary translation, the press aims to foster cultural exchange and understanding through the written word. It is currently supported by the Ulysses Press Indie Accelerator. For more information, visit twoshorespress.com and follow the publisher on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
ABOUT NYU CENTER FOR PUBLISHING, WRITING, AND MEDIA
The NYU SPS Center for Publishing, Writing, and Media offers a range of innovative programs in publishing and digital media, including the MS in Publishing, a 36-credit graduate program that prepares students for careers in books, digital, and magazine media; the NYU Advanced Publishing Institute (NYU API), a five-day course designed for current mid-to-senior level book professionals; the Summer Publishing Institute (SPI), a four-week intensive for recent college graduates, rising college seniors, and young professionals who are interested in entry-level careers in media; the and executive education programs, both in New York and abroad. NYU SPS also offers two fully online degrees, the MS in Professional Writing and the MS in Translation and Interpreting; certificate and continuing education courses; and the Academy of Lifelong Learning. For more information, visit our website.
ABOUT ULYSSES PRESS
Named one of Publishers Weekly’s “fastest-growing small publishers,” Ulysses Press is reinventing the relationship between reader, author, and publisher. Beyond market-driven, Ulysses Press focuses on highly targeted niche groups that aren’t being offered the books they want by the big corporate-owned publishing houses. In 2022, founders Ray Riegert and Leslie Henriques launched the Ulysses Press Scholarship at NYU SPS to foster diversity within the publishing industry. Shortly after, Ulysses’ Indie Accelerator was established to help launch startup independent publishers. That accelerator has successfully helped launch 80/20 and Inimitable Books, both client publishers of Simon & Schuster. Visit ulyssespress.com for more information, and follow the publisher on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
ABOUT PACIFIC AND COURT
Pacific & Court is an award-winning Brooklyn-based boutique publicity and digital marketing company specializing in promoting independent authors and book publishers.
For more information and/or interview inquiries, contact Kourtney Jason at