Conversation and Inspiration: An Interview with Mango Publishing
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Since their founding almost seven years ago, Mango Publishing has become one of the fastest-growing publishers in the country. Based out of Miami, they focus on distinctive, thought-provoking voices to spark conversation on a global scale.
We have been excited to help them in their mission and support their latest journey to expand their licensing opportunities around the world.
Today we’re sitting down with Mango’s Director of International Rights & Sales, Shawn Hoult to talk about what’s new and next for Mango Publishing. Shawn is native Canadian but currently lives in London, England as part of his globetrotting experience. We’re excited to hear more from Shawn as we learn about Mango Publishing.
Can you share with our readers a little bit more about the mission of Mango Publishing: what is the driving force behind the books and authors you represent?
Our goal is to create high-quality books that explore new ideas and start conversations with our readers, on a global scale. We see our authors as partners in every part of the book's development, so we are always looking for active people with exciting ideas from all walks of life.
What are a few titles from the Mango catalog the past months that you have particularly enjoyed?
We are on a bit of a role with our authors from the UK. Just in the last few months we’ve had The Origin of Names Vol. 2, Build Better Teams, The Simpsons Secret, and In Search of Real Monsters. All of which I have enjoyed a lot. And the Dino Dana books live on my coffee table, I legitimately look at those most days.
Featured titles
With you living in London and Mango based in the states: how does the Mango team stay connected and build team culture?
The Mango team is based around the world (Sydney, Bologna, Oslo, Quito, London, Singapore, Miami), so we have gotten very comfortable connecting online. Because we are geographically dispersed, we've always gone out of way to have those extra office chit chats. Thankfully I really, honestly like the people I work with so creating community has been easy.
“ Flexibility and creativity will be key in the coming year. Not just changing to meet these current challenges, but really looking at the new publishing landscape and finding the opportunities.” ― Shawn Hoult
Can you share a sneak peek of some upcoming titles that readers can expect?
One cool theme that has come up kind of organically in our 2022 fall list is the idea of slow living or cottage living. The Cottage Fairy Companion, Living Simply with The Seasons, and Holistic Homesteading are all coming out this August/September and I think they will really resonate with people. I know it’s true here in London, but I feel like everywhere people are ready to take a step back and get back to basics a bit.
What has it been like working with the DropCap team?
We have been working with DropCap for 6 months now and we’ve been impressed. It’s a growing partnership that we are looking forward to continuing to build.
We are living through challenging times. How do you envision the future of publishing at large and of Mango in particular in the coming months/years?
Publishing has been evolving rapidly over the past few years, but the current challenges have certainly exacerbated things. Flexibility and creativity will be key in the coming year. Not just changing to meet these current challenges, but really looking at the new publishing landscape and finding the opportunities. Thinking globally will be a big part of that.
And as a fun question, can you share a little bit more about your experience with comedy around the world—how do audiences differ in Vancouver, London, and New York?
I don't want to fool anyone into thinking I'm a big international comedian. I'm a mediocre comedian that just happens to move around a lot. But I can tell you that New Zealand audiences are the most supportive in the world, whereas there is no more humbling experience than doing a gong show in downtown London.
We want to thank Shawn Hoult for sitting down with us and answering our questions. You can learn more about Mango Publishing and the different books and authors that they represent here.
