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Erotic classics relaunched by Perennial

11.09.08 Graeme Neill

Ten erotic literature classics have been given a "tantalising" treatment by HarperPerennial, which will publish the titles in time for Valentine's Day.

The Forbidden Classics selection, including the Marquis de Sade's Justine and Emmanuelle Arsan's Emmanuelle, will be released in mid-January. As well as selling the titles through booksellers, the publisher is examining the possibility of supplying the books to erotica shops such as Agent Provocateur.

Paul Baggaley, publishing director at Perennial, said the imprint had been looking at ways to expand its backlist but wanted to target particular genres. The publisher is planning to release further picks of 10 titles in different categories.

"We felt the best erotica was from the past and it has real literary merit but  has always been published in a rather po-faced manner or very cheaply produced," he said. "We wanted to give these titles some beautiful packaging."

The books will be published as A-format paperbacks, priced at £6.99.

Baggaley said the "tantalising" covers had been shot by -photo-grapher Stephen Tasker: "We wanted to give customers something afford-able but we also wanted the books to be given a classier look." He added that the photography was intended to distinguish them from versions released by other publishers.

"The whole point is that these books are available through a number of publishers," he said. "What we are doing is publishing something that's very attractive. They are erotic without being actually explicit."

Book Graeme Neill Perennial

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