Author Solutions, Inc. completes acquisition of iUniverse

iUniverse joins AuthorHouse as part of Author Solutions, Inc. to give authors more options and control

(BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – October 9, 2007) Author Solutions, Inc. today announced it closed the previously announced acquisition of iUniverse, a leading self-publishing company. iUniverse will join AuthorHouse as one of the brands of Author Solutions, the world’s leading self-publishing company. Author Solutions, a Bertram Capital-owned holding company, was acquired by Bertram in January 2007. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“iUniverse’s commitment to providing authors with the publishing expertise required for professional results falls directly in line with the goals of Author Solutions,” said Jeff Drazan, managing director of Bertram Capital. “Both iUniverse and AuthorHouse will provide authors of all experience levels with the most comprehensive knowledge base and tools necessary to help them achieve their self-publishing goals.”

Author Solutions is committed to strengthening the offerings of AuthorHouse and iUniverse while maintaining their respective identities in the marketplace.

“Together, these two companies, along with Wordclay, our free DIY online book publishing solution, are poised to dramatically change the publishing landscape,” said Bryan Smith, CEO of Author Solutions and AuthorHouse “As the trend of author-centric publishing continues, our large size and vast knowledge of the publishing industry are invaluable to authors looking for everything from the control of a free DIY Web-based publishing option to high-end personal attention with unwavering support throughout their publishing experience.” Smith added, “In the end, this makes the world better for authors and readers because together we can offer more options, more services and more opportunities.

“We want to provide authors with the widest range of resources to self-publish, so we will continue to identify the different strengths of each company and work hard to further enhance and expand those offerings,” said Susan Driscoll, president and CEO of iUniverse. “One of our goals is to provide clarity in the marketplace so self-published authors can easily choose the path that is best for them. We will draw on the expertise of AuthorHouse and iUniverse professionals worldwide to help us achieve that goal,” according to Driscoll.

AuthorHouse and iUniverse offices will remain open in all six locations around the world.

For more information on Author Solutions, Inc., please visit www.authorsolutions.com.  Further information on AuthorHouse and iUniverse can be found at www.authorhouse.com and www.iuniverse.com, respectively.

About Author Solutions, Inc.
Author Solutions, Inc, which is owned by Bertram Capital, is the leading company in the world focused on helping authors publish, promote and sell their books. Through a variety of brands, the company offers the most comprehensive range of services to help authors reach their book publishing goals. Currently, Author Solutions provides services around the globe through the AuthorHouse, AuthorHouse UK, Rooftop, Wordclay and iUniverse brands. These different brands operate from offices in Bloomington, Ind.; Indianapolis, Ind.; and Milton Keynes, England.; Lincoln, Neb.; New York City and Shanghai, China.  www.authorsolutions.com

About Bertram Capital
Located in Palo Alto, Calif. near Stanford University, Bertram Capital is a $350 million private equity firm. Bertram invests in innovative companies throughout the United States and abroad, providing strategic insight, technical savvy and operational expertise that make it an attractive partner for companies looking to expand. Bertram’s mission is to build value for equity holders, employees, customers and partners by helping already profitable companies realize their full operational and financial potential. For more information, please visit www.bertramcapital.com.

About AuthorHouse
Headquartered in Bloomington, Ind., AuthorHouse is the leading provider of publishing and marketing services for authors around the globe; last year publishing one out of every 30 titles in the United States. Since its founding in 1997, AuthorHouse has served the publishing needs of nearly 30,000 authors and produced more than 40,000 titles. AuthorHouse titles are available at more than 25,000 retail outlets worldwide including Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com. For media inquiries, contact Lauren Kinzler of Dittoe PR at 317-202-2280 or lauren@dittoepr.com.  For company information, please visit www.authorhouse.com.

About iUniverse
Founded in October 1999, iUniverse has sold over 5 million books and is one of the largest self-publishing companies in the United States. In addition to the bookselling expertise provided by a strategic alliance with Barnes & Noble, iUniverse is the only self-publishing services provider that offers the same full range of services that authors would expect from traditional publishers, including industry-standard publishing, editorial and marketing services. iUniverse has helped more than 5,000 authors a year achieve their dream of becoming a published author. iUniverse has offices in New York City, Shanghai, China and Lincoln, Neb. For media inquiries, contact Heather Williams of Planned Television Arts at 212-583-2729 or williamsh@plannedtvarts.com. For company information, please visit, www.iuniverse.com.