Bombadil Publishing

Bombadil Publishing is a youth-to-youth publishing house, founded in Sweden in 2007 by Marianne Rugård-Järvstråt. It operates on a franchise basis and has branches in many countries.

The company publishes both fiction and non-fiction books written by and for pre-teens, teenagers, and young adults (ages 12–26). It uses mentors and tutors, rather than traditional editors, to assist the authors in creating a quality book,[https://archive.today/20130822193719/http://www.laprensagrafica.com/fama/espectaculos/62332-editorial-sueca-publica-a-salvadoreno "Editorial sueca publica a salvadoreño"], La Prensa Gráfica, 27 September 2009 {{in lang|es}} and organises searches for promising authors[https://archive.today/20130822193750/http://www.prensalibre.com/noticias/Editorial-apoyara-escritores_0_389361101.html "Editorial apoyará a escritores"], Prensa Libre, 13 December 2010 {{in lang|es}} as well as finding them through social media.Eduardo Portillo, [http://www.laprensagrafica.com/el-salvador/departamentos/93500-editorial-sueca-publicara-libro-a-dos-estudiantes-salvadorenos "Editorial sueca publicará libro a dos estudiantes salvadoreños"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306013816/http://www.laprensagrafica.com/el-salvador/departamentos/93500-editorial-sueca-publicara-libro-a-dos-estudiantes-salvadorenos |date=2016-03-06 }}, La Prensa Gráfica, 15 February 2010 {{in lang|es}} The authors themselves design the covers and write the back-cover text.[http://na.se/nyheter/nyheter/1.195682-nytt-bokforlag-for-ungdomar-i-gyttorp "Nytt bokförlag för ungdomar i Gyttorp"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130822202444/http://na.se/nyheter/nyheter/1.195682-nytt-bokforlag-for-ungdomar-i-gyttorp |date=2013-08-22 }}, Nerikes Allehanda, 10 February 2009, updated 4 May 2009 {{in lang|sv}}

Books are marketed and sold under the single Bombadil Publishing brand, but the company is a franchise operation and has offices in many countries, including the US, the UK, India, and Latin America.Jaime Ulises Marinero, [http://www.lapagina.com.sv/entrevistas/41809/Los-jovenes-necesitan-identificarse-y--a-alguien-que-escuche-sus-maravillosas-ideas "'Los jóvenes necesitan identificarse y a alguien que escuche sus maravillosas ideas'"], Interview with Marianne Rugård-Järvstråt, La Página, 28 October 2010 {{in lang|es}} After the company's foundation in 2007, major expansion began early in 2008, with eleven countries being added in November that year alone[http://www.franchiseportal.de/franchise-franchising/Article/ID/51/Session/1-ai7bwP5t-0-IP/guidObject/023837-20081222-102931-01/Schwedischer_Jugendverlag_Bombadil_w%C3%A4chst_weltweit_per_Franchising_.htm "Schwedischer Jugendverlag Bombadil wächst weltweit per Franchising"], Franchise-Journal, Franchise Portal, 22 December 2008 {{in lang|de}} and the number of authors rising from several hundred to over 50,000 by the end of the year and to over 200,000 by the end of 2010.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}} {{As of|2010|02}}, Bombadil was publishing in 28 languages; {{As of|2010|09|lc=on}}, it had authors in 90 countries.[http://www.bombadilpublishing.com/bombadilians/ Bombadillians], Bombadil Publishing, retrieved 22 August 2013. Some books are published in multiple languages. Authors receive a 20% share of the price of each book sold.Marcus Nilsson, [http://www.kristianstadsbladet.se/sport/article1381519/Tvillingtjejernas-bokdrom-gick-i-uppfyllelse.html "Tvillingtjejernas bokdröm gick i uppfyllelse"], Kristianstadsbladet, 10 February 2011, updated 11 February 2011 {{in lang|sv}}Clément S., [http://www.actualitte.com/societe/analphabetisme-un-livre-de-bienfaisance-pour-la-lutte-mondiale-6858.htm "Analphabétisme: Un livre de bienfaisance pour la lutte mondiale"], ActuaLitté, 23 December 2008 {{in lang|fr}}[http://www.bombadilpublishing.com/about/peace-through-culture%E2%84%A2/ Peace Through Culture with Bombadil Publishing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925074032/http://www.bombadilpublishing.com/about/peace-through-culture%E2%84%A2/ |date=2013-09-25 }}, Bombadil Publishing, retrieved 22 August 2013.

The books are primarily sold on the publisher's website and advertised by word-of-mouth, although in some cases they can be bought in shops; in 2011 the company was negotiating with IKEA and ICA to have some books sold at their stores.

In El Salvador, Bombadil had difficulty securing promised token government payments to authors[http://www.elsalvador.com/mwedh/nota/nota_completa.asp?idCat=47868&idArt=6258696 "Sec retrasa pago a jóvenes poetas"], El Salvador.com, 3 October 2011 {{in lang|es}} and in 2012 had to abandon a claim for reimbursement for 10,000 books ordered by a government ministry that were not paid for.[https://archive.today/20130822193731/http://m.laprensagrafica.com/2011/12/22/editorial-sueca-demandara-a-la-dpi/ "Editorial sueca demandará a la DPI"], La Prensa Gráfica, 11 December 2011 {{in lang|es}}José González, [http://www.lapagina.com.sv/cultura/60824/2012/01/09/SECULTURA-%E2%80%9CCualquier-demanda-de-Bombadil-resultaria-improcedente%E2%80%9D "SECULTURA: 'Cualquier demanda de Bombadil resultaría improcedente'"], La Página, 10 January 2012 {{in lang|es}}Óscar González, [http://www.laprensagrafica.com/fama/cultura/244206-la-renuncia-de-una-demanda-sueca "La renuncia de una “demanda” sueca"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305070556/http://www.laprensagrafica.com/fama/cultura/244206-la-renuncia-de-una-demanda-sueca |date=2016-03-05 }}, La Prensa Gráfica, 20 January 2012 {{in lang|es}} One of the Swedish companies was put into administration on 17 February 2011 in Örebro District Court, Sweden.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}