Alessandro Cattelan launches Accento, a Milanese publishing house for forgotten authors

TV and radio host Alessandro Cattelan founded Accento, a new independent publishing house based in Milan, a few months ago. The press focuses on rediscovering forgotten, out-of-print, unpublished, and unknown authors, primarily in fiction with occasional nonfiction. Editorial director Matteo B. Bianchi, a writer and literary podcast host, selects the titles. The team includes editor Eleonora Daniel, social media manager Ludovica Sauer, graphic designers Cecilia Bianchini and Giovanni Cavalleri, press officer Roberta De Marchis, and commercial director Gianmario Pilo (from Add and co-founder of La Grande Invasione festival). The pop graphic design is by Paper Paper studio. Accento plans eight titles per year in paperback format across three series: Accento Acuto (debuts), Accento Grave (rediscoveries), and Dieresi (essays). The first five books, all novels, were released in late 2023: on October 26, "Tutto ciò che poteva rompersi" by David Valentini, "Senza respiro" by Raffaella Mottana, and the US bestseller "Manual of Hunting and Fishing for Girls" by Melissa Bank (recently deceased); on November 30, "Quasi di nascosto", an anthology of 12 authors under 25 selected from 400 candidates; in February 2024, "Hostaggio" by architect Elena Ghiretti; and in March 2024, "Madama Matrioska" by Anja Boato. Upcoming in May 2024 are "Baba" by Mohamed Maalel (May 10) and "Fotomodella" by Elisabetta Valentini (May 24), a 1988 text on the rise of top models.