UTA Signs Romantic Fiction Company 831 Stories

EXCLUSIVE: UTA has signed modern romantic fiction company 831 Stories for representation.

Founded by Erica Cerulo and Claire Mazur, 831 Stories is focused on an innovative, multi-touch approach to the romance genre. The ambition, aside from publishing binge-worthy, contemporary romance novels, is to build entire universes and experiences around these stories to promote further fan engagement. Facets of that include online bonus content, original music available via Spotify, fan fiction, the sale of themed merchandise, and in-person events.

Cerulo and Mazur are seasoned entrepreneurs who in 2010 founded Of a Kind, an ecommerce and content brand they eventually sold to Bed Bath & Beyond. While running Of a Kind, they created the podcast and newsletter A Thing or Two, where they chronicled their journey as entrepreneurs. In early 2020, the pair turned to romance novels as a source of comfort and escapism while navigating career changes and the onset of the pandemic. They became fascinated by the social and cultural significance of the genre’s exploding popularity and the dynamics of its long-thriving fandom, as well as its potential to shift attitudes toward women’s sexual and romantic lives in consequential ways. The vision for 831 Stories began with a desire to offer romance readers the premium fan treatment, like the one that comic book, sports, and reality TV enthusiasts are accustomed to.

In partnership with Authors Equity and with distribution from Simon & Schuster, 831 Stories plans to publish six titles in its first year, featuring self-possessed female lead characters and explicit on-page intimacy. Their initial releases, Alexandra Romanoff’s Big Fan and A.C. Robinson’s Hardly Strangers, are now available, along with related merchandise, playlists, fan fiction, and live events. Their next title, Comedic Timing, is scheduled for release in January.

Said Cerulo and Mazur in a joint statement to Deadline, “We could not be more excited to partner with a group of exceptionally smart, talented women at UTA who believe in the power of the romance genre to delight audiences and transform culture. From our very first conversations with Blair Kohan and her team, it’s been evident that their vision for the potential of 831 Stories is as big and as bold as ours, and that they have a clear understanding of how to achieve it, informed by an abundance of expertise, savvy, and instinct.”