Authorhouse and iUniverse Join Forces to Change the Publishing Landscape

Under Author Solutions, Inc., the World's Two Largest Providers of Publishing Services Will Expand Offerings to Give Authors More Choice and More Control

Bloomington, IN. (September 6, 2007) AuthorHouse and iUniverse have agreed to terms that will add iUniverse to the Author Solutions, Inc. family of brands. The transaction was announced jointly today by Bryan Smith, president and CEO of Author Solutions and AuthorHouse, and Susan Driscoll, president and CEO of iUniverse. Author Solutions, Inc., a Bertram Capital-owned holding company, was acquired by Bertram in January 2007. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"As technology advances, more people can achieve their dream of publishing a book," said Jeff Drazan, managing director of Bertram Capital. "That means whether an author needs an online DIY publishing tool, a traditional publishing arrangement or comprehensive author services to self publish, Author Solutions can help." Drazan went on to say, "We are excited about the future of publishing and are committed to providing the investment needed to make Author Solutions, Inc. the preeminent worldwide provider of author and publishing services."

"There's no question that publishing is increasingly becoming more author-centric," said Susan Driscoll, president and CEO of iUniverse. "We have always been focused on providing authors with the publishing expertise required for professional results. Now, through Author Solutions, we have a terrific opportunity to provide all authors—both self-published and traditionally published—with the broadest range of services to help them achieve their individual goals for success."

"At AuthorHouse, we have built our brand by making service to the author our first priority," said Bryan Smith, president and CEO of Author Solutions and AuthorHouse, "and iUniverse has done a great job leveraging their traditional publishing experience to make authors successful. By bringing the two biggest forces in self-publishing together, we will draw on the unique strengths of both brands and offer an even better suite of publishing services for authors."

Smith added, "Offices will remain in all six locations around the world, and we will continue to aggressively pursue additional growth opportunities globally."

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, IN; Indianapolis, IN; Milton Keynes, UK; Lincoln, NE; New York City and Shanghai, China. www.authorsolutions.com

About Bertram Capital

Located in Palo Alto, CA, 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, IN, 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, NE. 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.