West Margin Press Announces Collaboration With Entrepreneur Tina Wells

BERKELEY, Calif. , August 04 /Businesswire/ - West Margin Press® has announced a new book series in collaboration with entrepreneur and author Tina Wells. The Zee Files is a spinoff of Wells’ wildly successful Mackenzie Blue series. The new series portrays the adventures of a slightly older Mackenzie (called Zee for short), who leaves her California home to attend boarding school in England. The series will be exclusive to Target stores throughout the United States.

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Cover art for new Zee Files series (Graphic: Business Wire)

“I am so excited to bring this project to life and introduce Zee to a new audience," says Wells. “Representation in middle-grade fiction is so important to me and crucial for a better future. I am thrilled to introduce these characters to a new generation of young readers, and grateful to West Margin Press and Target for giving me this platform.”

The first book in The Zee Files series will be released in brick-and-mortar Target stores as well as on Target.com on December 1, 2020. Three subsequent titles are slated to launch the following year with the aim to enter the hearts and minds of tweens around the country.

“Our purpose at Target is to help all families discover the joy of everyday life, and we’re excited to continue to deliver on that promise thanks to this collaboration and the incredible imagination that Tina brings to storytelling,” said Ann Maranzano, Senior Divisional Merchandising Manager, Entertainment at Target. “More than ever our guests are looking to see themselves represented in our stores and that’s why we know The Zee Files will resonate with so many families.”

The idea for The Zee Files was hatched more than a year ago with Wells wanting to continue the beloved story for slightly older fans who loved Mackenzie Blue. Dubbed “tween fiction,” this series will fall between middle-grade and young adult into an underrepresented target group of kids age 11 to 14 years. The books are a collaboration between three Black women—Tina herself, along with co-writer Stephanie Smith and illustrator Veronica Miller Jamison. The main character, Zee, is from a biracial family, which will be apparent from the new artwork commissioned for her latest adventures.

“We are thrilled to partner with Tina to introduce Zee to tween readers everywhere,” said West Margin Press Publishing Director, Jennifer Newens. “This unique collaboration highlights a new, important voice in the children’s book space. That The Zee Files is an #ownvoices series makes it even more important and timely.”

About West Margin Press | westmarginpress.com

West Margin Press, an Ingram Content Group independent publisher, is a growing print and e-book publishing company based in Berkeley, California. We’re dedicated to creating beautiful books and sharing unique voices and important stories. Our genres span many categories, including nature and travel, history and memoir, literary fiction, food and lifestyle, and an array of children’s titles.

Our Mission: West Margin Press is committed to creating a better understanding of our world through purposeful content, engaging design, and authentic experiences.

About Tina Wells | tinawells.com

Tina Wells is a business strategist, advisor, author, and the founder of RLVNT Media, a multimedia content venture serving entrepreneurs, tweens and culturists with authentic representation. Tina has been recognized by Fast Company's 100 Most Creative People in Business, Essence’s 40 Under 40 and more. For over two decades she led Buzz Marketing Group, an agency she founded at age 16 with clients like Dell, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Kroger, Apple, P+G, Johnson & Johnson, and American Eagle that Tina connected with her network of 30,000 buzzSpotters® and 7,000 “momSpotters”, all influential miillennials and passionate end-consumers. Tina is also the author of seven books, including the best-selling tween fiction series Mackenzie Blue, and the marketing handbook, Chasing Youth Culture and Getting It Right. Tina’s board positions have included THINX, the United Nations Foundation’s Global Entrepreneurs Council, The Franklin Institute and Young Entrepreneur’s Council. She has also served as the Academic Director for Wharton’s Leadership in the Business World Program at the University of Pennsylvania and is a member of the 2017 Class of Henry Crown Fellows within the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.

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