James B. Johnston, the founder and owner of Celtic Cat Publishing, LLC, is pleased to announce the sale of the company to Laura Still and Brent Minchey. The sale is expected to close in early 2015, following a transition of responsibilities.

Laura Still is a published poet, playwright, educator, tour guide, and with her latest book, A Haunted History of Knoxville, a history writer. She has edited and screened thousands of submissions for contests and publication since 1999 and was awarded a Golden Shovel for her work in the literary trenches.

Brent Minchey is an experienced business manager who has worked in book design for Celtic Cat and published plays and non-fiction by several authors for an Asheville, NC imprint. He brings technical and marketing experience in print and electronic formats.

Johnston founded Celtic Cat in 1995 to support emerging and established literary talent. Since then, the company has published over 30 works by twenty authors including The Heartland Series host Bill Landry, Jeff Daniel Marion, Marilyn Kallet, Arthur Stewart and Judy DiGregorio. He has received awards for excellence in fiction, poetry, and independent publishing and is the author of a legal thriller, The Price of Peace, as well as a collection of poems and essays, Exile Revisited, which addresses growing up in Belfast, Ireland during The Troubles.

Still said, “I am excited about Celtic Cat’s reputation for publishing beautiful books from high-quality writers. It has a tradition of integrity and fair treatment of authors and I am honored to be chosen to help continue that legacy.” Minchey is looking forward to collaborating with a network of editors, designers, writers, and illustrators on exciting literary projects.

Regarding the sale, Johnston notes, “After almost 20 years, it is hard to part with something I’ve enjoyed so much. However, I’m excited by the sale for I believe Celtic Cat will grow and prosper with the skills and experience Laura and Brent bring to the business. I look forward to working with them in this transitional period.”