Amazon.com this morning moved further into the world of book publishing, beyond its traditional sales and distribution business, with the announcement of its seventh publishing imprint, 47North, focused on science fiction, fantasy, and horror titles.

47North is starting with a coup, announcing that it’s publishing the “The Mongoliad: Book One,” the first in the collaborative five-book Foreworld series led by noted authors Neal Stephenson and Greg Bear.

It’s one of 15 launch titles for the new 47North imprint. Others are listed on the 47North website.

The name 47North is a reference to Seattle’s latitude, a nod to Amazon’s hometown. The names of some other Amazon Publishing imprints also are references to Seattle, including the company’s Thomas & Mercer thrillers and its Montlake Romance imprint.

47North is part of a broader push by the Seattle-based online retailer into the business of publishing books, not just selling them. It’s also part of a trend in which Amazon is increasingly competing with its own suppliers, as detailed in the past by the Wall Street Journal.

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