Mary Matalin adds ‘publisher’ to list of titles

Mary Matalin, the Republican pundit and strategist also known as the wife/sparring partner of Democratic consultant James Carville, will run a new conservative publishing imprint at Simon & Schuster.

The imprint, currently unnamed, is expected to release six to 10 books a year, beginning in 2006.

The market for conservative books has become increasingly competitive. Penguin Group USA and Random House Inc. have formed special imprints in recent years and Regnery Publishing, based in Washington, has released a wave of bestsellers, including the influential “Unfit for Command,” which accused Democratic presidential contender John Kerry of lying about his war record.

Matalin, who served as an assistant to President Bush during his first term, will continue to work out of Washington and said she did not expect to end her political involvement.