CC’ing Bill Richter

October 23, 2025 | jordan bascom | consortium corner

Bill Richter, a senior client manager at Consortium, discusses fiction in translation, a stint at Vroman’s Bookstore, and joining the team while working 2,000 miles away.

Welcome to Consortium Corner, a Q&A series with staff and reps to celebrate Consortium’s 40 years of independent book distribution.

Tell us a little about yourself and what you do at Consortium.

I’ve been in book publishing and distribution for more than thirty years and while it is occasionally challenging, I still enjoy it a lot. I’ve now been at Consortium for a little over two and a half years, working out of Ingram’s Berkeley office, and this change has worked out really well for me. It is a great group of people, a lot of wonderful publishers, and with people who want to make positive changes in the world. As a client relations manager, I work with our publishers to try to get them to the best place they can be and make sure they are prepared for presales meetings, sales conferences, and to improve their business however we can.

Outside of work, I look to spend time with family and friends, stay in shape physically so I can continue playing rec league soccer, spend time outdoors, and still find time to read and work on my writing.

What are 5 Consortium titles you love and why?

Of Cattle and Men by Ana Paula Maia, trans. Zoë Perry (Charco Press)
Not for the faint of heart, but an excellent examination of the lives and trials of men working at a remote slaughterhouse in Brazil.

On Earth As It Is Beneath by Ana Paula Maia, trans. Padma Viswanathan (Charco Press)
A dark and violent tale of guards and prisoners at a prison well off the beaten path, also in Brazil. And a prequel of sorts to Of Cattle and Men.

Horsefly by Mireille Gagné, trans. Pablo Strauss (Coach House Books)
Mixing the past and present, this is a look at experiments related to viruses done during World War II and the fallout from them. It’s a horror-adjacent read that also includes experiments gone wrong, human folly, and moments of humanity.

Lost & Found: A Portrait of American Wanderlust by Michael Joseph (Kehrer Verlag)
A photographic look at the American Traveler culture, with stunning black and white portraits and some notes along the way about their trials and tribulations, as well as their hopes, dreams, and community.

Deep as Death by Katja Ivar (Bitter Lemon Press)
An engrossing and complex story of a murder and its investigation by a female inspector and the challenges she faces in 1950s Helsinki, Finland.

Outside of Consortium titles, what books have you enjoyed recently?

Here are a few: The Girls by Emma Cline, The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta, and American Midnight by Adam Hochschild.

Can you share any special or formative experiences you’ve had with bookstores and libraries?

My first job after college was a six-month stint working at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena. I was starting to become more of a reader already, but working there put me on the path to truly becoming a reader. It is a great store, and I had wonderful co-workers, and one day while I was working there, I met and wrote up a special order for Robert Reed (aka Mike Brady).

In your time at Consortium, what memorable or meaningful moments stand out?

I don’t have one particular moment to point to, but more of a feeling of acceptance that I received when I moved over from IPS, Ingram’s original distribution brand. The change came as a big surprise and when it happened, I didn’t know anybody at Consortium, so I wasn’t sure how this was going to go over. Thankfully, everyone was very welcoming to me, and it wasn’t long at all before I felt included and part of the team, despite being nearly 2,000 miles away.

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