at Penguin Random House, Randi Rosenkranz has been appointed to the newly created position of vp, sales development. She most recently was Team Manager, Worldwide Developer Relations at Apple, and before that, Penguin Random House’s vp, digital development.
At Bloomsbury USA, Lea Beresford has been promoted to senior editor.
Book digital marketing firm FSB Associates is opening a second office in Carlsbad, CA. Founders Fauzia Burke and John Burke will now split their time between the new office and Basking Ridge, NJ.
Opening Sales
Random House Children’s says that they sold 200,000 copies of Dr. Seuss‘s What Pet Should I Get? in the first week on sale. The publisher is conducting a social media campaign to support the ASPCA (and the book has a “note from the publisher” about pet adoption as well).
Bookselling
St. Mark’s Bookshop in New York’s East Village sent an email to supporters looking for investment. Owner Bob Contant writes: “Please consider buying an ownership interest in a new St. Mark’s Bookshop. We have been approached by an investor who is interested in funding a rebirth of the bookstore, reorganizing and restructuring the business with an eye to long term viability. He is looking for others to join him in an investment team.” Contant says the store was “undercapitalized for the cost of the move” to new space, which is why they have “understocked shelves.”
Forthcoming
Sourcebooks is expanding their personalized Put Me In the Story books line to include two high-profile Star Wars titles starting in September: Star Wars Rebels: Battle Plans from Darth Vader and Star Wars: The Force Inside.
Initiatives
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is pairing with Boston-based public media producer WGBH in a co-production agreement to create a television and cross-platform series based on Olivier Dunrea’s Gossie & Friends book series. The series will be developed by Carol Greenwald and Dorothea Gillim, executive producer of Curious George, with Gillim as executive producer.