Archives for October 2005

Less Would Have Been More Profitable With every new book in the Harry Potter series, the press frenzy of anticipation has gotten stronger and stronger, and the pre-order fuelled opening day sale has risen — even as the total sales decline from book to book. Which poses extra challenges to Scholastic: how do you properly calculate and delivery enough books to meet initial demand without getting stuck with too much inventory shortly thereafter? A report in the Independent suggests the publisher should have foregone reprints of 2.7 million copies on THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE as Scholastic chairman Dick Robinson “admits bookshops […]

Monday, October 31 Advertisement Pace University’s Master of Science publishing program gives you the edge you need in today’s competitive publishing industry. This unique program covers all aspects of the publishing business — book, magazine, newspaper and electronic — as well as editing, finance, production, sales, marketing, circulation, acquisitions and subsidiary rights. The program offers well-known professors, cutting-edge technology and on-line courses. Attend an information session on Thursday, November 17th online at www.pace.edu at 6:00 p.m, or Thursday, December 8th at our Midtown Center, 551 Fifth Avenue, at 5:30 pm. To learn more about the publishing program click here, or […]

Stehlik to Take Over at Avon Liate Stehlik has been hired to serve as svp and publisher of Avon, reporting to HarperMorrow group publisher Michael Morrison, starting at the end of November. Stehlik fills a slot that has been vacant. Avon executive editor Carrie Feron, who had been reporting to Morrison, will now report to Stehlik. She has been associate publisher at Pocket Books since 2001. From the UK Da Vinci Hearing A trial date of February 27 has been set in London for the lawsuit brought by Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh against Dan Brown and Random House over […]

Bratton’s Books Details are scant, but Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton apparently has two more books in the works, one on management and another on counterterrorism, according to the LA Times. The paper says the news took some city officials by surprise, and “Bratton isn’t talking about details of the books.” LAT For HCI Employees The Deerfield, FL-based publisher Health Communications is without power or telephones and has closed temporarily in the wake of Hurricane Wilma. Editorial director Bret Witter is trying to get in contact with other publishing division employees from an outpost in Atlanta. Witter can […]

Searchable Books: Microsoft is Next This much is clear: More books are going to be searchable in more places on the Internet. Yesterday Microsoft announced a plan to establish MSN Book Search. Set to begin rolling out in beta next year, they aim to gather “content from books, academic materials, periodicals and other print resources.” The initial focus is clearly on materials in the public domain, and to that end Microsoft has joined the Open Content Alliance (OCA) that was announced a few weeks ago, and will pay $5 million to fund the scanning of 150,000 books under the supervision […]

Wallace Leaves Wenner; S&S Moves Bulger to Head New Distribution Client Group Bob Wallace has resigned as head of the Wenner Books line to “pursue other opportunities.” A spokesman says the imprint “is alive and well with a full catalogue for 2006,” though Lloyd Grove cites a Wenner Media “insider” as indicating that “Wallace’s departure probably signals the inevitable demise of the book-publishing division.” Simon & Schuster has created a new distribution client unit to be run by Joe Bulger, who takes the position of vp, client management and business development, reporting to svp of supply chain operations Joe D’Onofrio. […]