Pamela Clements has joined Hachette Book Group as associate publisher of marketing for Center Street and Faith Words, focusing on publicity and promotions. She spent 16 years at Thomas Nelson in several executive roles, most recently as publisher of the general interest & lifestyle division (formerly Rutledge Hill Press). At Pippin Properties, Samantha Cosentino has been promoted to rights associate after a year and a half with the literary agency as an assistant. She will be the point person for audio, video, stage adaptation, and foreign rights. Jessica Krakoski joins Basic Books today as a publicist. She has been an […]
Archives for September 2008
Robert Giroux, Publisher, Dies at 94
The former publisher died in his sleep earlier today. The NYT writes: “If the flamboyant Roger Straus presented the public face of Farrar, Straus, Mr. Giroux, as editor-in-chief, was its quiet mover, working behind the scenes to shape its list of books and establishing himself as the gold standard of literary taste. The publisher Charles Scribner Jr., in his memoir, In the Company of Writers: A Life in Publishing (1991), wrote, ‘Giroux is a great man of letters, a great editor, and a great publisher.'”NYT
Woodward: Bush Still in Denial
This time it’s Fox News that broke the embargo on the new Bob Woodward book. Their report doesn’t carry a lot of big revelations, though they note President Bush did sit with Woodward for two interviews for the new book, THE WAR WITHIN. They say Woodward is “less critical” of the president this time, though he still writes: “President Bush has rarely leveled with the public to explain what he was doing and what should be expected. He did not seek sacrifice from most of the country when he had the chance. He did not even mobilize his own party. […]
As in US, Waterstone's Sales Fall
Citing a “tough consumer environment” and in particular a “a weaker book market,” HMV said in a brief trading update for the 18 weeks weeks ending August 30 that same-store sales at the Waterstone’s chain fell 4.3 percent, and declined 1.7 percent after you take out Harry Potter. Total sales at Waterstone’s fell 5.9 percent for the period. The chain launched the Sony Reader yesterday with about 7,000 titles available (they expect to have about 20,000 titles by the end of the year) and has enrolled 1.8 million loyalty card members.Statement
Sedita to Run Grossett and PSS; Ford Leaves HBG; New Boomsbury Line; More Personnel and Distribution News
Francesco Sedita has been named vp, publisher of Grosset & Dunlap and Price, Stern Sloan, reporting to Penguin Children’s president Don Weisberg and starting September 29. Most recently he was executive creative director at Scholastic, where he worked for the past seven years. Weisberg says, “Francesco’s varied background in creative marketing, school book clubs, in addition to his involvement with the campaigns for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Brian Selznick’s award-wining The Invention of Hugo Cabret, makes him the perfect fit. For Grosset and PSS, I was searching for someone who is totally immersed in the trends of […]
'Rich Dad' Suit Settled
Sharon Lechter, former partner of Rich Dad author Robert Kiyosaki, has received an undisclosed sum to settle her suit against Kiyosaki and his wife and has sold Kiyosaki her interest in the Rich Dad Co. AZ Central notes that “Lechter had alleged that the Kiyosakis had enriched themselves, diverted assets and wasted money in a business that she claimed to have helped build from scratch. Lechter also had claimed that she ‘often rewrote large sections’ of books she and Robert Kiyosaki co-authored.” Lechter left the company last year, and her suit was set for trial at the end of December […]