Lev Grossman thinks he has big ideas about the evolution of publishing, and the novel in particular: “A lot of headlines and blogs to the contrary, publishing isn’t dying. But it is evolving, and so radically that we may hardly recognize it when it’s done. Literature interprets the world, but it’s also shaped by that world, and we’re living through one of the greatest economic and technological transformations since–well, since the early 18th century. The novel won’t stay the same: it has always been exquisitely sensitive to newness, hence the name. It’s about to renew itself again, into something cheaper, […]
Archives for January 2009
Follett to Drop Adobe, Launch Own Reader
Follett is launching their own ereader software for downloadable versions of books for K-12 users which, depending upon on how you look at it, is a great or terrible idea. Martyn Daniels, for example, approves: “Follet are now taking control of their digital business and channel.” But TeleRead is appalled at the introduction of yet another reader, particularly since it doesn’t seem to work with the ePub standard. Follett is giving their customers between February 9 and March 2 to “download and install the new Follett Digital Reader on all the computers in your system that patrons can use.” And […]
People
Psychologist and author Dr. Stanley Fisher, husband of Newmarket Press president and publisher Esther Margolis, died on Tuesday of lung cancer, after a short illness. He was 81. His book DISCOVERING THE POWER OF SELF-HYPNOSIS was first published by HarperCollins in 1991, and in a revised and updated second edition by Newmarket Press in 2000. At Little, Brown Children’s, Andrew Smith has been promoted to deputy publisher. Victoria Stapleton moves up to manager, school and library marketing and Lisa Sabater is now publicity manager.
Next at Random House: The Sales Groups
SVP and director of Random House adult sales Jacqueline Updike announced this morning a revised sales management structure. Online and digital sales director Amanda Close takes over as group sales director for the Crown Group; former Doubleday Group sales director Janet Cooke becomes group sales director for the Knopf Group; and sales marketing director for the former Bantam Dell Group Cynthia Lasky will serve as group sales director for the Random House Group. Updike says “the chief responsibility of these executives is to develop and implement plans that achieve their group’s overall sales targets. Each will be charged with building […]
Horn Book Sold
The Horn Book, Inc.–the Boston-based publisher of The Horn Book Magazine and The Horn Book Guide, which review over 4,000 children’s books annually–has been acquired by Ohio’s Media Source, best-known for their Junior Library Guild review and selection service for children’s and YA books. Horn Book will continue to run editorial operations from their Boston office. Editor-in-chief Roger Sutton says in the announce: “The expertise, enthusiasm, and resources that Media Source brings to the table will allow us to enlarge our audience while maintaining our independent viewpoint and high standards. Our print and digital publications will be refreshed, redesigned, and […]
Over 2 Million Downloads for New Orman Book
Spiegel & Grau reports that the weeklong Oprah-driven promotion of free electronic versions of Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan led to over 2.1 million English-language downloads and another 45,000 Spanish downloads. The publisher says they have 1.1 million copies in print of the trade paperback.