Publisher of Sweden’s Nicotext Fredrik Colting has now admitted that he wrote 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye and invented the pseudonym JD California. (A photo that ran in the Telegraph depicted a friend of Colting’s who is an actor.)
Colting claims not to have understood he was echoing Salinger’s name with his pseudonym: “Somehow, John David California sounded like JD. I didn’t think about that actually. I just thought it sounded cool. Of course afterwards, I see the resemblance.”
He has also backed off of his fiery language about the suit and now claims, “I’ve never said this is the sequel… “What I wanted to explore is this concept of the relationship between character and creator. After we close the books, what happens to characters after that? Do they just cease to exist? Or do they continue living?” On the idea of serving as a self-publisher, he remarks, “Well, we’ve never published any novels before, and we had this novel that I wrote. We just figured, what the heck. Why not widen our horizons and publish this? It would be good for the publishing company.”
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The Frankfurt Book Fair announced that they have renewed their contract with Messe, committing the show to the current location at least until 2022. Separately, the London Book Fair officially initiated their “market focus” for the 2010 show, highlighting South Africa.
Owner of Granta and Portobello Books Sigrid Rausing tells the Bookseller that outgoing managing director David Graham will not be replaced, and that she and husband Eric Abraham “will become more involved.” When Graham was hired in 2006, Rausing had said that it would “free up Philip Gwyn Jones to focus exclusively on his role as publisher,” but now Gwyn Jones will have his job “expanded” again. And John Freeman looks likely to remain in place as editor of Granta on a permanent basis. “The thought is that he will become the editor,” Rausing says.
Andrew Malkin has joined Zinio in their New York office to lead their e-book strategy and growth for them as vp, book content, reporting to ceo Rich Maggiotto. Previously, he held the position of vp, trade book sales at Rodale.
Megan Clancy has been promoted to imprint marketing manager for both Touchstone Fireside and Free Press. She was most recently the publishing manager for Touchstone Fireside.
Alexis Barad-Cutler joined PlayBac Publishing in April as associate publisher. Barad-Cutler worked at HarperFestival most recently, and has also worked at Random House/Golden Books.