Posted yesterday, after the Authors Guild “alert” to authors, Wiley says that contrary to the Guild’s conclusion: “We believe former Bloomberg authors will be paid higher royalties in most instances. The limited number of contract amendments the AG apparently chose to select are not therefore representative; nor are their ‘calculations’ accurate. In any event, Wiley stands by its offer to discuss their individual contracts with all affected authors. We are happy to address any questions and concerns they may have about their individual contracts. Wiley is committed to the Bloomberg authors and is confident we will provide the best possible […]
Archives for June 2010
New Line of Jewish Bios from Yale
Yale University Press is launching a new biographyseries, Jewish Lives, as “a collaboration with the Leon D. Black Foundation,” acquired for the press by Ileene Smith, who is editorial director of the line. Black is credited with conceiving the line in answer to a question from one of his sons about the meaning of Jewish identity. Black writes, “I see this library of biography as a powerful opportunity for Jewish families, congregations, schools, and general readers to enrich with pride their understanding of Jewish life through history.” Historians Anita Shapira of Tel Aviv University and Steven J. Zipperstein of Stanford […]
People
At the Simon & Schuster adult trade imprint, Michelle Jasmine and Jessica Abell have both been promoted to associate publicist. And at S&S’s Howard Books imprint, Holly Halverson joined the company as senior editor (she was at the Hachette Book Group most recently), and Jessica Wong has been promoted to associate editor. VP of publicity Jennifer Willingham has been promoted to associate publisher, and Angie VanTassell has been hired as director of publicity. She was at Alday Communications most recently. Ashley Earnhardt has been promoted to publishing manager. At Simon & Schuster UK, a consolidation of Pocket Books into the […]
Borders Said to Lay Off Store-Based Paperchase Employees
According to a message board populated by anonymous Borders employees, all store-based Paperchase merchandisers/managers in the over 337 in-store shops within Borders stores have been let go. Some posts on that same board suggest that regional managers are being given notice as well. One employee writes, “As I understood it, the entire Paperchase field team has been eliminated.” Borders spokesperson Mary Davis says that regional managers are not affected and will continue in their current roles. On the broader reductions, the company says: “Borders is always looking for opportunities to improve performance and profitability. The changes we have made in […]
DC's Politics and Prose Seeks New Owner
The news is now public that Washington, DC’s iconic Politics and Prose bookstore is up for sale. (At least one trade-related group has been in informal discussions with owners Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade recently.) Meade tells the Washington Post, “It’s time for us to stop and let somebody else take over for the future” as Cohen adds, “I just don’t have the energy like I used to.” Sadly, as the story quietly underscores, “Cohen is also seriously ill.” The store’s financials are said to be solid, though for some odd reason the newspaper chooses to cite recent sales number […]
Awards
Barbara Kingsolver‘s THE LACUNA finally overtook Hilary Mantel’s well-lauded WOLF HALL in winning the UK’s Orange Prize. Chair of the judges Daisy Goodwin said, “We had very different tastes on the panel, but in the end we went for passion not compromise. We chose ‘The Lacuna’ because it is a book of breathtaking scale and shattering moments of poignancy.”Irene Sabatini‘s THE BOY NEXT DOOR won the Orange Award for New Writers.Site Book-of-the-Month Club’s 2009 First Fiction Award has gone to Robert Goolrick‘s A RELIABLE WIFE (Algonquin), which they call “an astonishingly accomplished and intriguing historical fiction novel in which nothing […]