Columbia University Press has acquired UK publisher of peer-reviewed books in film studies Wallflower Press Books. The unit had been a distribution client of Columbia’s in the North and South America. CUP president Jim Jordan says in the announcement, “When Wallflower Press found itself unable to sustain business on their own after some financial setbacks, we decided to explore an alternative to losing a client that had served us well for ten years. Acquiring the publishing rights to their list and creating the imprint is the best way to keep Wallflower Press’s outstanding list around for years to come.”
Columbia acquired world rights to nearly 170 backlist titles and will continue to publish approximately 15 new titles a year under the Wallflower Press imprint.
Bloomsbury’s director of children’s rights Rebecca Mancini has left the company.
Kristin Ostby has joined Albert Whitman & Company as senior editor. She has been a freelance editor, and previously worked at Grosset & Dunlap/Price Stern Sloan.
Headline publisher for non-fiction Carly Cook will join Simon & Schuster UK as deputy editorial director of non-fiction, reporting to editorial director Mike Jones. She starts at S&S UK in early September and will focus on popular memoirs, humor, music, pop culture and comedy.
Harper New Zealand has made an agreement with Weta Workshop for global publication of illustrated movie tie-in books written and designed by Weta. They are also discussing working together on digital products as well. Harper and Weta have worked together on tie-ins to movies including the Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia adaptations.