At Shelf Awareness, Melissa Solberg has been promoted to sales director, and Autumn Sakai has joined the company as sales associate.
Reginald Hill, creator of the Dalziel and Pascoe series of crime novels, has died at the age of 75. He won the Crime Writers Association’s Golden Dagger in 1990 and the Diamond Dagger in 1995.
Author Paula Deen is reportedly preparing to admit that she has diabetes and is said to have an endorsement deal with Novartis, whose diabetes medication she takes. The Daily says Deen “has been trying to keep her condition a secret, even after the National Enquirer reported in April that she has Type 2 diabetes, which is often associated with fatty foods and obesity.”
The ABA lists 37 member bookstores that opened in 2011, though that includes 6 new branches for existing members and eight stores that primarily sell used books.
UK agent Andrew Lownie shares a survey of what 20 UK commissioning editors are looking for in 2012.
Random House UK has joined its corporate siblings in the US and Germany in adding a speakers’ bureau, working in conjunction with The London Speaker Bureau. They are starting with 13 authors, the Bookseller writes, including Sebastian Faulks and Louis de Bernieres.
Company site
Also from the UK, Faber chief executive Stephen Page shares his thoughts on “the way ahead for publishing” this year. “There’s a riot of cross-dressing going on; a scramble as roles are redefined by usefulness, not legacy…. In my view, while 2011 may have signalled the beginning of the end of the era of publishers-with-access-to-the-mass-market as the dominant model for book publishing, it did not signal an end to the opportunity presented by writing or publishing more generally.”
Page reiterates his views on some of the “several things at which publishers will need to excel…”:
– “The demonstrable creation of value and the fair sharing of it.”
– “A focus on the consumer, rather than the book trade.”
– “Excellent communication with authors and readers (not just trade and media).”
One of his frequent refrains may be the most challenging, if history is any guide: “The ability to imagine the life of a copyright in three dimensions, from book, to ebook, to app, to audio, to enhanced versions including extra content. This, along with the ability to do so dynamically as technology and behaviour change rapidly, will be crucial.”
Guardian