The NEA announced 38 recipients of creative writing fellowships, providing awards of $25,000 to each of the writers (or $950,000 in all). Recipients include Percival Everett, Daniel Mason and Justin Torres. Margaret Wrinkle‘s WASH won the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize. Scholastic announced a number of recent new hires and promotions. In the editorial department, Anamika Bhatnagar has been promoted to publishing director, Scholastic Press, while Amanda Maciel moves up to executive editor, Scholastic. Emily Seife has been promoted to editor, while Emellia Zamani and Becky Shapiro move up to associate editor. Additionally, Zack Clark and Marisa Polansky move up to assistant editor. […]
Archives for December 2013
Riggio Sells Shares, and Barnes & Noble Stock Falls Further
BN chairman Len Riggio revealed in an SEC filing that he and his wife sold 2 million shares of Barnes & Noble stock on Tuesday. The sale was below market price, at $13.81 a share, “in a privately negotiated block trade.” As recently as last Thursday those share were worth over $5 million more — before the company disclosed two SEC investigations. Riggio also gave 160,000 shares to The Riggio Foundation, and the foundation itself “made a gift” of 80,000 shares. The filing says “the aforementioned transfers were made for tax planning purposes.” The Riggios still own or control roughly […]
People: Judith Regan Returns to Publishing, Backed By Phaidon
Judith Regan will return to book publishing as ceo of Regan Arts, proclaimed a “publishing imprint and multimedia venture” backed by Phaidon Global (owner of Phaidon Press). Regan said in the announcement: “I am thrilled to partner with Phaidon, one of the world’s finest publishers, and Leon and Debra Black and family who are all deeply committed to the power of creative expression and the future of the book. Their love of great artists, authors, stories and design is an inspiration to all. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with such a gifted and dedicated team.” The […]
Briefs: Grand Central Heads Near Rockefeller Center, and More
Hachette Book Group‘s planned relocation has become real estate news via Crain’s, which confirms the publisher’s lease of space at 1290 Sixth Avenue for occupancy some time next year. They are taking over a chunk of two floors recently vacated by Microsoft. The move will put them across the street from their old home in the Time-Life Building (and just north of Simon & Schuster). Booknet Canada and Nielsen have released a study (as a pdf) of the lift in sales of works by Alice Munro after she was named the Nobel Laureate in Literature in October. (The prize was […]
People, Etc.
Rebecca Friedman has started her own agency, Rebecca Friedman Literary. She can be reached at rebecca@rfliterary.com. The agency is interested in commercial and literary fiction with a focus on literary novels of suspense, women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and young adult, as well as journalistic non-fiction and memoir. Anna Stein has joined Aitken Alexander’s board of directors. She currently runs the agency’s New York office. Gonzalo Ferreyra has joined Ingram Publisher Services in the role of director of acquisitions, full-service distribution. He was most recently director of marketing, print and digital at Weldon Owen Publishing. In addition, Carter Holliday has been promoted […]
Realigned Wiley Grows
Wiley reported second quarter 2014 results of $449 million, up 8 percent on an “adjusted” basis. Net income increased 9 percent to $49.9 million (or 84 cents a share). Overall digital book revenue increased 40 percent compared to last year, to $31.4 million. The professional development segment, where Wiley’s remaining trade book lines resides, grew 7 percent for the quarter on an adjusted basis to $92.5 million, driven by digital books and online training and assessment. Wiley also recorded another $15.3 million in restructuring charges as part of its previously announced realignment — $2.1 million of which applied to the […]