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 Blacks add in the announcement: “We are extremely happy to be partnering with Judith Rgan. We are confident the great energy, enthusiasm, and skill Judith brings to this new collaboration will yield a powerful influence on the industry.”
Reganworld.com, a site registered by Regan, has long promised itself as the “Future home of something cool.” Reganarts.com was just registered today, December 10, according to domain registry records.
In other personnel announcements, Georgia Morrissey has joined Egmont USA as part-time art director. In addition, Jordan Hamessley will join the company as editor on December 18. She was previously an associate editor at Grosset & Dunlap/Price Stern Sloan.
MK Creative Media Marketing will handle advertising for Hachette Book Group, the first time the company is using an outside advertising firm in more than 20 years. They will take care of all media buying and will “also handle creative development for select titles.”
The UK’s Pandora Award, presented by Women In Publishing, was given to agent Carole Blake.
Good Enterprises has closed and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and has laid off all 35 employees, according to a local paper. President Merle Good is said to have blamed it on declining results from the Good Books division. That books line or at least their Fix-It and Forget-It lines of cookbooks “may be sold and continued in some form.”