Deborah Aaronson has joined Phaidon as vp, group publisher, reporting to recently-hired ceo Keith Fox. Aaronson, most recently vp, publisher for the adult trade group at Abrams, where she spent the past 14 years, will work out of the company’s New York office. “I am thrilled that Deb has joined Phaidon,” said Fox in the announcement. “Her extensive publishing experience, intelligence and creativity will continue to drive Phaidon’s growth as the preeminent visual arts publisher in the world.” Aaronson added: “I look forward to building the company’s future publishing strategy while breaking into new categories and aggressively expanding existing ones, […]
Archives for April 2014
Amazon Acquires ComiXology
Just hours after posting ceo Jeff Bezos’ letter to shareholders, Amazon announced after the close of the market on Thursday that it acquired digital comics firm ComiXology, confirming rumors circulating since the beginning of the month. The deal for undisclosed terms — is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014, and the seven-year-old company will keep its headquarters in New York (ComiXology also has offices in Los Angeles and Paris). According to co-founder and ceo David Steinberger, “ComiXology will retain its identity as an Amazon subsidiary and we’re not anywhere near done ‘taking comics further.'” ComiXology offers more than […]
Bezos’s Annual Letter Includes Celebration of Kindle, Amazon Publishing and Audible
This year’s annual letter to shareholders from Amazon ceo Jeff Bezos provides a tour of a “small subset of…initiatives” at the company. “Readers & Authors” is the second item, after a celebration of Prime: “We’re investing heavily on behalf of readers. The all-new, high-resolution, high-contrast Kindle Paperwhite launched to rave reviews. We integrated the very impressive Goodreads into Kindle, introduced FreeTime for Kindle, and launched Kindle in India, Mexico, and Australia…. Joining CreateSpace, Kindle Singles, and Kindle Direct Publishing, is the new service Kindle Worlds, the literary journal Day One, eight new Amazon Publishing imprints, and the launch of Amazon Publishing […]
People, Etc.
At Scribner, Lauren Lavelle has been promoted to publicity manager, and Gwyneth Stansfield moves up to publicist. Riverhead art director Helen Yentus won the ADC Art + Craft Design Prize for her much talked about 3D-printed book design for Chang-rae Lee’s On Such a Full Sea. Booktrack, which synchronizes soundtracks to ebooks, announced the completion of $3 million in Series A financing led by Sparkbox Ventures. The company is expanding into education with Booktrack Classroom, which gives students free access to soundtracked ebooks. Simon & Schuster has officially adjusted the release date for Hillary Clinton‘s still-untitled new memoir to June […]
People, Awards, Etc.
At Bloomsbury, Kathy Belden has been promoted to senior executive editor. Sara Sciuto is joining Foreword Literary as an agent, specializing in children’s books. She was previously an agent with Full Circle Literary. Ian McEwan‘s novel THE CHILDREN ACT, already announced for UK publication this fall by Jonathan Cape, will also be issued by Nan A. Talese on September 9 (listed at 192 pages). Gabriel García Márquez has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home following treatment for a lung and urinary tract infection. Philip Roth will receive Yaddo’s inaugural artist medal at a ceremony in May. […]
Simply, Liberty Media Took the Money
Liberty Media filed their required disclosure with the SEC subsequent to their previously announced sale of 91 percent of their preferred shares in Barnes & Noble to “qualified institutional investors.” Their motives are pretty clear from the filing: Liberty received $250.7 million for the shares, after investing $204 million in the bookseller in August 2011. They also received 9 or 10 quarters of dividends while holding the preferred shares, good for 7.75% annually — giving them a return of over $80 million, or roughly 40 percent. The timing of the sale took advantage of a brief run-up in Barnes & […]