Peter Matthiessen, 86, died on April 5 from complications of leukemia, with which he was diagnosed 15 months ago. He was the author of more than thirty books, including THE SNOW LEOPARD (1978), which won the National Book Award for nonfiction, and SHADOW COUNTRY (2008), a National Book Award winner in fiction. His final novel IN PARADISE will be published on Tuesday, and was the subject of a NYT Magazine profile in this weekend’s issue. “We are deeply honored to be custodians of Peter’s final, characteristically bold work of art,” said Riverhead publisher Geoffrey Kloske in a statement. His editor Rebecca Saletan added: “In everything he wrote, Peter was always relentless in his quest to get it right, to drive the impression on the page ever closer to the vision in his imagination, through draft after draft. Every galley page was a palimpsest, even on this final book.”
Current co-director of adult translation rights at United Agents Jessica Craig will move to Barcelona and join Pontas Literary & Film Agency on September 1. Founder and director Anna Soler-Pont says: “We are fully convinced that Jessica Craig’s professional skills and network are exactly what we need to move on, to increase the results for our clients, to enlarge the list of English language authors and to bring Pontas to a completely international level of action.”
At Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kathy Hilliard has been promoted to vp, marketing of the book division
Amanda Walker has been promoted to director of publicity at Dutton.
At Harlequin UK, Joanne Grant has been promoted to senior executive editor. In addition, Pippa Roscoe moves up to associate editor and Laurie Johnson has been promoted to assistant editor.
Former ceo of Kaplan Jonathan Grayer, credited with helping to build the company into an education powerhouse, is making a new bet on ed tech through his current company Weld North. They will pay over $150 million to acquire Imagine Learning and Truenorthlogic, joining their smaller portfolio education companies Edgenuity and Generation Ready. Grayer tells the NYT, “We now have the best assets to build a digital education company” (a claim currently made by multiple investors and companies).
DeFiore and Company has announced that they will now sell UK rights direct. Agent Meredith Kaffel will take on the additional role of UK Rights Director. The agency had been represented by Aitken Alexander.
Biagi Literary Management will represent all subsidiary rights (except for licensing) for the start-up digital publisher Riverdale Avenue Books.
The ALA’s Carnegie Medal announced their shortlists for fiction:
Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Claire of the Sea Light, Edwidge Danticat
The Goldfinch, Donna Tartt
and nonfiction:
On Paper, Nicholas Basbanes
Five Days at Memorial, Sheri Fink
The Bully Pulpit, Doris Kearns Goodwin