ICM is now representing rights to “the majority of titles” written by the late Michael Crichton (including most of his best-known novels, with the exception of Jurassic Park). Sloan Harris and Jennifer Joel will lead representation on the literary side, and the agency says it will “work closely with Sherri Crichton and licensees of rights licensed in Michael Crichton’s work to broaden the reach of his stories, worlds, characters and brands across all media.”
There is work for potential posthumous publication and exploitation as well. ICM says it will also focus on “the exploration of Crichton’s heretofore unknown and unpublished works as well as the exploitation of books and other material that have not yet been brought to the screen, large or small.”
Crichton had been represented for many years by Lynn Nesbit, who originally worked at ICM and left in 1988 to create Janklow & Nesbit.
Two key Hachette Book Group executives — evp, chief financial officer Tom Maciag and Gerry Cummings,svp, distribution — will retire in the coming months. Maciag has been with the company for 35 years, while Cummings joined 25 years ago; the company notes both “have made enormous contributions to HBG, and both have been instrumental in this company’s growth and success.” Succeeding Maciag on March 9 is Stephen Mubarek, currently svp, finance and controller. Frank Casolaro, currently executive director, operations, will succeed Cummings on March 30.
At Disney/Hyperion, Kieran Viola has been hired as senior editor. Previously she was an editor at Alloy Entertainment. In addition, Laura Schreiber has been promoted to editor; Julie Moody and Ricardo Mejias have both been promoted to assistant editor; and Tyler Nevins moves up to senior designer.
Sandee Roston is leaving Harper Children’s Books after nine years with the company following the elimination of her position as executive director of publicity. She can be reached at sandee.roston@gmail.com.
Author of bestselling novels of commercial fiction Jacqueline Briskin, 87, died December 24 at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, CA.
Ruth Rendell is in “critical but stable condition” after suffering a stroke January 7, her UK publisher Hutchinson said in a statement. They added: “Her son, Simon Rendell, is with her and thanks everyone for their concern. The family request privacy while the doctors assess the best course of treatment. Our thoughts are with Ruth and her family at this difficult time.”
Also, Flatiron Books has corrected their earlier personnel item, noting that Jasmine Faustino has been promoted to associate editor, not manager.
HarperCollins and Harlequin are readjusting sales responsibilities in North America “in order to maximize sales opportunities for both organizations” and “ensure that the sales expertise and talent of each business is applied in the channels and formats where each has strength.”
As a result, Harlequin’s sales force will sell all mass market titles — including those from Harper/Avon — to key mass merchant accounts, while Harper’s sales force will sell those titles to trade/direct accounts (“with some [unstated] exceptions”). Harper personnel will sell all hardcover and trade paperback titles, to all channels. The changes take effect “in the mass merchant channel beginning February 1, and will be followed by the trade channels,” to be completed by June 30.
Simon & Schuster will introduce two boutique shops on 11 Main, a new online shopping destination for specialty shops and boutiques (owned by China’s Alibaba). The first shop will sell titles in bestselling fiction, nonfiction and history, children’s books, illustrated books, cookbooks, and box sets; a second boutique will be dedicated to products from Pimsleur. While many of the titles there are discounted, spokesperson Adam Rothberg said, “For us it is really about an increasing discoverability and finding new outlets for sales. We’ll be flexible on how we price books going forward but the main focus is the opportunity to reach a wider audience for our books.”
The winners of the 2015 Digital Book Awards, announced at an awards ceremony at DBW Wednesday evening, include:
Ebook – Flowable: Adult Fiction
Chinese Whispers, by John Ashbery (Open Road Integrated Media)
Ebook – Flowable: Adult Nonfiction
Women in Clothes, by Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits and Leanne Shapton (Blue Rider Press)
Ebook – Flowable: Children
You Choose: Scooby-Doo!: The Terror of the Bigfoot Beast, by Laurie S. Sutton (Capstone Young Readers)
Ebook – Fixed Format/Enhanced: Adult Fiction
The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains (Enhanced Multimedia Edition), by Neil Gaiman (William Morrow)
Ebook – Fixed Format/Enhanced: Adult Nonfiction
Penny Chic: How to Be Stylish on a Real Girl’s Budget, by Shauna Miller (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers)
Ebook – Fixed Format/Enhanced: Children
Virginia Wolf, by Kyo Maclear, created by Danielle Mulhall and Laura Brady (Kids Can Press)