Martin Barabas has joined Regan Arts as publicity manager. Most recently he worked at Ingber & Associates Talent Agency.
Debra Woodward will join Red Wheel/Weiser as sales manager on June 8. She was most recently the New England sales representative for Candlewick Press.
At Soho Press, Amara Hoshijo has been promoted to assistant editor.
At Sourcebooks, Becca Smith is being promoted to publicity & marketing specialist. In addition, Ami Vanderhoof has joined the e-commerce department as brand marketing manager. Previously she was marketing manager at Fannie May Confections Brands. Finally, Imani Mixon has joined as ecommerce copywriter/storyteller.
Distribution
The Brookings Institution Press has entered into a sales and distribution agreement with Perseus Academic for both print and digital books in the US and Canada starting January 1, 2016. Perseus will also take over distribution of all the institutions whose titles are currently distributed through Brookings (comprising about 50 to 75 titles annually).
Forthcoming
Herman Wouk turns 100 on May 27 and Simon & Schuster just announced that they will publish his “light-hearted memoir about my writings” Sailor and Fiddler: Reflections of a 100-Year-Old Author in December. Publisher Jonathan Karp says in the announcement, “It’s been 68 years since Simon & Schuster published Herman Wouk’s first book, Aurora Dawn, and we are thrilled to be publishing his latest work, which is characteristically humorous and wise.”
Stores
In the UK, the The Bright Group (which represents illustrators) will open The Bright Emporium opens in Battersea, London, in September 2015. The two-story space “will be a collective gallery, retailer, design studio and events space…designed as an inclusive space where storytellers and artists can come together to showcase creativity, direct to consumer.”
The NYT has a long update on Jeff Kinney‘s well-publicized efforts to build a soon-to-open bookstore in Plainville, MA.
Directing
DreamWorks announced that Tate Taylor (who directed The Help) will direct their movie adaptation of Paula Hawkins’ THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN. (Taylor directed the film version of The Help.) That announcement confirms the milestone that the book has sold over 2 million units in the US, making it a strong candidate for the fastest-selling adult release hardcover debut novel (though not, as the studio release and follow on stories claim, the “fastest selling adult novel in history”).