At National Geographic Books, Hilary Black has been promoted to deputy editor, taking on a larger strategic and managerial role in acquisitions and positioning. In addition, Bridget English has been promoted to senior editor and Anne Smyth has been appointed as a full-time project manager. Karen Fink has joined Putnam as associate director of publicity. Previously she was deputy director of publicity at Grand Central. At Dutton, Liza Cassity has been promoted to publicity manager. Terry Vaughn, who held editorial positions at MIT, Oxford, and Princeton University Presses, died August 6 at the University Medical Center of Princeton from complications […]
Archives for August 2015
Briefs
Bill Adams has been promoted to svp, associate general counsel at Penguin Random House. Aimee Chase has rejoined Hollan Publishing as editor, after several years of teaching. She worked previously at Hollan as managing editor. Correcting a brief from earlier this week, Harlequin‘s “global acquisitions team” in the UK is moving into Harper UK’s London Bridge offices, but still reporting into the Harlequin office in Toronto. With the stock market in a down week, the newly-public Barnes & Noble Education, which officially began trading on Monday, is off to a weak start. Shares are down in Friday morning trading, at a little above […]
Soft April AAP Sales Confirm eBook Declines
Trade sales as reported by the AAP fell by a modest $6.5 million to $488.4 million overall for April, with small gains in adult sales overtaken by a $15 million drop in children’s/YA sales. The biggest gap for the month was ebook sales, which fell by $20.6 million to $120.2 million, down almost 15 percent compared to a year ago. Both adult and children’s/YA ebook sales fell in April, and it was the fourth monthly decline in a row for ebooks, with the format down 10 percent so far in 2015, declining $51.7 million to $476.4 million so far. Digital […]
People, Etc.
at Penguin Random House, Randi Rosenkranz has been appointed to the newly created position of vp, sales development. She most recently was Team Manager, Worldwide Developer Relations at Apple, and before that, Penguin Random House’s vp, digital development. At Bloomsbury USA, Lea Beresford has been promoted to senior editor. Book digital marketing firm FSB Associates is opening a second office in Carlsbad, CA. Founders Fauzia Burke and John Burke will now split their time between the new office and Basking Ridge, NJ. Opening Sales Random House Children’s says that they sold 200,000 copies of Dr. Seuss‘s What Pet Should I Get? […]
At HMH, Trade Is Flat As Education Falls On Adoption Cycle
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt reported second quarter sales on Thursday morning, with trade division sales flat at $37 million, supported by continuing strong sales from their culinary line, including the bestselling April release The Whole30. But that unit had lower EBITDA, of just $412,000, compared to $1.94 million a year ago, with a net loss of -$3.14 million, bigger than the $1.75 million loss a year ago. Companywide sales declined $22 million (or 5 percent) to $380 million “primarily due to the anticipated contraction” in the textbook adoption cycle. Sales would have $18 million lower without the contribution from their acquisition of Scholastic’s EdTech […]
Simon & Schuster Continues to Profit On Lower Sales
CBS reported second quarter earnings on Wednesday afternoon, with publisher Simon & Schuster registering their fourth straight quarterly decline in sales — down $12 million, to $199 million — even as their earnings grew, with OIBDA of $27 million (and operating income of $25 million) compared to $24 million a year ago. As usual, CBS said “the revenue decline was more than offset by lower production and distribution costs.” Sales had jumped in this quarter a year ago, helped by Hillary Clinton’s Hard Choices and other big print sellers. Over the past 4 quarters, sales have declined by $55 million. […]