Amazon is testing out a 30-hour work week on teams that comprise a “few dozen” employees and you’ll never guess which paper has the scoop: The Bezos-owned Washington Post, which suggests the initiative could be an answer to the NYT report that “described Amazon as a company that encouraged employees to work upward of 80 hours a week while rarely taking vacation.” Amazon “did not comment” on the Post’s questions of substance, but the Post cites an online description from an informational seminar listing on EventBrite. Saying that they already have part-time employees, the company writes: “What is novel for Amazon is […]
Archives for August 2016
Hachette Sues Seth Grahame-Smith to Recover Advance On Late, Unacceptable Manuscript
Hachette Book Group is suing Seth Grahame-Smith, author of the bestselling novels Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice & Zombies, and his company Baby Gorilla Inc. for breach of contract. In the complaint, filed in New York federal court on August 26 and first reported on by the Hollywood Reporter, HBG alleges Smith turned in an unacceptable manuscript last June more than 3 years after its initial due date — and only after the publisher moved to terminate the contract. Just before Grand Central published Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, in December 2010 they signed with Smith for two additional […]
People, Etc.
Ben Platt will join Public Books as global coordinating editor, where he will commission articles and expand web outreach. Previously he was an editor at Basic Books. Chelsea Morgan and Kerry Johnson have both joined Simon & Schuster Children’s as production editors. Morgan was previously assistant production manager at Macmillan, while Johnson was most recently a freelance production editor. Janine Sato has joined Chronicle Books as junior production designer. Previously she was a product designer at Apple. Awards The Thurber Prize has announced its shortlist, with the winner to be named on September 26: Jason Gay, Little Victories (Doubleday) Harrison […]
Another Amazon Books Store Planned, for Chicago In 2017
The latest confirmed future location of an Amazon Books store is 3443 N. Southport Avenue in Chicago (in the Lakeview area, not far from Wrigley Field). It was first reported speculatively on the Southport Corridor blog, and then confirmed by Amazon. It’s a 7,200-square-foot retail space — similar to, but larger than, the current Amazon Books store in Seattle, which is 5,500 square feet. Their La Jolla store (in University Towne Center Mall) is still due to open this summer. A third store in the Portland, OR area (in the Washington Square Mall) has been hiring staff since earlier this summer, with […]
Bookselling: Penguin Shop Opens in Toronto; Milkweed Bookstore Opens in September; and More
The lobby of Penguin Random House Canada’s offices in Toronto now includes a 158-square foot bookshop, Penguin Shop. PRH Canada ceo Brad Martin said in the announcement: “We are continually in search of innovative ways to bring the books we are so proud to publish to readers. As such, we see Penguin Shop as a research and development lab–a place where we can interact directly with consumers.” Penguin Shop has one employee, Justin Sorbara-Hosker, who is helped by volunteers from the PRH Canada offices upstairs. Milkweed Editions’ expansion into bookselling, Milkweed Books, is set to soft-launch in early September and […]
People
At Harper Children’s, Lindsey Karl has been promoted to the new role of assistant manager, conferences and conventions. Former director of publicity at Overlook and Quirk Books, Jack Lamplough, 59, died August 20. Most recently he had established his own agency representing authors, artists, and musicians. A private memorial service will be held at a later date.