Barnes & Noble presented their annual Discover Great New Writers Awards to Abby Geni’s debut The Lightkeepers (Counterpoint Press) for fiction, and Matthew Desmond’s widely-acclaimed Evicted (Crown) for nonfiction.
People
Erin Somers has joined Publishers Lunch as a reporter. Previously she has worked for two trade publications, and her writing about books has appeared in Literary Hub, The Millions, Ploughshares, and elsewhere. Somers is also the recipient of a 2016 Center For Fiction Emerging Writer Fellowship. News editor Sarah Weinman is on a leave of absence to complete the manuscript for her forthcoming book AMONG THE WHOLESOME CHILDREN, the story of the real-life inspiration for Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita,
Little, Brown announced a number of recent promotions. Jean Garnett has been promoted to editor, while Carina Guiterman moves up to associate editor. Maggie Southard has been promoted to senior publicist, while Julie Ertl has been promoted to publicist. Brandon Kelley has been promoted to executive director of marketing operations and Kaitlyn Boudah moves up to marketing coordinator.
Cave Henricks public relations has promoted Margaret Kingsbury to publicity director and Kimberly Petty has moved up to the new position of head of marketing and social media.
Jesse Aylen has left Crown Archetype to transition to freelance editing, writing, and co-writing.
Georgina Hawtrey-Woore, 50, senior editor at Cornerstone, died on February 27 after battling cancer. She joined Century and Arrow in 2002.
Bookselling
The 6,500-square-foot bookstore Amazon is developing in Walnut Creek, CA’s Broadway Plaza looks will include a small cafe — based on an East Bay Times report on conceptual renderings submitted to the city for review. The just-opened store in Dedham, MA is the first of their outlets to serve coffee. (Boston Magazine says they are serving Peet’s Coffee.)
The Fashion Bookstore in Los Angeles will close March 31. Located in the California Market Center showroom building, the bookstore has sold fashion-themed magazines and books for twenty-five years. Co-founder Bill Golant cited high rents as the reason for closing.
Correction
Correcting our piece about the Obamas’ book deal, Penguin Random House ceo Markus Dohle was indeed on-site in Florida for the company’s sales conference and opened the event on Sunday event. Whatever time he was absent from meetings finalizing the Obama deal, a spokesperson confirms “his engagement with our sales and publishing colleagues at many of our sessions.”