At Abrams Children’s, Tessa Meischeid has joined in the new role of associate publicist. Previously, she was assistant editor at HarperCollins Children’s. Lora Grisafi has joined as trade marketing designer. Previously, she designed marketing materials for Random House Children’s.
Mark Lee has joined the National Book Foundation as communications and marketing manager. He was associate publicist at Doubleday.
Crown Publishing Group announced a number of promotions in the art department. Elizabeth Rendfleisch has been promoted to vice president and director of interior design; Jessie Bright has been promoted to art director; Michael Morris has been promoted to senior designer; and Alane Gianetti and Maurice Principe have each been promoted to designer.
Author Jason Reynolds is the official spokesperson for this year’s Indies First campaign.
Leslie-Ann Reed has joined the board of Quarto as non-executive director. Currently she is non-executive director and chair of the audit committee for Learning Technologies Group.
JP/Politiken Publishers acquired Danish publishing house Hr. Ferdinand and imprints Don Max and C&K, specializing in translated literature, as of August 1. Acquiring editor of fiction Line Miller will be the publisher of all three lines.
Bookselling
After receiving temporary help from a crowdfunding campaign, the Seattle Mystery Bookshop is now for sale. Owner JB Dickey writes on their blog, “It is our hope that someone who cares deeply about this shop, will help SMB continue past its 27th year.” He adds, “What this shop needs is someone who will invest their time and money in it. Should you or someone you know seriously want to become a bookshop owner, please let us know.”
NYU has contracted with Follett to operate the university bookstore, as a part of an affordability initiative, saying it will help students save $2 million. They also say a “grass-roots effort begun by faculty last academic to reduce the number of texts they require students to buy” dropped the number of required titles stocked by the NYU Bookstore by almost 20 percent.
Author Earnings
Forbes has updated their annual guesstimates about what the top authors earned for the 12 months ending May 31, 2017. With new books, a play and more movies, JK Rowling returns to the top of their with an estimated $95 million — which also lifts the cumulative supposed earnings of the top authors to $311 million. (The group has lagged lately, comprising only $269 million a year ago — down from $399 million in 2012; $476 million in 2013; $325 million in 2014; and $355 million in 2015.) Their list:
1. JK Rowling $95 million
2. James Patterson $87 million
3. Jeff Kinney $21 million
4. Dan Brown $20 million
5. Stephen King $15 million
6. John Grisham $14 million
6. Nora Roberts $14 million
8. Paula Hawkins $13 million
9. EL James $11.5 million
10. Danielle Steel $11 million
10. Rick Riordan .$11million