John Kulka has been hired as editorial director for Library of America, taking over from Geoffrey O’Brien, who will retire at the end of 2017. Currently executive editor at Basic, he has worked for Barnes & Noble, Yale University Press, and Harvard University Press, and has served on the boards of the Dalkey Archive Press and the David Charles Horn Foundation, which supports the Yale Drama Series. Publisher Max Rudin said in the announcement, “John’s broad and deep knowledge of American writing, his experience on both the publishing and bookselling sides, and his career-long dedication to quality, make him the […]
Archives for November 2017
Barnes & Noble Opens Smaller Store In Texas, Sets Virginia Opening
The somewhat slower-than-expected rollout of Barnes & Noble‘s previously-announced concept stores is in its final stages. The smaller-format test store in Legacy West in Plano, TX opens today (after originally aiming for a spring debut). The 9,000 to 10,000 square foot store — a little less than half the size of the first concept store in Eastchester, NY — is said to carry approximately 17,000 titles. The restaurant space remains sizable even with the smaller bookstore footprint, with seating for 178 people. Separately, the delayed fifth and final of the announced concept stores in Ashburn, VA is now set to open […]
People, Etc.
Jenica Nasworthy has been promoted to managing editor and Katrina Groover moves up to senior production editor for Simon & Schuster Children’s and Paula Wiseman Books. In addition, Clare McGlade has been promoted to senior production editor for Atheneum and Margaret K. McElderry Books, while Rebecca Vitkus is now associate production editor for Aladdin and Simon Pulse. At Soho Press, Mark Doten has been promoted to vp, executive editor. Faye Bi joins Holiday House as publicity manager. Most recently, she was senior publicist at Simon & Schuster. Katie Cooper has joined Sourcebooks as digital content specialist. She was previously social media manager at Wyzant. […]
The Final Pivot: Pronoun to Close, Luebbe Writes Down oolipo
Macmillan announced online that their digital self-publishing service Pronoun is “winding down” and expected to close by mid-January. The “epilogue” post says, “While many challenges in indie publishing remain unsolved, Macmillan is unable to continue Pronoun’s operation in its current form. Every option was considered before making the very difficult decision to end the business.” Macmillan acquired Pronoun in mid-2016. It was the successor to what began start-up like as Vook in 2009 — first focused on ebooks with embedded videos. Along the path of pivots the company acquired Booklr and Coliloquy, and absorbed what was left of Byliner after it […]
Briefs: Collusion Book, HBG Buys Meadowbrook, and More
Forthcoming Foreign correspondent for the Guardian Luke Harding’s Collusion: How Russia Helped Trump Win the White House publishes in 10 countries on November 16, with Guardian Faber releasing in the UK and Vintage publishing in the US, as a $16.95 trade paperback. The book focuses the “the gripping inside story” of the dossier compiled by former MI6 officer Christopher Steele in 2016, but promises to add “exclusive new material and key sources from the intelligence community.” It is based on conversations with people close to Steele and draws on a wide range of sources in the US and UK. The book […]
Dropping Another University, Amazon Said to Withdraw from Campus Contracts
Last month the University of Massachusetts at Amherst announced that Amazon was canceling their contract to serve as the official textbook provider bookstore (and pay the school commission) as of December 2018. Now SUNY’s Stony Brook University indicates that Amazon is withdrawing as their official textbook supplier as well after the spring 2018 semester. The school says on its website that “Amazon has decided to change their business model nationwide, and starting Summer 2018, Amazon will no longer be providing customized course material services to higher education institutions.” Office manager of the Office of the Bookstore Liaison Vlad Moraru told […]