DK announced the “extremely difficult decision” that they will no longer commission new Prima Games strategy guides following a “significant decline” in the video game guide sector, and the US-based imprint will be discontinued in Spring 2019 after 28 years of publication. The company says it is “now in conversation with all colleagues in Roseville, Indianapolis and New York who have been impacted by this announcement.” They declined to indicate how many employees will be affected, though there are approximately 40 people from Prima on LinkedIn.
The Roseville office will close mid-November, and some Prima Games employees in Indianapolis office “will stay until March 2019 to publish the remaining program.” Random House acquired Prima Communications in 2001, and Penguin’s Brady Games was combined under the Prima Games banner after the Penguin Random House merger.
Random House Germany ceo since 2012 Frank Sambeth is “leaving the company by mutual agreement,” after 21 years with the publisher and Bertelsmann. Penguin Verlag publisher and one of four RH Germany group publishers Thomas Rathnow takes over immediately as ceo and chairman of the management board. CEO Markus Dohle, who made the surprise announcement to staff, said, “With Thomas Rathnow, a publisher is moving to the top leadership position of the Random House publishing group. I firmly believe that the changes in the book industry can best be mastered when publishers focus clearly on their core competencies to connect the best authors and stories with more and more readers…. He embodies the combination of creativity and entrepreneurial thinking that is more important than ever for our book publishers.” He notes that, “Sambeth has rendered outstanding services to Bertelsmann’s book business over the past two decades.” (RH Germany sales and market director Annette Beetz recently left abruptly as well.)
In further news from the tumultuous German publishing market, former Rowohlt publisher Barbara Laugwitz — also replaced abruptly earlier this year — will return to Bonnier Group’s Ullstein of March 1, as publishing director and chief publishing officer.
Christine Pride is leaving her position as senior editor of Simon & Schuster to pursue a writing project and freelance work.
Cheryl Pientka has joined the Nancy Yost Literary Agency as director of foreign and audio rights. Previously, she was director of foreign and subsidiary rights at Jill Grinberg Literary Management, where she worked for 10 years.
At Workman Publishing, Neil Hiremath has been promoted to manager, metadata & digital operations; Lily Kiralla moves over to the Workman Publishing digital operations team as coordinator, web and digital operations; Valerie Alfred become gift sales manager; Rachel Roy has been promoted to assistant gift sales manager; and Jean Vargas moves over to the sales team as gift sales coordinator.
Distribution
Consortium announced eight distribution clients, starting January 1, 2019: Beehive Books, Braun Publishing, Floating World Comics, Green Card Voices, Inhabit Media, Lookout Books, Nightboat Books, and Tiny Owl Publishing.
Forthcoming (Again)
Vintage bought rights to reissue Fletcher Knebel‘s 1965 political thriller NIGHT OF CAMP DAVID, about “an out-of-control president, who may be mentally unstable, sees conspirators and traitors all around him, has paranoid hysterical outbursts, and promulgates erratic, outlandish ideas that pose a risk to America’s national security.” They will release the new edition on November 20.
Corporate
In the UK, Profile Books has acquired the approximately 500 title list of Souvenir Press, following the death of founder Ernest Hecht earlier this year. Profile says it will retain the Souvenir Press name and expects to name a new editor for the line early next year.
