Craig Popelars is joining Tin House Books as publisher, starting June 1. He was previously associate publisher at Algonquin Books. Win McCormack, current publisher and owner of Tin House Books, says, “Craig Popelars is a powerhouse in the field. He has exactly the kind of vision, energy, and experience needed to take Tin House Books to the next level.”
At Penguin Random House Canada, Robert Wheaton expands his role to include strategy, becoming chief strategy and operations officer. He continues to report to ceo Kristin Cochrane. Charidy Johnston moves up to vp, sales, continuing to report to Wheaton. She takes on the management and direction of the entire sales team, and the divisional imprint
sales directors will report to her.
In Germany, Petra Gropp has been promoted to editorial director of the newly-merged German and international fiction department at S. Fischer. Former editorial director of international fiction Hans Juergen Balmes stays on as editor-at-large.
In the UK, Anthony Thompson will return to Blackwell’s as chair of the board, following the retirement of Trevor Goul-Wheeker in June. Thompson was ceo of the bookseller from 1997 to 2000.
Awards
Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi‘s novel Call Me Zebra (HMH) won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Bookselling
In San Francisco, the Borderlands Cafe will close, though the adjacent Borderlands Books will remain in place — until relocating to the Haight Street location purchased with the help of supporters. “I like running a cafe,” owner Alan Beatts said. “I love running a bookstore.”
Legal
A judge has approved Plaintiff Stephen Elliott’s request to subpoena Google. The subpoena will order the company to identify the Jane Doe defendants in Elliott’s defamation lawsuit against them and S****y Media Men list creator Moira Donegan. The order, issued by magistrate judge Sanket Bulsara, requires Google to keep the Does’ identities confidential for 60 days after service, to allow any Doe time to contest the subpoena. Bulsara also approved a confidentiality order, protecting all the Doe’s identities from public scrutiny. Based on earlier statements, Google is expected to fight the subpoena in California federal court.
Meanwhile, Donegan’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit has a new deadline of June 20th, for the fully briefed motion to be submitted to Judge DeArcy Hall.
In other legal news, a May 6 settlement conference has been scheduled for Parneros v. Barnes and Noble.