Random House Publishing Group president and publisher Gina Centrello announced to staff Monday morning that Random House publisher Susan Kamil, 69, died on Sunday “from a sudden illness…after complications from lung cancer.” Centrello wrote: “Her loss is shattering in so many ways. Susan was a brilliant editor, who guided her beloved authors through the creative process with the greatest insight, energy, and care. As a gifted publisher for the Random House lists, her leadership and generosity of spirit has had a profound and far-reaching impact. Above all, she was a deeply committed, endlessly supportive colleague to all of us—our unwavering, […]
Archives for September 2019
People: NBF to Honor Teicher, and More
American Booksellers Association ceo Oren Teicher, who is retiring at the end of the year, will be honored with the National Book Foundation’s Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community. Author and bookseller Ann Patchett will present the award at the National Book Awards ceremony on November 20. Marleen Reimer has joined Houghton Mifflin Harcourt as subsidiary rights manager for general interest books. She was formerly senior scout at Maria B. Campbell Associates. Laura Zats and Erik Hane have launched Headwater Literary Management, a new agency based in Minneapolis. Both were previously at Red Sofa Literary. At […]
High-Profile CIA Memoir Still Awaiting Formal Prepublication Approval
Journalist Yashar Ali reported earlier this week that former CIA officer Amaryllis Fox — whose book LIFE UNDERCOVER: Coming of Age in the CIA is scheduled for publication on October 15 by Knopf — has not yet received written approval to publish from the CIA’s Publications Review Board. Nonetheless, a Knopf spokesperson tells PL, “We are proceeding to publication based on assurances the author has received from the PRB.” The publisher indicates on background that Fox has coordinated with the PRB throughout the process of writing the book, including obtaining verbal clearance before submitting her proposal to publishers and continuing […]
Audible Tells Self-Published Authors They’ll Delay Captions Until “The Legal Proceeding Is Resolved”
While large publishers took the lead in suing to block the Audible Captions initiative, authors who control their own audiobook rights and have produced titles through Audible’s ACX program expressed concerns that their titles were in line to be “captioned” without their prior consent as well. As a group, those authors comprise a major supplier, accounting for almost 160,000 titles according to the company’s website. As we reported a week ago (and most other accounts mangled), as a strict matter of law the court order delaying the launch of Captions until there is a ruling on the expedited motion for […]
Pearson Sued Over Student Data Breach
An Illinois parent has filed suit against Pearson in an Illinois Federal Court, seeking class action status and accusing the textbook company of negligence in a data breach that affected a million students in 13,000 schools across the US. The cyberattack on Pearson’s AIMSweb occurred in November 2018, and was apparently detected by the FBI in March 2019. The suit charges that “even after learning of the data breach in March” from the FBI, Pearson “concealed that fact from impacted schools for four months, failing to disclose it until late July 2019.” Even then, the suit charges, “they concealed the […]
People, Etc.
Judith Haut has been promoted to evp, deputy publisher at Random House Children’s Books. Newly reporting to her is Tom Russell, vp and publisher, The Princeton Review and Sylvan. RHCB president and publisher Barbara Marcus said, “Throughout her 25-year career with RHCB, Judith has played a critical role in building and growing the division. Her passion for placing diverse and quality content into the hands of young readers and her strategic focus and understanding of the children’s industry have been key to her and our success. Judith will continue to work with me and our senior team to set long-term […]