Canadian literary agent and chief operating officer of Macmillan Canada from 1982 through 1989 Arnold Gosewich, 85, died on October 20 in Toronto. He was 85. A book presenting excerpts from the late Patricia Highsmith‘s extensive diaries will be published by Liveright in 2021, providing “a glimpse into the life of a literary figure” who “was a secretive, often prickly woman who remained a cipher even to her friends and lovers, and a trailblazer who wrote one of the first mainstream novels depicting two women in love.” The pages are drawn from 56 spiral-bound notebooks, comprising 8,000 pages, found by […]
Archives for October 2019
Bonnier Books 8-Month Report Shows Flat Sales and Improved Operating Loss
Bonnier Books’ parent company Bonnier released 8-month earnings for the period of January to August 2019, with overall sales for Bonnier of SEK 17.2 billion, up from SEK 16.1 billion last year’s period. (They report in 8-month and 4-month installments.) Bonnier Books sales were near flat at SEK 3.633 billion ($375 million), down from 3.636 billion a year ago. Sales are down more noticeably for the last 12 months, at 6.33 billion, versus 6.436 billion a year ago. Meanwhile, the EBITA loss improved, to SEK (111 million) from (215 million). Adlibris sales were also down, to SEK 1.325 billion from […]
Awards: Whitehead, Jones, Craft Win Kirkus Prizes; PW’s Best of 2019, and More
The winners of the $50,000 Kirkus Prizes were announced on Thursday evening. The fiction prize went to Colson Whitehead‘s The Nickel Boys (Doubleday), with judges noting that it “evokes race in America not as a concept but as a condition of being.” Saeed Jones‘ memoir How We Fight for Our Lives (Simon & Schuster) won the nonfiction prize. Judges said, “His tenacious honesty compels us to be honest with ourselves. His experiences—negotiating grief, family dynamics, and a forthright identity—require our reckoning.” New Kid (HarperCollins), written & illustrated by Jerry Craft, was awarded the prize for children’s literature, for being a “laugh-out-loud […]
Audible Makes Publishers an Offer on Captions, and More Legal Updates
Judge Valerie Caproni has been in no hurry to rule on publishers’ request for a temporary injunction blocking the release of Audible Captions, waiting for the parties to try and work out a business arrangement — and now Audible’s lawyer counsel has asked the court to “suspend its consideration of the pending motions for a week.” In the letter, sent on Wednesday, Audible attorney Emily Reisbaum reports, “Audible has made a proposal to plaintiffs concerning a potential final resolution of the lawsuit,” adding that “Audible believes this proposal moots the lawsuit.” She says “publishers are considering the proposal but have […]
People, Etc.
Em Lysaght has joined Ladderbird Literary as agent. Lysaght was previously at Scholastic selling foreign rights. At Simon & Schuster Children’s Reka Simonsen has been promoted to editorial director for Atheneum Books; Alex Borbolla to associate editor for Atheneum and Caitlyn Dlouhy Books; Elizabeth Mims to assistant production editor for Aladdin and Simon Pulse; Jenica Nasworthy to senior managing editor for S&S Children’s and Paula Wiseman Books; Chloe Foglia to art director for S&S Children’s and Paula Wiseman Books; Nick Sciacca to art director, design and technology at Simon & Schuster Children’s; and Greg Stadnyk to associate art director at S&S Children’s, […]
People: Court to Leave Penguin, Tart to Run Penguin and Viking
President and publisher of Penguin Books Kathryn Court “has decided to retire” at the end of December after 42 years of leading the line. Penguin Publishing Group president Allison Dobson calls it “one of the most accomplished and admired careers in book publishing. Throughout her decades of leadership, Kathryn has been a Penguin standard bearer ensuring literary excellence, commitment to supporting new voices, and passion for delighting readers around the world.” Brian Tart will expand his role in January to serve as president and publisher of both Viking and Penguin. At Penguin, Patrick Nolan is promoted to vp, deputy publisher […]