Mary Krienke has been promoted to agent at Sterling Lord Literistic. Elizabeth Vogt has been promoted to associate editor at Viking Penguin. Hannah Ladds will join the Madeleine Milburn Agency as dramatic rights agent on October 5. She was most recently at David Higham Associates. Harper Children’s announced a new leadership structure at their flagship Harper imprint, with vp, director of publishing, the Harper Group Rich Thomas leading the line. VP, publishing director, Nancy Inteli will lead the picture book and programs teams and vp, publishing director Erica Sussman will lead the middle grade, teen, and IP teams. Both will […]
Archives for October 2020
Rights Pitches Begin
Virtual pitch sessions filling the gap following the cancellation of the Frankfurt Book Fair begin next Monday. From our modest crowd-sourced schedule, the week begins with the Pontas Agency presenting Booker-shortlisted Avni Doshi and her UK editor Hermione Thompson, though BURNT SUGAR has already been licensed in many territories. To add your event(s) to our schedule, just fill in the form at publun.ch/pitches. As noted previously we’re agnostic as to whether you have scheduled your own independent event, or one as part of FBF’s pitch webinar program. To view our schedule, just bookmark: publun.ch/pitchsessions.
Judge Rules Government’s Case Against Bolton Will Go Forward
John Bolton’s motion to dismiss the DOJ lawsuit seeking proceeds of his book The Room Where It Happened failed Thursday, with US District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth finding that the government’s position that Bolton breached prepublication review was sufficiently supported by facts. At stake are his $2 million advance and royalties from the bestselling book, which Bolton will have to forfeit to the government if he loses. Next up, Judge Lamberth has said he would rule “expeditiously” on both the government’s motion for summary judgment and Bolton’s motion to delay it. While a summary judgment has a high standard […]
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Fires Another 525 People
In typically craven corporate-speak, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced mass firings this morning: Approximately 525 employees have been let go effective immediately. Earlier in September, the company noted that 166 employees had read the tea leaves and participated in their early retirement plan. The two moves combined have eliminated approximately 22 percent of the workforce (roughly taking them from 3,300 employees down to 2,600 people). Other savings include a “reduction of manufacturing costs as the business shifts from print to digital offerings” and “a streamlining of back office costs as legacy systems and print-centric processes are retired.” The company estimates that […]
People, Etc.
The Association of American Publishers (AAP) board unanimously elected vice chair and Wiley ceo Brian Napack as their new chair, effective September 25, taking over from John Sargent, who resigned in conjunction with his pending departure from Macmillan. A new vice chair will be elected separately. Additionally, new Macmillan trade ceo Don Weisberg has taken Sargent’s board seat, Simon & Schuster ceo Jonathan Karp has filled the late Carolyn Reidy’s seat, and Norton chair and president Julia Reidhead joined the board after being voted into an at-large seat in June. Powell’s Books has hired business consultant Patrick Bassett as their […]
LSC Sale to Atlas Holdings Wins Court Approval
LSC’s sale to Atlas Holdings has been approved by the bankruptcy court. An affiliate of Atlas Holdings, with support from LSC’s secured creditors, will acquire substantially all of the company’s assets, according to this morning’s press release. The transaction is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2020, subject to closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. LSC ceo Thomas J. Quinlan III said, “We are confident that through this partnership with Atlas, LSC will be uniquely well-positioned to strengthen and grow our market-leading position and provide our customers with the same high standards of quality, reliability and innovation,” and thanks employees […]