In a pre-trial hearing yesterday, Judge Florence Pan ruled on five points in preparation for next month’s A3 trial, with both sides winning enough of what they wanted to declare victory (details below). Additionally, as the parties slim their final witness lists, literary agents Joy Harris, Chris Parris-Lamb, Kent Wolf and Kate McKean have all been dropped and will not have to testify. Also dropped were Jon Anderson, Bill Thomas and Wendy Wolf. In a sign of the sprawling burden of the case across the industry, the hearing was attended by 21 attorneys representing publishers and agents concerned about their […]
People 7/26
Priscilla Painton has been named vp, editor-in-chief of the Simon & Schuster imprint, leading the non-fiction program.
New Books Publishing July 26
Megan Miranda and Katie Hafner lead this week’s fiction releases, while nonfiction includes new work from Jonathan Lemire. Also out this week are novels by Oscar Hokeah and Gina Chen, both excerpted in our Buzz Books 2022: Spring/Summer sampler. 15 works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-july-26 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Fiction_Publishing_July_/223833 3 nonfiction titles https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-july-26 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Nonfiction_Publishing_July_/223834 We consult a number of sources in compiling our weekly lists and PM members can see our lists for the coming three months through this reference page. But if you want to make sure your key titles are on our radar, now you can use this form to submit brief details as […]
Forthcoming: Pence Counters Obama; Plus A Netflix Tie-In, The Empress
Former vice president Mike Pence‘s book, titled SO HELP ME GOD will be published by Simon & Schuster on November 15 — the same day that Crown releases Michelle Obama’s THE LIGHT WE CARRY. Called by the publisher “the most robust defense of the Trump record of anyone who served in the administration,” the book “also chronicles President Trump’s severing of their relationship on January 6, 2021 when Pence kept his oath to the Constitution.” Separately, Zando has partnered with Netflix to publish a novel tie-in to the series The Empress, “which reimagines the sweeping love story between the rebellious […]
Ahead of Trial, Karp is “Hopeful” and Confident That PRH Will Buy S&S
Simon & Schuster ceo Jonathan Karp addressed staff in advance of next week’s antitrust trial. In a memo, he shares that Judge Florence Pan is expected to make her ruling in November. He thanks staff for S&S’s “outstanding” performance the past two years since the sale was announced–which was also two years of unprecedented publishing sales in the pandemic–and shares a sunny outlook on the potential PRHSS. “As I’ve told you before, I am hopeful that Simon & Schuster will become part of Penguin Random House,” he writes. “I spent 16 years at Random House, and I know their culture […]
Scholastic Returns to Pre-Pandemic Levels As Book Fairs Rebound, Forecasts 8 to 10 Percent Growth in Next Year
Scholastic announced fourth quarter and full-year results for 2022, for the period ended May 31, with gains that “exceeded expectations for this rebuilding year,” president and ceo Peter Warwick said on a call with investors, due to a rebound in in-person book fairs and strong results in the educational business. Q4 sales were $514 million, up 28 percent from last year and ahead of the same periods in 2018 ($496 million) and 2019 ($471 million). Operating income was $65.5 million, up significantly from $9.7 million in the same quarter last year. Earnings were $53.7 million compared to $8 million last […]