Hachette UK announced the creation of a unified children’s division, Hachette Children’s Group, bringing together Hachette Children’s, Orion Children’s, Little, Brown Children’s and Orchard Books as of January 1. Managing director of Egmont UK Hilary Murray Hill will join the company to serve as CEO of the new division on January 13. Marlene Johnson will run the line as ceo until then, and will retire from Hachette at the end of January 2015. Clare Somerville will be deputy managing director. No other jobs are affected by the consolidation; the company says “the aim of the merger is to develop new strengths in children’s […]
Universal Has Two-Year First Look Deal With Penguin Random House
In the latest expansion of Penguin Random House’s film/tv development efforts, Random House Studio has signed a two-year first-look production agreement Universal Pictures. Random House Studio, under the direction of president Peter Gethers, will serve as a producer on the projects developed and filmed under the agreement. Once again, UTA represented Penguin Random House in the deal. Universal co-president of production Jeffrey Kirschenbaum says in the announcement: “Peter Gethers’ ability to identify books that can be adapted into movies that can attract major talent makes his team a unique and invaluable addition to the Universal family.” Universal is already readying […]
People, Etc.
Andrew Kidd “has decided to leave agenting” and will depart Aitken Alexander at the end of October after 6 years there. The announcement says he will “pursue a new path in the book industry,” apparently to be announced in November. Eric Price has joined Melville House in the newly created role of vp, business development. Previously he was director of sales and marketing at Quercus US and before then was associate publisher and coo at Grove Atlantic. At Penguin Random House US, Akiko Iwamoto has been promoted to regional sales director, Asia, while Mike Zaug moves up to regional sales director, […]
Slate and the Whiting Foundation Team Up to Honor Second Novels
Slate and the Whiting Foundation have teamed up for the Slate/Whiting Second Novel List (which they are also calling “We Second That”). While more of an organized promotional campaign than an award per se — “akin to being retweeted by your literary idol, or finding out that the classmate you have a crush on thinks you’re cute” — the idea is to recognize five second novels published over the past five years “whose first trips through the literary-pressdustrial complex may not have been all the authors hoped for.” It was inspired by a tweet by Porochista Khakpour last June (“Can someone […]
Forthcoming: Gabriel Garcia Marquez eBooks; Debut Fig Tree List
Vintage will release nine titles by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, including LOVE IN THE TIME OF CHOLERA and CHRONICLE OF A DEATH FORETOLD, in English-language ebook editions on October 15. At the same time, Vintage Espanol will issue ebook versions of 18 Garcia Marquez works in Spanish. The deal marks the first time books by Garcia Marquez, who died in April, will be available in digital format in the US, and comes several months after the estate’s agent Carmen Balcells announced a preliminary deal to create a joint partnership with the Wylie Agency. Jewish-American literary fiction publisher Fig Tree Books announced its […]
People
Eleanor Chang will retire at the end of this year after serving for 25 years as chief financial officer for the ABA. A search is underway for a replacement. CEO Oren Teicher says, “My predecessors and I have relied on Ellie to do so many things, and we are forever in her debt. She and I have worked together for 24 years, and not only has she been a valued and trusted colleague, she has also become my good friend. I will miss her. So will ABA.” At NYU Press, Eric Zinner has been promoted to associate director in addition […]