At Harper Children’s, Erica Sussman has been promoted to editorial director. Editorial director of Book Business and Publishing Executive magazines Lynn Rosen‘s position was eliminated. Kate Atkinson’s LIFE AFTER LIFE won the best novel category Costa Book Award, while Nathan Filer’s THE SHOCK AND THE FALL was awarded the debut novel category prize. Those and other category winners will compete for the overall Costa, to be decided on January 28. Former managing director of Secker and Warburg in the UK Tom Rosenthal, 78, has died. Anova Books ceo Polly Powell has bought out the company from co-founders Robin Wood and […]
Macmillan Acquires Cookstr; Schwalbe Named to Executive Role
Macmillan has acquired six-year-old recipe web site Cookstr for an undisclosed sum, in a deal advised by Headwaters MB. Co-founder Will Schwalbe will stay with the site as its leader and takes on the additional role of evp, editorial development and content innovation for Macmillan, acquiring books across the company’s publishing imprints. He will report to global trade coo Andrew Weber. (Cookstr’s director of editorial and partnerships Kara Rota continues to report to Schwalbe.) According to the announcement, Cookstr now attracts over 8 million unique visitors a month. It was founded in 2008 by Schwalbe and Katie Workman, along with Art Chang at Tipping Point […]
People, Etc.
Sarah Pelz will join Grand Central Life & Style on January 13 as executive editor. Previously she was executive editor at Rodale. Amazon ceo Jeff Bezos was airlifted out of the Galapagos by Ecuador’s navy on New Year’s Day after suffering from a kidney stone, and returned to the US on his jet for treatment. A matter of material interest to shareholders, Bezos commented in an email provided to media by spokesman Drew Herdener, “Galapagos: five stars. Kidney stones: zero stars.” Herdener added, “He got a good outcome. No surgery was required, and he’s feeling well.” Skyhorse’s newest imprint is Yucca […]
Kensington Acquires Digital Publisher Lyrical Press
Kensington has acquired digital publisher Lyrical Press, which has published more than 250 romance, YA, and other genre titles. They will operate it as a digital-first imprint under the oversight of Adam Zacharius, Kensington’s director of special projects and alternative media. Lyrical Press founder Renee Rocco will remain with the imprint as managing director. All books published by the imprint will be DRM-free, with print-on-demand editions available for titles that exceed 60,000 words. Kensington ceo Steven Zacharius said in the announcement that he had been looking to acquire “a digital imprint that works efficiently like a small independent press.” He […]
January Books of the Month; February Indie Next Picks
Amazon agrees that THE INVENTION OF WINGS by Sue Monk Kidd, already featured by Oprah’s Book Club 2.0 and the No. 1 Indie Next January pick, is the book of the month for January. The retailer’s full list of choices also features: The Kept, James Scott Andrew’s Brain, E. L. Doctorow Windfall, McKenzie Funk On Such a Full Sea, Chang-Rae Lee The Wind Is Not a River, Brian Payton Radiance of Tomorrow, Ishmael Beah Before I Burn, Gaute Heivol and Don Bartlett Ping-Pong Diplomacy, Nicholas Griffin Apple Tree Yard, Louise Doughty Hollow City, Ransom Riggs Separately, the Costco Pennie’s Pick for […]
People, Etc.
At Start Publishing, Meghan Kilduff has been promoted to associate publisher for the Salvo Press, Night Shade Books, Start Classics and Start Science Fiction imprints. In addition, Natalie Pao has been named production associate for ebooks. Kate DiCamillo has been named the Library of Congress’ next National Ambassador to Young People’s Literature, succeeding Walter Dean Myers, who was appointed in 2012. DiCamillo will spend the next two years traveling (including required appearances at the National Book Festival and Children’s Book Week) and told the NYT: “It wasn’t until my fifth or sixth book where I realized I’m trying to do […]