At Razorbill, Caroline Donofrio has been promoted to editor. At Random House Children’s, Books, Danielle Rollins has been promoted to marketing coordinator. At Llewellyn Worldwide, Tom Lund has been promoted to director of sales and marketing, replacing Rhonda Ogren upon her retirement. In addition, Kat Sanborn has joined the company as senior publicist. Jane Austen will appear on the £10 note starting in 2017, the Bank of England announced Wednesday. “Jane Austen certainly merits a place in the select group of historical figures to appear on our banknotes. Her novels have an enduring and universal appeal and she is recognised […]
Authors in the News: Galbraith FAQs; Ann Rule Sues Seattle Weekly; Pahlaniuk’s FIGHT CLUB Sequel; and More
The official website of “Robert Galbraith,” JK Rowling‘s crime-writing alter ego, now includes a FAQ addressing many of the questions that have emerged since the Sunday Times unmasked her identity earlier this month. She wrote THE CUCKOO’S CALLING under a pseudonym because “I was yearning to go back to the beginning of a writing career in this new genre, to work without hype or expectation and to receive totally unvarnished feedback. It was a fantastic experience and I only wish it could have gone on a little longer.” Rowling says she had “labyrinthine plans…to conceal my identity” and “hoped to keep […]
People
Maria Rodale, who took over as chairman and ceo of the family-owned company in 2009 from Steve Murphy, told staff in a memo last week “we have begun a search to fill two important roles — a president and chief operating officer — each of whom will report to me.” Random House Children’s Group has announced a number of changes and additions to its marketing division. Kimberly Lauber has joined as director of marketing, having previously worked as director of marketing and publicity, children’s books for Chronicle Books. Laura Antonacci will join the School and Library team on August 12 […]
Book Country Relaunches, Adding Wider Genre Map, Bookstore, and More Self-Publishing Tools
Penguin’s genre community Book Country, which focused on romance, mystery/thriller and science fiction & fantasy upon arrival in April 2011, will formally relaunch on Wednesday with a broader array of categories and services. Book Country’s genre map has expanded to include literary fiction, memoir, narrative nonfiction, New Adult, and several sub-categories within Young Adult. In addition, Book Country, which now has 8300 members as well as eight authors who landed publishing deals, will launch a bookstore that allows community members to sell titles, both through Book Country as well as through all major outlets that Penguin distributes to. Book Country […]
Briefs: Banks and Perseus Funds Sue Frank Pearl’s Estate; German Publisher Is Rowling Winner; And More
The estate of financier and Perseus Books founder Frank Pearl, who died in May 2012, is being sued by Bank of America, TD Bank, Eagle Bank and even Perseus Funds for more than $50 million, according to the Washington Post, alleging he “sought to avoid payment to creditors by fraudulently moving $59 million in life insurance proceeds and other assets from his estate into Perseus Trust, which he had created for his wife” after being diagnosed with terminal cancer in November 2011. Bank of America seeks $22 million; TD Bank and Eagle Bank are asking for more than $16 million […]
HOTHOUSE in the Hot Seat
Boris Kachka has covered the trade publishing beat for more than thirteen years at New York Magazine, and one could look at his forthcoming book Hothouse, which S&S will publish August 6, as a rite of passage akin to a Bar Mitzvah. The advance attention from booksellers and publishing types for the book, a history of Farrar, Straus & Giroux and the two figures, Roger Straus and Robert Giroux, who loomed largest over the publishing house’s six decades, has been almost uniformly rapturous, garnering the No. 1 slot for August’s Indie Next list. But Hothouse‘s predicament begins with its declaration […]