In a move hinted at just prior to last year’s event, the National Book Awards will now announce a longlist of 10 books in each of four categories before being whittled down to the traditional five finalists, the AP reports. The longlists will be announced on September 12, with the shortlists to follow on October 15 and the awards themselves on November 20. In addition, the National Book Awards will also expand its judging pool to include critics, booksellers, and librarians. Grove/Atlantic CEO Morgan Entrekin and National Book Foundation board member told the AP the foundation is “borrowing some of […]
People, Etc.
Roger Cooper will assist digital publisher Rosetta Books as associate publisher-at-large, helping to secure new titles and original publishing opportunities as well as adding backlist ebooks. Rosetta is the first client for Cooper’s recently-created consulting firm Roger Cooper Book Associates. Francis Lam will join Clarkson Potter as editor-at-large on February 19, reporting to Pam Krauss, where he will be “seeking out new voices in the culinary landscape to contribute both cookbooks and works of narrative nonfiction.” Previously he was features editor at online food market and magazine Gilt Taste. The Gersh Agency has signed Oxford University Press to an exclusive agreement, and […]
Fountain, Boo, Shadid, Solomon Among NBCC Award Nominees
The National Book Critics Circle announced finalists in six categories. The Nona A. Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing was awarded to William Deresiewicz (and, for the first time, the citation comes with $1,000 in cash thanks to a “generous donation” by board member Gregg Barrios) while Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar will receive the Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award for their “pioneering work in feminist thought.” The winners will be announced on February 28 at the New School. The full list of nominees: AUTOBIOGRAPHY Reyna Grande, The Distance Between Us (Atria) Maureen N. McLane, My Poets (FSG) Anthony Shadid, […]
Bookselling: WORD To Open Second Location in Jersey City; Black Forest Books & Toys To Close; and More
WORD Bookstore will open a second location in Jersey City, NJ later this year. The new store, which will be located close to the Grove Street PATH Station, will be larger than the original Brooklyn location and have a cafe. Owner Christine Onorati told Shelf Awareness the new WORD location’s inventory “will be ‘very similar’ to the Brooklyn store but with an expanded kids section” while the cafe will double as an event space. “I have very high hopes for this new store, and I’m excited to help foster the vibrant, literary, community-focused spirit of Jersey City.” Black Forest Books […]
People, Distribution, Etc.
Film development and publishing veteran Ruth Pomerance will join Hyperion on January 28 as a senior editor, focusing on the acquisition and development of new stories and author talent that will translate across the Disney/ABC Television Group businesses. Most recently she was executive producer for the adaptation of Judy Blume’s Tiger Eyes and a consultant to entertainment firms. Pomerance has worked for producers including Scott Rudin, Arnold Kopelson, Fred Zollo, and John Davis, for whom she acquired and developed literary properties for film and TV, and has worked at The Rockwell Group, USA Films, Artists Management Group, and the William Morris […]
People: RHPG Decentralizes Trade Paperback Publishing, von Mehren Exits
Random House Publishing Group announced Friday that it will “decentralize” trade paperback publishing. Going forward, individual publishers and imprints will manage their own trade paperbacks, “allowing each title’s original publication team to focus on and publish the book through its full life cycle: hardcover, eBook, and paperback.” As a result of the “decentralized” restructure, svp, publisher trade paperbacks Jane von Mehren is leaving the company after more than eight years. RHPG president and publisher Gina Centrello commended von Mehren for turning Random House trade paperbacks “into a driving force in the industry with an impressive track record in a broad […]