The 3 finalists for The Story Prize were announced Wednesday morning, with the winner to be named at an awards ceremony on March 21: Don DeLillo, The Angel Esmeralda (Scribner) Steven Millhauser, We Others (Knopf) Edith Pearlman, Binocular Vision (Lookout Books) The Jewish Book Award winners were named, including Simon Sebag Montefiore’s Jerusalem: The Biography as book of the year, with Aharon Appelfeld’s Until the Dawn’s Light winning the fiction award. These seven novels (instead of the usual five candidates) made the Man Asian Literary Prize shortlist: Jamil Ahmad, The Wandering Falcon (Penguin India/Hamish Hamilton/Riverhead), Pakistan Jahnavi Barua, Rebirth (Penguin India/Penguin Books), India Rahul Bhattacharya, […]
People, Etc.
Tin House Books editor and associate publisher Lee Montgomery is “leaving to pursue independent book projects and resume her own writing career.” She has been with Tin House enterprises since 2001. Editor-in-chief and publisher of Tin House magazine Win McCormack and magazine editor since Tin House’s inception in 1999 Rob Spillman will oversee the book program during the transition. The company promises that Tin House Books “will continue and expand its commitment to publishing the high-quality and unique books for which it has become known.” Loren Chaves will join Simon & Schuster on January 17 as national account manager for Levy […]
Bookselling: Kepler’s In Search of New Business Model As Clark Kepler Looks to Retirement
Clark Kepler, 53, intends to retire from Menlo Park, CA-based bookstore Kepler’s after 32 years as manager, with the store’s 30 employees “very much involved in the change process to redefine Kepler’s and their jobs, so the final outcome of the new model will be determined by all of the stakeholders, including the employees.” Kepler’s nearly closed for good in 2005 until they raised nearly $1 million from investors and enrolled thousands of “supporting members,” but the store is still “barely breaking even,” despite having expanded event store space (including charging for events), among other changes. The Almanac News reports […]
People: Chase, Farley, Ditlow, Deen and More
Farley Chase has formed Chase Literary Agency after nearly eight years as a literary agent with the Waxman Literary Agency. He will continue to represent the foreign rights for The Waxman Literary Agency. Former president and publisher of Macmillan Children’s Dan Farley is joining education technology platform startup SwoopThat as a principal and evp, business development. SwoopThat aims to increase textbook affordability for students and enhance college bookstore revenues by helping them adjust to the quickly changing coursebook market. “This is a venture that can, proverbially, make a difference. And, it’s fresh, exciting, and full of opportunity,” Farley said in note to colleagues. He […]
People
Ballantine Bantam Dell publisher Libby McGuire has been promoted from svp to evp. She will continue to oversee the hardcover and mass market publishing programs for the division, reporting to RHPG president Gina Centrello. “With a sales and marketing background, Libby’s marketplace sensibility and decisive leadership is complemented by a wonderful eye for both fiction and nonfiction, for the publishing to support it, and by strong relationship with her colleagues, our authors, and the agent community,” Centrello said in the announcement. Amanda Cook will join Crown as vp, executive editor on February 6, responsible for developing the imprint’s non-fiction list. […]
Barnes & Noble Seeks Bids for Sterling
While Amazon is investing in their in-house publishing program, Barnes & Noble is headed in the opposite direction as part of their repositioning as a technology company, with bankers currently eliciting bids for Sterling Publishing. The WSJ reported the development on Wednesday, citing “people familiar with the situation,” and a BN spokesperson would not comment. But sources with direct knowledge of the offering indicate to us indicate that it has been in circulation for at least two months if not longer. Someone acquainted with the sale’s progress indicates that there is considerable interest in the company. There will be at […]