Penguin India issued a statement earlier today regarding its decision to pull Wendy Doniger’s THE HINDUS from sale in that country after a settlement that ended a four-year court battle. “Penguin Books India believes, and has always believed, in every individual’s right to freedom of thought and expression, a right explicitly codified in the Indian Constitution. This commitment informs Penguin’s approach to publishing in every territory of the world, and we have never been shy about testing that commitment in court when appropriate.” But, the company said, they have “the same obligation as any other organization to respect the laws […]
Agency News
People, Etc.
After more than two years at HarperCollins, where she was executive editor at It Books, Esther Margolis is leaving the company on February 14 and reclaiming the Newmarket Press. She will establish a new publishing and media venture to agent, package and consult on books, publishing, marketing and cross-media strategies, especially in the film and entertainment area. Margolis founded Newmarket Press in 1981 and sold the company and backlist to Harper in 2011. She will assume full rights to the Newmarket Press name and logo after the fall season launch. At Inkwell Literary Management, Allison Hunter and Lauren Smythe have […]
People, Etc.: LMQ to Manage Skolnick Back Office, William Lynch Gets A Job
Lippincott Massie McQuilkin announced that they will manage all back-office operations of the Irene Skolnick Literary Agency. LMQ has been selling and managing foreign rights for Skolnick’s authors since 2010. Skolnick says in the announcement, “I am delighted to be moving the agency to the offices of my friends at LMQ, where I will be able to focus my energies on the parts of the job I love most — finding and nurturing literary talent.” Rob McQuilkin notes they “feel honored that Irene is entrusting us with an agency she has so carefully and lovingly built over the past twenty years.” […]
Bienstock Sold to UTA; Paradigm In Music Joint Venture
Consolidation of Hollywood agencies is continuing, with UTA announcing on Wednesday it is acquiring N.S. Bienstock, which specializes in representing hundreds of TV news personalities and producers. Co-presidents of Bienstock Richard Liebner and his wife Carol Cooper will remain in charge of the unit. Terms of the acquisition were not announced, but the LAT reports that UTA financed the deal itself rather than turning to an outside partner (in contract to WME and CAA, both of which have partnered with major private equity firms to finance their expansions). Separately, the LAT notes that another talent agency, Paradigm, announced Monday it […]
People, Etc.
Graham Bell will move up to executive director of EDItEUR as of April 1, after Mark Bide retires. Bell has been chief data architect of EDItEUR since joining the organization in 2010, after working as head of publishing systems at Harper UK. In the Crown production department, Luisa Francavilla has been promoted to associate production director; Patricia Shaw moves up to senior production editor/digital copy chief; and Shira Gluck, Virginia Rhoda, and Heather Williamson have all been promoted to production associate. At Putnam and Amy Einhorn Books, Kelly Welsh Rudolph has been promoted to assistant director of publicity. Christopher Rhodes […]
People, Etc.
Andrea Barzvi recently left ICM Partners after 13 years to start her own agency, Empire literary, where she will continue to represent commercial non-fiction as well as women’s fiction. At Sourcebooks, Nicole Villeneuve has been promoted to assistant publicity manager. Poet Billy Collins, 72, has sold his papers to the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin, The finalists have been named for the Costa Short Story Award. In bookstore news, Main Street Books in St. Charles, MO — which was set to close on January 31 as the owners retire — is negotiating with a potential buyer. (A separate […]