In the Random House Special Markets Group, Christine Dillon has been promoted to senior sales director, premium and proprietary sales. Cathy Serpico moves up to imprint sales manager, and Lauren Helman has been promoted to sales manager, specialty retail. At Transatlantic Literary Agency, Stephanie Sinclair and Amy Tompkins have been promoted to associate agent. The Oscar nominations were announced Thursday morning. Among the book-based films in contention for top honors, Philomena, 12 Years A Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street were all nominated for best picture, and Dirty Wars is nominated for best documentary. Also announced Thursday morning were […]
Agency News
People: Shinker to Depart Gotham/Avery, Tart To Oversee Imprints; Penguin and Random Children’s Merge In UK
President and publisher of Gotham/Avery Books Bill Shinker will step down on January 31 “to do consulting,” after what Penguin president Susan Petersen Kennedy calls a “storied four-decade publishing career [that] uniquely includes the founding of two lasting Penguin and Random House imprints: Gotham Books and Broadway Books.” Succeeding Shinker on February 3 is Brian Tart, who will also remain president and publisher of Dutton. Newly reporting to Tart are Gotham/Avery associate publisher Lisa Johnson; Gotham editorial director Lauren Marino; and Avery editorial director Megan Newman. Gotham/Avery intends to continue publishing approximately 25 hardcover and 30 paperback titles annually. Kennedy […]
More Corporate Sales: Academy Chicago, and UK Agency Pollinger
Chicago Review Press has acquired Academy Chicago Publishers for an undisclosed sum (though a spokeswoman for the purchaser cited a “six-figure price”) which will have Chicago Review Press publishing original fiction for the first time. They expect to immediately begin publishing fifteen to twenty new titles annually under the Academy Chicago imprint. Jordan and Anita Miller, who founded ACP in 1975, will work as editors at-large for Chicago Review Press for the next two years, and IPG will distribute all Academy Chicago Publishers books, including their backlist of approximately 300 titles. Chicago Review Press publisher Cynthia Sherry said in the announcement: “Our two companies have […]
WME and Silver Lake Confirm IMG Acquisition
William Morris Endeavor and their private equity backers Silver Lake announced Wednesday morning they have finalized an agreement to acquire talent and sports agency IMG. WME’s co-ceos Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell say in the release, “IMG has incredible strategic value to WME. The brand’s global reach, outstanding management team and leadership across sports, fashion and media are a strong complement to our business.” The announcement also notes that “Mubadala Development Company will be a minority investor in the transaction.” (It’s an investment vehicle of Abu Dhabi.) While the final price was not officially disclosed, multiple accounts had the winning bid […]
People, Etc.
Rebecca Friedman has started her own agency, Rebecca Friedman Literary. She can be reached at rebecca@rfliterary.com. The agency is interested in commercial and literary fiction with a focus on literary novels of suspense, women’s fiction, contemporary romance, and young adult, as well as journalistic non-fiction and memoir. Anna Stein has joined Aitken Alexander’s board of directors. She currently runs the agency’s New York office. Gonzalo Ferreyra has joined Ingram Publisher Services in the role of director of acquisitions, full-service distribution. He was most recently director of marketing, print and digital at Weldon Owen Publishing. In addition, Carter Holliday has been promoted […]
People
Literary agent Peter Steinberg has joined with former editorial director of Fourth Story Media and Miramax Books editorial director JillEllyn Riley to create Arc & Type — a division of The Steinberg Agency that will package fiction and nonfiction books. United Agents will represent UK/Commonwealth and translations rights for their projects. Most recently, RIley has been writing and editing books, as well as “cultivating stories for other authors.” Steinberg, who will continue his agenting role while “helping to oversee” the new division, says in the announcement: , “JillEllyn and I have been friends through the publishing business for a long time and […]