Jon Thurber, who has been books editor at the Los Angeles Times since 2010, his latest posting in over 40 years at the newspaper, is leaving “at the beginning of the summer.” The announcement does not name a replacement for position. Kathy Davis has joined Harlequin as acquisitions editor, supporting the newly acquired Heartsong Presents program. Peter Collingridge is the latest well-known epublishing recruit for Safari Books Online, where he will serve as vp of product development. He will work out of London initially, but will relocate to the San Francisco Bay area this summer. Laura Dawson will join Bowker on […]
Authors
Richard Ford’s Canada Tops June Indie Next List
Here are this month’s picks: #1. Canada, by Richard Ford Heading Out to Wonderful: A Novel, by Robert Goolrick The Chaperone: A Novel, by Laura Moriarty The Yard: A Novel, by Alex Grecian The Watch: A Novel, by Joydeep Roy-Bhattacharya Equal of the Sun: A Novel, by Anita Amirrezvani Gone Girl: A Novel, by Gillian Flynn Capital: A Novel, by John Lanchester The Green Shore: A Novel, by Natalie Bakopoulos Wallflower in Bloom: A Novel, by Claire Cook The Watchers: A Novel, by Jon Steele A Lady Cyclist’s Guide to Kashgar: A Novel, by Suzanne Joinson Istanbul Passage: A Novel, […]
Judge Dismisses Suit Against Greg Mortenson and Penguin, Calls Claims “Overly Broad” and “Flimsy”
On Monday a federal judge in Montana tossed out a lawsuit filed by four book buyers against Greg Mortenson and Penguin on the grounds that THREE CUPS OF TEA’s alleged fabrications deceived the quartet into believing the book was nonfiction. In dimissing the complaint charging fraud, deceit, racketeering and breach of contract, US district judge Sam Haddon said the lawsuit, which has been pending for more than a year, was based on “imprecise, in part flimsy, and speculative” claims and that the further pursuit of legal action “would be futile.” Haddon was particularly critical of the plaintiffs’ racketeering claims, saying […]
People, Etc.
Amber Guetebier has been promoted to editor at Red Wheel Weiser Books and Conari Press. She was formerly assistant editor. Chad Harbach won the Book-of-the-Month Club’s First Fiction Award for The Art of Fielding; Tea Obreht won the Quality Paperback Club’s New Voices Award for her debut novel The Tiger’s Wife, and Conor Grennan received the QBPC’s nonfiction New Visions award for Little Princes: One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal. Author Toni Morrison is among the 13 new recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom–along with former University of Tennessee women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt, whose latest memoir was just announced. […]
Digital News: More Languages for Potter; Harris Turns Packager; and More
As promised, Pottermore has placed on sale French, Italian, Spanish and German editions of the Harry Potter ebooks. Former book-to-film agent Nick Harris, who left ICM recently, is starting a new company with funding from his brother-in-law Jason Traub. In the vein of Alloy Entertainment and Full Fathom Five, The Story Foundation will create books in the packager model–saying they will split proceeds 50/50 “most of the time” with authors–and aims to develop those books as film/TV projects and for “other multi-platform opportunities.” Harris tells Deadline he is already worked on five projects, based on his own ideas. “After parting […]
People, Etc.: LAT Book Prizes Name Shakar’s Luminarium Best Novel
At Simon & Schuster, Colin Shields has been promoted to vp, director of digital sales. He will continue to have responsibility for the print business at Amazon.com, as well as digital sales for Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and others. Ryan Doherty has been promoted to senior editor at Random House’s trade paperback unit. In addition, Kelli Fillingim moves up to associate editor. Stephanie Gorton has joined Open Road as acquisitions manager, reporting to Tina Pohlman. Previously she was an editor at Overlook Press. In addition, consulting editorial director Marjorie Braman will now become strategic advisor, author brands, […]