Frankfurt Book Fair Simon & Schuster joined HarperCollins and others in announcing that it, too, will not attend the Frankfurt Book Fair this year: “After careful consideration, and with the health and safety of our employees and industry colleagues foremost in mind, Simon & Schuster has decided that it will not attend the Frankfurt Book Fair this year. We applaud the FBF’s efforts to develop digital programs, and while we will not have a physical presence, our publishers, rights and sales groups are very much looking forward to using other means to meet with their with their contacts in the […]
Awards
Briefs
The National Book Festival will not be held at the Washington Convention Center this year. Instead, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced, they will organize a virtual festival, with online events the weekend of September 25–27. The Bookseller’s YA Book Prize was given to Juno Dawson’s Meat Market (Quercus Children’s). McNally Jackson owner Sarah McNally writes an op-ed for the NYT about why many New York landlords would rather see retail spaces sit empty than give rent concessions. (Admitting to lower rents reduces the value of the building.) “We could solve our vacancy problem for good if all landlords simply […]
People, Etc.
John Donovan will join Norton’s UK subsidiary, W.W. Norton & Company as managing director, starting July 1. Donovan was most recently regional director, UK and Europe, for McGraw Hill Education. Current managing director Edward Crutchley will retire in July, though he will continue to serve on the governing board of W.W. Norton. Heidi Luedemann has been promoted to contracts director, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, succeeding the late Bill Shannon, effective immediately, and reporting to David Sanford, senior vp, executive director, contracts & permissions, Penguin Random House US. Awards The James Beard Foundation presented their book awards Wednesday afternoon, with The […]
People, Etc.
At Pearson, Alexa Christon has been promoted to chief marketing officer, reporting to chief corporate affairs officer, Deirdre Latour. Robb Forman Dew, 73, author of fiction, memoirs, essays, criticism, and cookbooks, died on May 22. Her 1981 novel, Dale Loves Sophie to Death, won the National Book Award (then known as the American Book Award) for a first novel. A memorial will be held at a time and place to be determined once quarantine restrictions have been lifted. Awards Amazon Literary Partnership announced its 2020 grant recipients, including Deep Vellum Publishing, City of Asylum Pittsburgh, The Center for Africa and LitNet. Past recipients […]
People, Etc.
Kristin Sevick has been promoted to executive editor at Forge. Relief Harvard University Press and Yale University Press are offering special terms through their distributor to independent booksellers for ordered by June 30. Accounts in good standing can receive 120 days dating, free freight, and +2 points in discount (minimum 15 units) on available titles. Awards Romance Writers of America is retiring its RITA Awards and intends to introduce a new award called The Vivian. Named after RWA founder Vivian Stephens, the new award “recognizes excellence in romance writing and showcases author talent and creativity. We celebrate the power of […]
People, Etc.
Kent Watson is stepping down from his role as executive director of PubWest on June 12 after 12 years in the position. The board has begun the search for an interim executive director. Imprints China’s Thinkingdom Media Group has formed Astra Publishing House, a publishing group that will combine their Boyd Mills & Kane and mineditionUS (in which Boyd Mills recently made “a substantial investment”) with a new adult imprint, Astra House. Distributed by Penguin Random House, Astra House will publish 20 to 25 titles a year — about half of those books works in translation — across literary fiction, poetry, […]