The New Yorker has a phone interview with Barnes & Noble executive chairman Len Riggio. In an interesting bit of time travel, they write that: “As far back as 2000, Riggio said that he believed Barnes & Noble should open smaller stores (the company’s typical superstores are more than twenty-five-thousand square feet), in denser, more pedestrian-friendly locations. But, at the time, business was great, the suburban power centers were still growing, and the idea never translated into concrete action. ‘You blow some and you get some right,’ he said, reflecting on the missed opportunity. ‘Timing is everything.'”) While they were […]
Bookstores
People, Etc.
Former host of the recently-cancelled The Nightly Show (and author of I’d Rather We Got Casinos: And Other Black Thoughts) Larry Wilmore will host the National Book Awards ceremony on November 16. NBF executive director Lisa Lucas says in the announcement, “Larry Wilmore, who is hilarious, intellectual and well-loved by so many, is the perfect choice to host the awards, remind us of the cultural value of books and writers, and to welcome in new audiences.” At Gallery Books, Meagan Harris has been promoted to publicity manager. Wade Lucas has been promoted to senior agent director, Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau, where he is […]
People
At Penguin Random House, svp, corporate director business affairs John Schline is stepping down after more than three decades with Penguin and Random House. He will serve as a consultant to the company through the end of 2016. David Sanford has been promoted to svp, executive director, contracts and permissions companywide, with responsibility for all the adult and children’s imprint and divisional contract directors. Robin Simon, Erica Cuculic and Megan Thomas are each appointed director, contracts, Penguin Publishing Group, with respective imprint responsibilities. At Delacorte Press, Wendy Loggia and Krista Marino have both been promoted to senior executive editor, while Monica Jean moves up to assistant editor. Jessica […]
People, Etc.
Stephanie Hitchcock has been promoted to editor at Harper Business. At Henry Holt, Jessica Wiener has been appointed director of marketing. At Little, Brown, Katharine Myers has been promoted to associate director of publicity. In addition, Pamela Brown moves up to marketing director, Little, Brown and Mulholland Books, while Lauren Velasquez joins as marketing manager. Previously she was a marketing manager at the Crown Publishing Group. At Triada US, Brent Taylor has been promoted to subsidiary (audio and foreign) rights manager in addition to his role as associate agent. On Friday, the BISG presented their annual awards to Dominique Raccah at […]
Briefs: Pedroza Collects In Fifty Shades Settlement, Amazon Boston, and More
Jennifer Pedroza will finally collect from her former Writers’ Coffee Shop partner Amanda Hayward, in a confidential settlement. Hayward is dropping her appeal of the Texas District Court judgment that gave Pedroza a $10.6 million award, along with $900,000 in interest and $1.7 million in attorney’s fees. The final payment does include at least $1.6 million from Random House that was being held by the court. Hayward had been ordered to put $10 million in escrow in 2015 though it was never clear whether she had the cash to fulfill the court’s order. Royalties from Random House were to be channeled to the escrow account to […]
Briefs: Forthcoming From George W. Bush & James Patterson; Amazon Opens La Jolla Store
Crown will publish the next book from former President George W. Bush on February 28 — the full-color PORTRAITS OF COURAGE: A Commander in Chief’s Tribute to America’s Warriors, presenting 66 portraits and a mural depicting service members and veterans, painted by President Bush. Crown will offer an over-sized edition signed by President Bush priced at $250, and he will read the text of the stories of the paintings’ subjects for the audio version. President Bush was represented by Robert Barnett at Williams & Connolly, and will donate his “net author proceeds” to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, with Crown acquiring world rights. The paintings […]