Chairman emeritus of Writers House Al Zuckerman is retiring 47 years after founding the agency. “A true legend of the industry,” the agency writes, “At the beginning of his storied career, Al was a one man shop, taking business meetings in a bank lobby; he retires having overseen the growth of the company to the industry-leading agency it is today, with over twenty agents and fifty employees. At the core of his success was Al’s extraordinary understanding of storytelling, begun with his doctoral thesis on Hamlet at Yale’s famed Drama School and continuing on through his own work as a […]
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People, Etc.
Kathy Belden has been promoted to editorial director at Scribner, announced by editor-in-chief Colin Harrison and publisher Nan Graham: “Kathy’s books and authors have transformed the Scribner list…. This is a reflection of Kathy’s exceptional contributions to the imprint — her advocacy for the books edited by her colleagues; her mentorship of younger staff and counsel to older; her work to make systems better serve our staff and authors; her commitment and leadership in all matters DEI; her nourishing of the community — even and especially now that we are physically apart; her wisdom and grace, generosity and humor.” Rebecca […]
The Strand’s Revenues Are Down “Nearly 70 Percent”
Owner of the the Strand Book Store Nancy Bass wrote to customers asking for support to sustain and save the business: “The Strand’s revenue has dropped nearly 70 percent compared to last year…. Because of the impact of Covid-19, we cannot survive the huge decline in foot traffic, a near-complete loss of tourism, and zero in-store events.” Bass says, “The next few months will determine the future of The Strand.” The store did receive a PPP loan, reported by their union to be over $1 million. Bass says that loan and their cash reserves “allowed us to weather the past […]
Barnes & Noble Hack Said to be Confirmed As Ransomware Attack; Nook Restoration Almost Complete
A reporter for BleepingComputer says he has confirmed what has been suspected since the Barnes & Noble cybersecurity attack was first observed: A group using the new Egregor ransomware “is claiming responsibility,” having “gained access to [the] corporate network” and “state that they stole unencrypted files as part of the attack.” The site says it “was contacted by a threat actor who stated that the Egregor ransomware operation was behind the attack.” They add that the group “published files that they claim were stolen during the attack on Barnes & Noble.” But their take on those proof packet files is […]
People, Etc.
Poets & Writers managing director Melissa Ford Gradel will take over as the organization’s executive director in January, when Elliot Figman steps down, after leading the nonprofit since 1981. Figman said: “It’s been my honor to work together with such talented and passionate colleagues. While parting is, indeed, sweet sorrow, I’m delighted to pass the baton to Melissa, who has a deep understanding of our mission, vision, and values and is uniquely qualified to take the helm. As I reflect on my time at Poets & Writers, I’m so proud that we’ve built this organization to be a widely respected […]
NYT On the Struggles of Indie Booksellers
The NYT explains to general readers the challenging situation for many independent booksellers as they balance hopes for the critical holiday season against the challenges of shopping in a pandemic — exacerbated by limits on printing and reprints, and slower and more expensive shipping, and higher expenses regardless. The ABA surveyed members in July and among the approximately 400 respondents, a third said their sales were down 40 percent or more for the year. That 40 percent is in line with what Vroman’s in Los Angeles told customers when appealing for help to survive. Twenty-six percent indicated sales were flat, […]