Liza Baker will be promoted to vp, publisher in the Scholastic Trade publishing division as of September 7, reporting to Ellie Berger. Baker will oversee the publishing and editorial direction for the young readers’ imprints, including Cartwheel, Orchard, Acorn, and Branches. She will report to Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade Publishing. Berger says in the announcement, “I am delighted she will be at the helm creating engaging content for our youngest readers and look forward to seeing our list grow and innovate under her leadership.” At the same time, Ken Geist will transition to vp, publisher-at-large, following a move […]
Bookstores
Strand Bookstore Accepted PPP Loan, But Has Not Retained Most Employees Yet
Employees of NYC’s Strand Bookstore say the owner accepted a federal Paycheck Protection Program loan but did not keep most of its employees on payroll, and have asked for more transparency about the use of those funds. The UAW’s Labor Notes reports that the store received a loan of at least $1 million “by claiming to retain 212 jobs.” In March, owners laid off “the majority of staff,” a reported 188 out of 230 employees, which included 170 union members. Owner Nancy Bass Wyden said at the time, “This is the first time in our history that we have had […]
People, Etc.: Oprah Picks Wilkerson’s Caste
Desiree Wilson has joined the Bent Agency as an agent. Wilson was a freelance literary consultant and previously worked as an editor at Oni Press. At Aevitas Creative Management, Karen Brailsford joins as consulting agent and Georgia Frances King as agent. Brailsford has been a writer and editor at People, among other publications. King was most recently ideas editor of Quartz. Morgan LaRocca has been promoted to publicity associate at Graywolf Press. Picks Isabel Wilkerson‘s Caste is the new Oprah’s Book Club selection. Winfrey writes, ““Of all the books I’ve chosen for book club over the decades, there isn’t another that is more essential […]
People, Etc.
Alicia Kroell has been promoted to assistant editor at Catapult. At Sourcebooks, Christy Droege has been promoted to director of data. Adam Lara becomes web developer and administrator. Emily Forney and Umaima Saleem have joined BookEnds Literary Agency. Forney was most recently a publishing and editorial fellow for the LA Review of Books; Saleem was an intern at BookEnds and recipient of a We Need Diverse Books grant. James McGowan has been promoted to associate agent. Finally Forthcoming Blake Bailey‘s long-awaited biography of the late Philip Roth, written based on a collaboration agreement with Roth, will be published by Norton […]
Briefs
Forthcoming Former FBI agent Peter Strzok‘s COMPROMISED: Counterintelligence and the Threat of Donald J. Trump will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on September 8. He will “explain how the elevation by President Trump and his collaborators of Trump’s own personal interests over the interests of the country allowed Putin to succeed beyond Stalin’s wildest dreams, and how the national security implications of Putin’s triumph will persist through our next election and beyond.” Bookselling Powell’s Books has permanently closed its location in the Portland Airport. Owner Emily Powell told The Oregonian, “Closing the airport store is a sad necessity as […]
Briefs: Opening Trump Sales, Eason’s Layoffs and More
Simon & Schuster announced that Mary Trump‘s Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man sold more than 950,000 units in the US in its first day on sale, July 14. That sets “a company record.” (The previous record-holder was Bob Woodward’s FEAR, which the company had said sold 900,000 units on opening day in November 2018, and over 1.1 million units in its first week on sale.) A fourteenth hardcover printing on order will bring them to more than 1.15 million copies in print. Irish bookseller Eason’s will close all seven of their […]