Longtime employees at Barnes & Noble’s New Jersey distribution center Felix Ramirez and Alberto Joyasaca have died from complications related to Covid-19. Ramirez died April 13, according to co-workers, and Joyasaca died on May 4. BN spokesperson Alex Ortolani confirmed Ramirez’s death to NJ.com, saying the company was “deeply saddened by his passing.” Ortolani reports that the facility was closed for five days, through April 22 and he indicates there have been no positive cases in employees since then. He says they have closed four times already for a “deep cleaning,” with another one planned for May 9. In late […]
Bookstores
Books-A-Million Says It Reopened “The Majority” of Their Stores
With the biggest concentration of its stores in the South, Books-A-Million announced Wednesday that it “has opened the majority of its stores to customers following local guidelines for safe and secure shopping.” Ceo Terrance G. Finley says in the announcement: “We are extremely appreciative of the support we have received from our customers during these difficult times.” He added, “Now that we are able to welcome our customers back to the stores in time for Mother’s Day, our booksellers stand ready to share the rich assortment of new books and products that we have been curating over the past weeks.” […]
People, Etc.
Mirabelle Korn has been promoted to editor at Chronicle Books. Claire Fallon has been promoted to publicity and operations associate at Coffee House Press, and Enrique Olivarez has joined the company as development director. Bookselling Bay Books in Coronado, CA has reopened in their new space, after the original location nearby was closed at the end of 2019. For now, the store accepts pickup orders from 10 AM to 2 PM and is providing free delivery within Coronado. Relief Stephen King and John Grisham will hold a free online conversation discussing their new books on Wednesday, April 29 at 7:00 […]
People, Etc.: Bob Loomis Dies at 93, Brody Promoted at HMH
Renowned former Random House editor Bob Loomis died Sunday at 93, following a fall. RH Publishing Group Gina Centrello calls him, “One of the greatest editors Random House, and our industry, has ever known.” She noted, “I was just one of many who adored and learned from Bob, who inspired several generations of editors and publishers. His values and work ethic are permanently embedded in the Random House DNA.” Loomis retired from Random House in 2011 after spending almost 55 years at the house. The NYT notes, “Loomis likened editing to a quasi-religious function. ‘You have to turn your collar […]
People, Etc.
Robb Pearlman has joined Smart Pop Books as editor-in-chief. He was previously associate publisher at Rizzoli. Chilean author Luis Sepulveda, who lived in Spain after being exiled by Augusto Pinochet in the 1980s, died on Thursday from Covid-19. He first contracted the disease at the Correntes d’Escritas festival in February. Awards Christy Lefteri’s The Beekeeper of Aleppo won the Aspen Words Literary Prize. Cancelled Bouchercon 2020, planned for October 15-18 in Sacramento has been cancelled “out of an abundance of caution and concern for the health and safety of our community.” The organizers write in a statement, “We have no […]
Briefs
At Canongate, Andrea Joyce has stepped down as rights director after 13 years with the company. Jessica Neale succeeds her as rights and contracts director. Forthcoming Penguin Random House will publish a digital cookbook on May 5 to benefit restaurants and their workers, priced at $5.99, FAMILY MEAL: Recipes from Our Community. It features over 40 recipes by chefs and home cooks who publish with PRH imprint, covering what they are cooking and drinking at home right now, and all proceeds will benefit the RWCF COVID 19 Crisis Relief Fund. It includes a foreword from Restaurant Workers’ Community Fund co-founder […]