Random House Children’s is getting two more paperback imprints for middle-grade and YA books: Ember, for bestsellers and award winners, and Bluefire for “beloved fantasy novels.” In distribution news, Harper Canada will handle sales, marketing, and distribution of Pan Macmillan UK‘s titles in Canada as of June 1. The British publisher had been with the now-bankrupt H.B. Fenn.
Distribution
Briefs: CEO Letters from Borders, Lonely Planet; Zondervan Warehouse to Close; and More
In the wake of yesterday’s news that Lonely Planet would shift most of its web operations to the UK and lay off approximately 70 employees, CEO Matt Goldberg went into more detail about the reorganization in a memo to staff. In addition to reiterating the reorganization causes – losing $13 million on foreign currency due to a strong Australian dollar and reducing costs by 18 percent – Goldberg indicated the company’s digital revenues climbed to 21 percent from from 9 percent over the past four years, “which indicates our digital business has momentum.” Borders CEO Mike Edwards is taking his […]
People, Etc.
Stephanie Hargadon joins St. Martin’s as senior publicist on May 16. Previously she was associate publicist at Macmillan Audio/Macmillan Young Listeners. In editorial promotions at Simon & Schuster Children’s, Kiley Frank has been promoted to associate editor at Atheneum; Amy Currier is assistant managing editor; and Emily Fabre is assistant editor, Margaret K. McElderry Books. In the art department, Giuseppe Castellano is now art director for Little Simon; John Daly is associate art director for Simon Spotlight; Jessica Handelman is associate art director for Pulse and Aladdin; Lauren Rille is associate art director; Laura Roode is senior designer; and Nick Sciacca […]
Bookselling: New Amazon Fulfillment Centers; Additional REDGroup Layoffs; and More
Amazon will expand nearly double the size of its fulfillment center in Phoenix, adding approximately 400,000-square feet to the facility. The company will also open a nearly 900,000 square foot fulfillment center in Indianapolis (and add several hundred permanent and seasonal jobs in the process), its third facility in the state. Release On Friday REDGroup Retail cut 25 jobs at its distribution warehouse in Melbourne, with another 14 employees let go at the company’s headquarters in Australia. Five remaining warehouse staff will continue to work for another two weeks before the facility closes, while the head count at headquarters is down […]
People, Etc.
Kelly Fischbach has joined Barnes & Noble as director, digital education content for BN.com (NookStudy). Fischbach was formerly director, content product management for Kno. Allison Dobson has moved in-house to the Random House Publishing Group as vp, director, business development and strategic partnerships, reporting to Bill Takes. In the UK Mark Hutchinson, formerly of Colman Getty, is setting up a pr and management consulting company, Mark Hutchinson Management. The Bookseller says he will handle personal PR for JK Rowling through the new company, as well as working for authors including Nigella Lawson and Andrea Levy.Bookseller In Canada, Thomas Allen & […]
People, Etc.: Joseph-Beth Auction Looms
The bankruptcy auction of the five remaining Joseph-Beth bookstores and their inventory will be held this Wednesday morning in Cincinnati. So far, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports, co-founder Neil Van Uum is the only known bidder, but one of the lawyers conducting the auction, Ellen Arvin Kennedy, says “we are very optimistic that we will have several bidders who will want to purchase the stores and operate them as they are operating now.” Initial confidential bids, for all or part of the company, are due today. Liquidators are expected to make low bids as well. Van Uum tells the paper, “I’ve […]