Sharon Kunz has joined Da Capo Press as senior publicist, focusing primarily on their Seal Press list and reporting to Lissa Warren. Previously, she was media engagement manager at Globe Pequot. She will be based in the Hachette Boston office. The American Library Association has promoted Mary Mackay to associate executive director for publishing, effective June 5th. She will lead ALA publishing and its Editions/Neal-Schuman, Booklist, American Libraries, eLearning Solutions, Digital Resources, and Graphics imprints. At Ingram Content Group, Nick Yates has been promoted to manager of operations analysis in Greater Nashville. Christy Johnson has joined as client relations manager for Ingram Academic Services in New York. Adaptations The long-gestating efforts to develop Robert Jordan’s Wheel […]
Film/TV
Random House Studio Taken Over By Bertelsmann’s FremantleMedia
Random House Studio, the eleven-year-old film and television group operated by Penguin Random House, has been “acquired by” and transferred over to FremantleMedia North America, part of PRH parent company Bertelsmann’s RTL division. In turn, FMNA has entered into a partnership with Meridian Entertainment, a China-based global content developer that will “work with FMNA and Random House Studio to finance and produce theatrical film projects.” FNMA adds that Meridian “will operate and grow the studio’s theatrical slate.” Meridian chairman Jennifer Dong adds in an announcement, “Meridian has the determination, strength and ability to make full use of the rich and varied […]
Briefs: Harper Pairs with Temple Hill, Final Days for St. Mark’s, and More
Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey’s film production company Temple Hill Entertainment has a new publishing agreement with HarperCollins in which the producers will “generate original ideas and opportunities for books and series,” that Harper will publish under the Temple Hill Publishing banner. Petersen Harris at Temple Hill will serve as their vp, publishing (he ran the Penguin Development Group before joining the production company in 2014, and is the son of Susan Petersen Kennedy and Bruce Harris), and the producers were represented by Writers House in the publishing deal. Temple Hill has produced adaptions of both YA (The Fault in Our Stars; Paper Towns, The […]
Corporate: Harper Pairs with Producer; Ingram Acquires Aer.io; Hachette Buys Kero; and More
HarperCollins is trying another relationship with a video producer. This time, they have “agreed to a strategic framework” with Insurrection Media to option and develop books in sci-fi, drama, and comedy for both digital video and linear television series. They will “jointly identify key titles that are most compelling and suitable for video series and then co-develop and produce shows to be owned and distributed by Insurrection in the U.S. and overseas on a multitude of over-the-top and linear video platforms.” The first announced title for development is Debra Driza‘s Mila 2.0 trilogy, published by Katherine Tegen Books. Overlooked by most outlets is that Driza’s work was […]
People, Etc.
LAT book critic David Ulin is leaving the paper on December 15, among those taking the company’s buyout offer. He writes to LA Observed: “This is an opportunity for me to focus further on my writing, which I have been wanting to do.” The newspaper’s book editor Joy Press left quietly earlier in the year as well (and is working on a book for Atria), and apparently also took a buyout. That seems to leave Carolyn Kellogg as the only staff member focused on books. Rob Kirkpatrick has joined The Stuart Agency as a literary agent, focusing in nonfiction, including […]
People, Etc.
Antonella Iannarino has left the David Black Agency, where she was an agent and website and social media manager for authors, after eight years to launch AI Strategic, offering consulting services to authors and companies for developing their online presence through social media, websites, ebook publishing and brand strategies. She may be reached at antonella@aistrategic.com. Claire Payne will join Parragon as senior director of mass market sales on July 3. Previously she was senior director of sales at Dalmatian Press. In the UK, literary agent Anita Land has split with partner since 2000 Georgina Capel to set up a new agency, the Bookseller […]