After nine months as interim head of Columbia University Press, Jennifer Crewe has officially been named as president and director. Provost John Coatsworth said in the announcement: “Jennifer’s notable strengths as an editor and administrator, as well as her deep understanding of the Press’ history, made her the clear choice of the faculty-led search committee. She has taken steps to increase the reach, visibility and effectiveness of the Press, developed new strategies to expand capacity and improve book schedules, and negotiated an agreement for the Press to distribute Woodrow Wilson Center books.” She has worked at the Press for 28 years. […]
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Alter Hired As NYT Publishing Reporter
In an encouraging sign, the New York Times has reached outside to recruit a book publishing reporter, hiring Alexandra Alter from the Wall Street Journal. She will start in early July. The news was announced by NYT media editor Peter Lattman on Friday. He wrote to NYT staff: “Alexandra has covered books and publishing at The Wall Street Journal for the past five years, focusing on features and analytical pieces in the paper’s Friday arts and culture section. She has profiled authors from Stephen King to Don DeLillo, and delivered smart stories on industry trends like the rise of self […]
People
Founding partner of Folio Literary Management Paige Wheeler will relaunch her previous company, Creative Media Agency, as an affiliate of Folio, relinquishing her partner role and focusing on client management. Wheeler said in the announcement: “I have had a tremendous amount of fun in starting and growing Folio to become a powerful and important agency in a fast-changing industry. Now, though, I’d like to focus more of my efforts on client management. Relaunching CMA as an affiliate of Folio is the best of both worlds — I get the flexibility I want with the support of Folio behind me.” Rachel Marks is joining Rebecca Friedman […]
People, Etc.
Eimear McBride won the Women’s Prize for Fiction for her novel A GIRL IS A HALF-FORMED THING, published by Galley Beggar Press in the UK and by Coffee House Press in the US in September. Prize chair Helen Fraser called the novel “an amazing and ambitious first novel that impressed the judges with its inventiveness and energy. This is an extraordinary new voice – this novel will move and astonish the reader.” Carl Bromley will join The New Press as editorial director. Previously he was editorial director at Nation Books. In addition, Marc Favreau has been promoted to executive editor. […]
Colbert Gives Amazon The Finger, And Collects Pre-Orders for A Hachette Author
Hachette Book Group author Stephen Colbert used his Comedy Central television show to speak out on the battle between his publisher and Amazon on Wednesday night. “Now I’m not just mad at Amazon,” Colbert said, “I’m mad Prime.” After explaining the standoff to his viewers, Colbert concluded by offering Amazon a special “little package” that ships immediately: He opened the box to reveal his obscured middle finger, and then noted, “customers who enjoy this, also enjoy this” (adding his second middle finger). In the second part of the segment, Colbert brought out another HBG author Sherman Alexie. “You root for […]
Amazon Has A Powerful New Angle for the Media: June 18 Device Launch
Talking about books as “demand-weighted units” and telling customers they “encourage you to purchase …from one of our competitors” hasn’t played too well on the editorial pages for Amazon in their standoff with Hachette Book Group over terms, but on Wednesday the company floated a more positive story to change the narrative in the media. CEO Jeff Bezos will convene “a new device launch” in Seattle on June 18. A teaser video shows delighted people looking down at something they say is amazing, reaffirming longstanding rumors that Amazon has a 3-D cellphone on the way.