The NYT says that Republican presidential candidate and Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann will publish her memoir through Penguin’s Sentinel, according to “two people familiar with the negotiations.” Sentinel’s Will Weisser said “we have nothing to announce at this time, adding “we did have a wonderful meeting with her.” Politico writes that Bachmann, who is represented by agent Alex Hoyt, was swayed by Penguin CEO David Shanks. As “a Republican and an observant Catholic — both rarities in New York’s publishing world — Shanks convinced Bachmann that, as a conservative himself, he’d be the right man to handle her book and […]
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People, Etc.
Scholastic has named Gayley Avery director of licensed publishing and Mike Merrill joins the company as director of digital publishing. Previously Avery was director of marketing for DC Comics and Merrill was most recently director of product technology at Kaplan Bar Review. At Grand Central, Nick Small has been promoted to publicist. Lil Copan has joined Abingdon Press as senior acquisitions editor for the Christian Living Line. Previously she was an editor with Paraclete Press. In addition, Ramona Richards has been promoted to senior acquisitions editor. At Princeton University Press, Seth Ditchik has been promoted to executive editor, responsible for […]
Wiley Softens At Year-End, With Strong Digital Growth
Wiley’s fourth quarter sales rose 2 percent to $445 million, with adjusted net income flat at $28.5 million. But those earnings were down a penny on a per share basis, at 46 cents a share, and declined 5 percent on a currency-neutral basis. Analysts were expecting 3 cents more per share in earnings, and $7 million more in sales than reported. A strong performance in higher education was offset by softness in Professional/Trade (P/T), which fell 3 percent to $110 million, due to “foregone sales” related to Borders’ bankruptcy. They say Borders “represented about 5 percent of projected P/T sales” […]
People, Awards, and More: McCann Takes IMPAC
People In the UK, publishing director of Transworld’s crime and thriller books Selina Walker will move over to become publisher for Century and Arrow, starting in mid-July. At Transworld, editorial director Sarah Adams will take over Walker’s role; Cat Cobain is being promoted to publishing director of the women’s fiction list; and nonfiction editor Sarah Emsley is moving up to senior editorial director. At HarperCollins, Leah Wasielewski has been promoted to senior director of marketing for Harper, Harper Business and Broadside Books. Bloomsbury sub-rights manager since 2006 Lauren Shekari has left the company. In disclosure forms, Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown […]
Borders Cancels Store Liquidation Auction; Says New Financing Amendment is Pending
Borders’ warning that it might have to close dozens of some of its best store locations seems to have worked. On top of the 11 announced extensions of the deadline to accept or reject leases, the company filed a new motion late Wednesday with the court canceling the intended auction among liquidators that had been scheduled for June 16. After “extensive negotiations,” the filing says they “believe [they] have reached an agreement in principle” with both their lenders and the unsecured creditors committee “regarding an amendment to the DIP facility which would alleviate the need to conduct” the store closing […]
People, Etc.
At Other Press, Megan Feulner has been promoted to publicist, and Sophia Sherry has been promoted to publicity and marketing coordinator. Tisse Takagi has joined Basic Books as associate editor. Previously she was at Oxford University Press. Justina Batchelor has joined Touchstone as a publicist. She was at Crown. Jessica Shoffel joined Penguin Children’s as a publicist. She was previous in the publicity department at Random House Children’s Books. Larissa Edwards, currently associate publisher at Random House Australia, will join Simon and Schuster Australia this July in a newly created role as head of publishing, reporting to managing director Lou […]