The Secret author Rhonda Byrne’s new book THE POWER may be more important for Simon & Schsuter than the so-called “besieged book world,” but with 924,000 pre-orders for this Tuesday’s release strong sales would certainly be welcomed by retailers. As the WSJ reports, Atria has delayed the ebook release, supposedly for some “fine tuning.” Unfortunately Byrne will not be doing television interviews in support of the book–so Atria has prepared a campaign of TV ad spots instead. The article also mentions what may be August’s most-anticipated release, the laydown of Suzanne Collins’ MOCKINGJAY on the 24th.WSJ Crain’s offers a sweeping-if-not-particularly-specific […]
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Jane Friedman has left Writer’s Digest to work as a visiting professor of e-media, in the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music.
Barnes & Noble: Talks Collapse, Company Wins In Delaware, Burkle Launches Proxy Fight
As Friday the 13th today would have provided more appropriate timing for the latest events in Barnes & Noble’s corporate soap opera. Though the press release was reportedly ready to go announcing the settlement between the company and activist shareholder Ron Burkle, and Delaware vice chancellor Leo Strine had been notified a settlement was close (NYT), during a conference call yesterday morning “to review final details…negotiations broke down” (WSJ). By 12:30 Barnes & Noble announced they “were unable to conclude an agreement on mutually acceptable terms”; hours later, Strine issued his ruling, not unsurprisingly supporting the company. He concluded that […]
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Basic Books executive editor Tim Sullivan is leaving the company, and will join Harvard Business Publishing as executive editor on September 1. Lucy Del Priore will join Macmillan Children’s as director of school and library marketing at the end of the month. Most recently a publishing consultant and freelancer, she spent most of her career at Penguin Children’s, most recently as their director of school and library marketing
Remembering Elaine Koster
Agent and former publisher of NAL Elaine Koster died on Tuesday in New York, at age 69. In the second phase of her career Koster founded an eponymous literary agency in 1998, where she represented Khaled Hosseini among others. While publisher at NAL, she famously acquired paperback reprint rights to Stephen King’s CARRIE from Doubleday for $400,000 at the beginning of his career Chandler Crawford at the Chandler Crawford Agency, who represented translation rights for the Koster Agency’s books, said: “I am heartbroken that Elaine has died, though I take comfort in knowing how much she did for the publishing […]
Legacy Books Partner Tanner Will Open “A Real Bookstore” In Mid-November
As she hinted when the closing on Legacy Books in Plano, TX was announced recently, managing partner Teri Tanner will open a new store, called A Real Bookstore, in nearby Fairview in mid-November. It’s billed as her vision for a “post-recession bookstore.” Though smaller and less flashy than Legacy, it will still have about 20,000 square feet, on a single level. The new location is in a more traditional shopping area, will face traffic directly, and is closer to where core customers live. Tanner, who will be the sole owner this time around, plans a big children’s section with dedicated […]