Andrea Walker has been promoted to editor at Reagan Arthur Books, where she was associate editor. Alessandra Bastagli will join Free Press as senior editor, beginning November 29. Since 2005, she has been at Palgrave Macmillan, most recently as executive editor. A celebration of the life of the late Ralph Vicinanza has been announced:Tuesday, December 76 – 8 PMBruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln CenterThe New York Public Library for the Performing Arts 111 Amsterdam Avenue (between 64th & 65th Streets) In distribution news, Publishers Group West will begin providing digital distribution services only through Constellation for Entrepreneur Press and Naval […]
Free
Amazon Bows to Customer and Media Firestorm, Removes Self-Published Pedophilia File
Having encouraged an atmosphere of customer anger over issues like ebook pricing, Amazon experienced a surge of backlash over a reprehensible self-published ebook on pedophilia and reversed position, removing the book from their site. Phillip Greaves’ The Pedophile’s Guide to Love and Pleasure was posted as a Kindle ebook on October 28, and discovered by the internet–and then worldwide media–yesterday. At first Amazon tried defending the product (sorry, but it’s not worthy of calling this file a book) and generally hiding from the media onslaught, reportedly saying the company “believes it is censorship not to sell certain books simply because […]
People, Awards, Etc.
Yes, the NYT foray into the wilds of Brooklyn is comedy gold, but we’ll leave the wisecracks up to individual readers. On the straight-faced side, take note that David Black managed to get the city to provide tax incentives of $3,000 per employee per year for the next 12 years to relocate from Manhattan.NYT Children’s publishing veteran Lori Benton has been named vp, publisher for the Scholastic Trade Publishing division, overseeing all imprints and reporting to president Ellie Berger. Benteon starts January 3. Most recently she was general manager and publisher of the fiction division of Capstone Publishers, and is […]
Bookselling: Borders Partners with ShopRunner, Barnes & Noble Tests Toy Boutiques
Borders is continuing their program of scrappy imitation of competitors’ offerings through low-cost partnerships, this time joining ShopRunner.com‘s roster. The site provides the equivalent of Amazon Prime–free two-day shipping in exchange for an annual membership fee of $79–across a network of participating etailers. According to ShopRunner’s site, a similar partnership with Barnes & Noble.com is “coming soon.”Release Reuters reports on Barnes & Noble‘s test program of in-store boutiques for educational toys and games. The 3,000-square-foot prototype “play areas” have opened in recent days at five stores in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, “with plans to open more if the […]
People, Awards, Etc.
At Abrams, Susan Van Metre has been promoted to svp and publisher and will now oversee all comic arts books in addition to Abrams Children’s and Amulet Books. Charles Kochman is promoted to editorial director for Abrams ComicArts, adding oversight of children’s comics and graphic novels, reporting to Van Metre. Chad Beckerman moves up to creative director and oversee design for all comic arts books, Abrams Children’s and Amulet. Lindley Boegehold is promoted to editorial director for calendars, licenses and custom publishing. Jennifer Levesque is promoted to editorial director for Stewart, Tabori & Chang and Abrams Image (though Abrams Image […]
People
Lisa Faith Phillips has joined Hachette Book Group as director of digital strategy and development, reporting to Maja Thomas. Most recently she was a digital marketing consultant with Flip Global Marketing; previously she worked at Random House Direct as vp and general manager. Canongate digital editor Dan Franklin is moving to Random House UK where he will hold the same position, working across the group. Starting January 4, he will report to editorial director for ebooks and audio Zoe Willis. Group digital director Fionnuala Duggan says “part of his remit will be to help widen our focus to include direct […]