With Father’s Day buying finished, Barnes & Noble is dropping the list price on the original model of their nook ereader to $199 and has launched a model that connects via wifi instead of 3G priced at $149. They have released another software update as well (version 1.4) and nook owners now have access to free wifi on AT&T’s “entire nationwide network.” The company says online orders for the new model “will begin shipping this week” and they “expect [it] will be in-stock in select Barnes & Noble and Best Buy stores for immediate purchase later this month and rolling […]
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People, Awards, Etc.
LAT book editor David Ulin is shifting roles and will serve as a book critic for the paper. Nothing was said about who will take over Ulin’s post.LAT Borders Group chief financial officer Mark Bierley will spend his extra time in the additional role of chief operating officer for Borders Inc., now overseeing finance, IT, merchandising planning and supply chain, as well as real estate and strategic planning. Rosalind (Roz) Thompson has been appointedsvp, human resources, starting July 6. Most recently she was a principal at Orange Hill Associates, an HR consultancy she established in 2007. Catherine Onder has joined […]
People
Nancy Conescu will join Dutton Children’s as executive editor on July 6, reporting to president Lauri Hornik. Most recently she was senior editor at Little, Brown Children’s. Canada’s BookRiff Media has hired Rochelle Grayson as CEO. Most recently, she was president of digital media agency Work at Play. A spin-off developed by D&M Publishers, BookRiff “allows consumers to mix content from virtually any source–published books, websites, and their own files–to build custom compilations called Riffs.”
People, Etc.
Canada’s McClelland & Stewart announced job cuts and changes in responsibilities, with president Doug Pepper writing that “our publishing program needs to be even more focused” so that the company is “prepared to meet the challenges of the future.” Executive editor Dinah Forbes, who led their mystery/crime program, is leaving after more than 20 years with the company, and an editorial assistant and office manager were also laid off. Pepper writes, “In our more than 100 years as publishers, M&S often has had to adjust to the changes in the industry and the market by staying ahead of them. This […]
Little, Brown Crime Imprint Details
Little, Brown will call their new crime imprint Mulholland Books (named for the road in the Hollywood Hills that is “synonymous with drama and suspense.”) The line will launch in spring 2011, starting with books by Marcia Clark, Lawrence Block, Mark Billingham, Michael Robotham, Duane Swierczynski, Sebastian Rotella, and Daniel Woodrell. They intend to grow to 24 books a year by 2012, with a new hardcover and one paperback each month. Miriam Parker is marketing director for the imprint.
People, Amazon Winners, eNews, Etc.
Amazon announced the two winners of this year’s Breakthrough Novel award, with Patricia McArdle’s novel FARISHTA to bepublished by Riverhead, and Amy Ackley’s YA novel SIGN LANGUAGE to be published by Viking Children’s.Release Other Press has hired Sarah Reidy as director of publicity, starting June 16. She had been an associate director of publicity at Gallery/Threshold Editions/Pocket. Terrie Akers has been promoted to manager, online publicity and social media. In other announcements, Random House Children’s is releasing the 43-title Magic Tree House series in ebook editions today. And Amazon has begun delivering the updated Kindle 2.5 software to device owners. […]