Former Random House executive editor-in-chief (he admits to conjuring the odd title in a dream) Daniel Menaker writes in the Barnes & Noble Review a series of observations about modern publishing, concluding, “I have to say I’m glad to have left this all behind, except in the tranquility of recollection.” Menaker starts by describing how “publishing is often an extremely negative culture” and the 12-point list primarily recounts negatives. “The sheer book-length nature of books combined with the seemingly inexorable reductions in editorial staffs and the number of submissions most editors receive, to say nothing of the welter of non-editorial […]
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Will Balliett to Take Over from Peter Warner at Thames & Hudson
Illustrated books publisher Thames & Hudson announced that Peter Warner is retiring after 30 years as the company’s president. Current Hyperion editor-in-chief Will Balliett will take over as president and publisher, starting in October. In other personnel news, Caleb Seeling WordServe Literary Group as an agent. He was a senior editor at NavPress. In the UK, the Bookseller reports that Anthony Cheetham will run Atlantic Books’ Corvus imprint. Started by his son Nicolas Cheetham as a crime/thriller line, Corvus will expand to include contract publishing and women’s fiction. Catherine Cobain will join Transworld as editorial director in November, “with special […]
Bookselling: Co-Op Signs Lease for Old Schwartz Space But Still Needs Funds
The Open Book co-operative has signed a one-year lease to take over a former Harry Schwartz bookstore space–but a spokesman says “we’re about halfway there” in raising the money needed to actually open a store. They say they have raised about $50,000, and are hoping news of the lease encourage more supporters to come forward. The group is hoping to be able to open a store in the 10,000-square-foot space by November.
Some Google Requests Take It on the Chin; Congress Has No Questions for Publishers
In what could be viewed as a signal that Judge Denny Chin is ready for resolution on the Google Books Settlement case, yesterday he quickly denied two motions from opponents. In both rulings, Chin emphasized the view that there has been plenty of time for investigation and expression. Judge Chin swatted away efforts by Lewis Hyde, Harry Lewis and the Open Access Trust to formally intervene for the second time (they were first turned down in April), writing: “This case was filed some four years ago and has been conditionally settled; it is simply too late to permit new parties […]
Lots of People News; Quartet to Close Before Starting, as Marion Boyars Closes, Too
Erica Silverman, formerly a Senior VP at William Morris and ICM, has joined Trident Media Group as a literary agent. Adam Korn has joined DeFiore and Company as an agent after a short stint at Vigliano Associates. He had been an editor at Harper, Crown and Random House. Zoe Shacham has joined the Nancy Yost Literary Agency as director of foreign rights, and Natanya Wheeler has joined the company as an agent. Myrsini Stephanides joins the Carol Mann Agency, focusing on pop culture, music, humor, popular science, narrative nonfiction, and memoir, as well as offbeat literary, graphic, and YA fiction. […]
Trade Falls Further at Wiley, As "Stabilizing" Is Seen
Sales fell 10 percent in Wiley’s professional/trade segment in their fiscal first quarter, at $90 million (with a third of that decline due to currency exchange). But the company says “retail market conditions appear to be stabilizing, and major accounts are replenishing inventory. The second quarter began positively, as reflected in strong August sales.” Contribution to profit also declined 10 percent, at $16 million. Companywide, sales of $388 million were down three percent, while income before taxes of $37.1 million was up three percent. Higher education was the only segment with sales growth in the period, rising 12 percent to […]