In a lively presentation at Publishers Launch BEA on Monday, Macmillan evp digital publishing Fritz Foy announced that Tor/Forge will launch a DRM-free ebookstore this July. It will sell all 2,000+ ebooks from which the company is lifting DRM, and “eventually, offerings from other publishers as well.” While the company announced the decision to remove DRM in late April, Foy said it was “a decision we had been grappling with for four years,” ever since they promoted the launch of Tor.com books by giving away books from 24 authors DRM-free. Foy noted that readers have wanted the company to start […]
New Imprints
People, Awards, Etc.
US author Madeline Miller won the Orange Prize for her debut novel THE SONG OF ACHILLES, published by Ecco in the US and Bloomsbury UK. Chair of judges Joanna Trollope said: “This is a more than worthy winner — original, passionate, inventive and uplifting. Homer would be proud of her.” Executive director of PEN American Center since 2009 Steven L. Isenberg told the board that he will leave the position at the end of the year, providing notice now “to give ample time for the search for my successor and to ensure a smooth, effective transition. Isenberg will be 72 when […]
Publishers: U. of Missouri Press to Close; Page Celebrates “Legacy”; Penguin Launches A Pintail
University of Missouri president Tim Wolfe apparently surprised staff with the announcement Thursday that the UM Press will close. Started in 1958, it currently publishes about 30 titles a year, and has issued approximately 2,000 books since its founding. Wolfe said they “take seriously our role to be good stewards of public funds, to use those funds to achieve our strategic priorities and re-evaluate those activities that are not central to our core mission.” The Press has been receiving a $400,000 annual subsidy. A phase out of operations will begin this July. “Ten employees will be affected,” the Columbia Daily […]
People
Maris Kreizman will join Barnes & Noble as director of editorial content for BN.com on June 4. She was most recently audiobooks editor at eMusic. At S&S Children’s, Bridget Madsen has been promoted to managing editor and Ellen Grafton moves up to assistant managing editor. In addition, Jenica Nasworthy moves up to senior production editor, and Craig Adams has been promoted to production editor. Author, publishing consultant, music producer, and co-founder of the Rock Bottom Remainders Kathi Kamen Goldmark, 63, died Thursday morning of cancer. She founded Goldmark Media Escorts in 1983, which handed more than 500 authors touring the […]
Corporate: Macmillan New Ventures Buys EBI; Gallimard Last and Only Bidder for Flammarion
The sale of French publisher Flammarion by RCS appears to be down to a single contender, Les Echos reported, after bidding partners Albin Michel and Chequers Capital dropped out when they refused to increase their offer. The lone publishing house still in contention to buy Flammarion is Gallimard, which reportedly is working to raise their original offer of approximately 200 million euros. The RCS board of directors, which waffled its way into the sale offer in the first place, has indicated it might cancel the sale if the offer is not improved sufficiently–which is about the only tool available to them […]
Christian Literary Agency Alive Communications Launches ePublishing Company, Bondfire
Leading literary agency for Christian and inspirational books Alive Communications has announced a separate “sister” epublishing enterprise, Bondfire Books. In the vein of Diversion Books (Scott Waxman), Bedford Square Books (Ed Victor), Paperless Publishing (Objective Entertainment), and Rosetta Books (Arthur Klebanoff), Bondfire is a standalone epublishing company. Following the model of other epublishing start-ups, founder Rick Christian says in the announcement they are paying “a 50 percent net royalty” and “five-year renewable terms.” (Other formal enterprises involving literary agencies include Pan Macmillan’s Bello in the UK, a revival line which launched in partnership with Curtis Brown UK, and the back-in-print […]