Yale University Press is launching a new biographyseries, Jewish Lives, as “a collaboration with the Leon D. Black Foundation,” acquired for the press by Ileene Smith, who is editorial director of the line. Black is credited with conceiving the line in answer to a question from one of his sons about the meaning of Jewish identity. Black writes, “I see this library of biography as a powerful opportunity for Jewish families, congregations, schools, and general readers to enrich with pride their understanding of Jewish life through history.” Historians Anita Shapira of Tel Aviv University and Steven J. Zipperstein of Stanford […]
New Imprints
Amazon Adds Crossing, New Imprint for Fiction In Translation
The etailer announced a new imprint today, Amazon Crossing, which will publish English-language translation of works from other languages, starting with Tierno Monénembo’s French novel (and winner of the prix Renaudot) THE KING OF KAEL, translated by Nicholas Elliott. Run by vp of books Jeff Belle, he says “our international customers have made us aware of exciting established and emerging voices from other cultures and countries that have not been translated for English-language readers.” As with their Encore program, they say that they will “use customer feedback and other data from Amazon sites around the world to identify exceptional books […]
New Ventures: Bloomsbury Australia, Night Shade's New Imprint, and More
In a non-specific first quarter trading update–generally used to assure investors that everything is great–Bloomsbury announced that they will launch their own Australian division in January 2011. Current marketing director of Bloomsbury UK Kathleen Farrar will be managing director of the new unit. Their longtime Australian distributor Allen & Unwin will provide sales and distribution services to the new company. Update Sc-fi/horror publisher Night Shade Books is launching Pugilist Press, focused on “contemporary literary fiction with an edge.” Juliet Ulman is editor-in-chief of the new line, with Night Shade founder Jason Williams as publisher. Ulman had been at Bantam Dell […]
Angry Robot Imprint Sold to Osprey
In a strangely-worded press release that makes you struggle to sort out what has happened, Harper UK’s science fiction imprint Angry Robot Books, started a year ago, has been sold to Osprey Publishing. Osprey focuses on niche communities, like military history. Angry Robot publisher Marc Gascoigne says the publishing program will be unaffected–except for a delay and relaunch. “Our publishing programme for 2010/11 will be basically unaffected by these changes. There will be a short break while the transition is sorted out, but we will be re-launching in September 2010 and then it will be business as usual.” Terms were […]
Portfolio Expands Across the Commonwealth
Penguin will roll out its Portfolio business imprint in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa this fall, under the name Portfolio Penguin. (The line already has a presence in India.) Viking UK editorial director Joel Rickett will add responsibility for the UK list, and Richard Lennon joins the UK office as communications manager. (He was sales director for Dow Jones Consumer Media.) Portfolio founder and publisher Adrian Zackheim says, “With the addition of the Portfolio Penguin international imprint, we will be able to greatly expand our worldwide offerings in the business category, while complementing the business […]
As Expected Harper Studio Will Fold
Following the departure of founding executive Bob Miller, Harper’s Michael Morrison announced that “we have decided that in the interest of what’s best for our Harper Studio authors and employees, our last batch of titles to be published under the Harper Studio imprint will be on the Summer 2010 list.” All titles scheduled for beyond that season will be absorbed by one of Harper’s other imprints. Morrison says they “will be contacting agents and authors to discuss the best editors and imprints for each of these titles.” He also indicates that “all our imprints are happy to discuss profit sharing […]