The Random House Publishing Group has set up a unit to develop video games, first reported in WSJ and then confirmed in a press release, run by director of creative development Keith Clayton and director of business development Mikita Labanok, who report to Del Rey/Spectra publisher Scott Shannon. The announcement says the unit will create “original transmedia intellectual property–story content that can be accessed through multiple media sources including video games, social networks on the web, mobile platforms, in print and on film–that will be developed and marketed in partnerships with other media companies.The group will also offer editorial services […]
New Imprints
People and Companies
Agent Mary Ann Naples, co-owner of The Creative Culture, has joined startup OpenSky (www.theopenskyproject.com) as vp of development, representing the voices of authors and brands at the company. Former Scholastic UK managing director (and then briefly chief executive of the Headline publishing group) Kate Wilson is starting a children’s book publisher, Nosy Crow, launching in January 2011. The company is focusing on both traditional printed books as well as books as electronic apps. Ralph Munsen joins Hachette Book Group today as svp, chief information officer. He was most recently vp, technology at Clear Channel..He will lead HBG’s technology group, and […]
People and Imprints
Michael Campbell joins becker&mayer! in the new position of vp, sales, marketing & new business development. He has previously been director of sales and marketing at three Pacific Northwest publishers: Martingale, Timber Press, and most recently Graphic Arts. Ryan Kelly joins the company as international sales associate (he worked in specialty retail sales for Houghton Mifflin Harcourt), and Amy Levenson has been promoted to group manager, international sales. Debbie Harmsen joins BenBella Books as editor-in-chief of the general nonfiction line. She has worked for magazines, newspapers and book publishers, most recently editing travel guides at Random House. HCI Books has […]
New Imprints: Grand Central Creates Life & Style, and Rejt Starts Pan Macmillan Line
Grand Central will fold its Springboard Press and Wellness Central lines into a newly-christened Grand Central Life & Style imprint, starting in fall 2010. They will publish eight to 12 titles a year across categories including style (beauty and fashion), food (cooking), body & mind (diet, fitness, self-help, and inspiration), home (organization, design, and green living) and connections (relationships, parenting and pets). Karen Murgolo continues to oversee this publishing, as editorial director of the new line. In the UK, Pan Macmillan publishing director Maria Rejt will run her own imprint, Mantle, which launches in May with Scott Turow’s new book. […]
People: Paulsen to Launch Eponymous Children's Imprint; Knopf and Random Canada Merge Editorially; and More
President and publisher of Putnam Children’s for the last 15 years Nancy Paulsen will launch an eponymous imprint, Nancy Paulsen Books in 2011. She plans to publish 12 to 15 picture books, middle grade and young adult novels a uear. Paulsen will keep her current position until a replacement is named, with a search underway now. Paulsen says in the announcement, “I am thrilled with the opportunity to return to my true passion full time–editing. My imprint will focus on publishing a select group of picture books that are eye-opening and inventive, along with fiction, from culturally diverse and distinct […]
A New Alliance for Weldon Owen; Goodreads Raises $2 Mil
File this one under press releases gone astray: a number of outlets have looked at a vaguely-worded announcement that “Weldon Owen Publishing has joined Bonnier Corp.” and concluded that Bonnier bought the packager/publisher. True enough–but the Bonnier Group has owned Weldon Owen since early 2006. What they mean to announce is that Weldon Owen has moved from the company’s book publishing division (where co-founder of the packager John Owen has been group publisher) over to their US magazine division, which is called Bonnier Corp. That group is run by Terry Snow, and was created by merging Snow’s group of enthusiast […]