At Bloomsbury, Rachel Mannheimer has been promoted to editor, and Melanie Sankel has gone from associate director of sales for Fairchild Books to director, adoption sales at Bloomsbury Academic. After Skyhorse and Start Publishing’s intended joint acquisition of Night Shade Books’ assets ignited public controversy over the original terms of sale (and now, after a revision, the sale “is in a holding pattern right now waiting for all the authors’ feedback”, a Skyhorse spokesperson told us) the two publishers have bought a different science fiction & fantasy publisher, Underland Press, for an undisclosed sum. The deal for the six-year-old press, according […]
New Releases/Forthcoming
Imprints: Harper UK Adds Digital Romance Line
Following on Avon Impulse and Harper Teen Impulse in the US, Harper UK will launch a digital first women’s fiction and romance imprint in May. Harper Impulse, an imprint of their Harper Fiction division, aims “to find, publish and break new talent from debut authors, and import the hottest trends from the US.” Harper Fiction publishing director Kimberley Young will run the line (she was editorial director at Mills & Book for 12 years), joined by content developer Charlotte Ledger, who worked previously at Chawton House Library as well as Mills & Boon. They invite unrepresented submissions and are looking […]
Coming Very Soon: Margaret Thatcher’s Authorized Biography, And Other Competing Volumes
Allen Lane and Knopf will simultaneously publish the first volume of Margaret Thatcher’s authorized biography, written by Charles Moore, “immediately following her funeral.” The biography of the former British prime minister, who died Monday at the age of 87, was commissioned in 1997 with the proviso that it would only be published after her death. (Volume one is called NOT FOR TURNING; the second and final volume, which Moore is currently working on, will be called HERSELF ALONE.) Moore was given full access to Thatcher’s private papers, and interviewed her extensively: “she supported all his requests for interviews with others, […]
April Bookseller Picks
Kate Atkinson’s Life After Life* is Amazon’s April spotlight pick, also featured on B&N’s books of the month and sharing April Indie Next No. 1 honors. As with Amazon’s “featured debut,” Helene Wecker’s The Golem and the Jinni, you can start reading excerpts of both right now in the current spring/summer edition of our ebook sampler BUZZ BOOKS 2013–where you will find two more Amazon April recommendations, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer and a long preview of Michael Pollan’s Cooked. (View the full list of “buzz books” here to catch previews of more books-of-the-month to be, such as Anthony Marra’s May […]
Newsmaking Authors: Malala Yousafzai to Tell Her Story, and Amanda Knox April Release Remains On Track
Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old Pakistani girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban after her public advocacy for education for girls, is telling her story in a book that multiple Hachette imprints will publish, starting this fall, we can report exclusively. I AM MALALA will tell in her own words what happened the day she was shot, and share the inspiring story of her determination not be intimidated by extremists and recount the support of her family, which bolstered her remarkable courage. (A co-author will be named later, though Yousafzai first attracted international attention for her once-anonymous blog, […]
People, Etc.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has promoted evp of corporate affairs Mary Cullinane to the additional new role of chief content officer. She will “spearhead the company’s content development strategy for the K-12 education market and consumer audiences” and “develop the next generation of digital solutions while continuing to leverage the company’s existing products and iconic brands.” Caroline Riordan has joined Penguin as digital business director. Most recently, she was at Trailer Park, an entertainment marketing and content agency, and prior to that she was senior manager of ebooks and business development at Hyperion. Ann Treistman is joining Countryman Press as senior editor, looking […]