Open Road co-founder and former company ceo Jane Friedman is stepping down from her positions as board chair and executive publisher. Friedman will remain a director at Open Road, but “said in a statement that it was time for new leadership and that she looked forward to partnering with others in reviving classic books for the digital market.” Paul Slavin took over as ceo of Open Road last May. Shannon Welch, executive editor at Scribner, is leaving to pursue freelance editorial and writing opportunities. Martha Bucci will move over to become executive director of chain sales at Hachette Book Group USA, also […]
New Releases/Forthcoming
Forthcoming: Jennifer Egan and Tina Brown
Pulitzer Prize winner Jennifer Egan’s next novel MANHATTAN BEACH, her sixth work of fiction, will be published on October 3 — her first book with Nan Graham at Scribner. (In 2013, Jordan Pavlin at Knopf spoke about losing Egan to Scribner in a lengthy Poets & Writers interview: “It took me about four months to peel myself off the floor. That was one of the hardest moments in my professional life. I wish her only the best and I miss her terribly.”) Set in the World War II era, the new novel tells the intertwined stories of the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s only female […]
People, Etc.
Maria Campbell Associates is working for Netflix as their exclusive literary scout. Annabelle Saks in New York and Katie McCalmont in London are spearheading the scout’s efforts. Maria Campbell says in the announcement, “Our motto is ‘scouting without borders,’ which perfectly aligns with Netflix’s transformational model to bring stories in every form to people all over the world.” MCA had scouted for 16 years for Warner Bros., New Line and Warner Bros. Television, and that relationship concluded at the end of February. Allison Lorentzen has been promoted to executive editor at Viking. Former Running Press publisher Chris Navratil has joined Weldon […]
People, Etc.
Margaux Weisman has joined Vintage/Anchor as editor. Previously she was an associate editor at William Morrow. At Sourcebooks, Tiana Marzette has been promoted to inside sales representative. Brad Sharp has been promoted to director of manufacturing at Bookmasters. Jennifer Schaper has joined Duke University Press as sales manager. Previously she was senior manager for international rights at Perseus Books Group. When Douglas Brinkley‘s book THE UNRAVELED TALES OF BOB DYLAN was first announced in 2012 it was one of two books signed for Johnny Depp’s “imprint” at HarperCollins Infinitum Nihil — expected for publication in 2015. Brinkley is finally working on the […]
People, Awards: LA Times Prize Announcements, and More
The Los Angeles Times announced book prize finalists in 11 categories — including a new award for autobiographical prose named in honor of Christopher Isherwood — with the winners to be named April 21. Thomas McGuane will receive the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement. Among the nominees are: Fiction Garth Greenwell, What Belongs to You (FSG) Adam Haslett, Imagine Me Gone (Little, Brown) Lydia Millet, Sweet Lamb of Heaven (Norton) Zadie Smith, Swing Time (Penguin Press) Dana Spiotta, Innocents and Others (Scribner) First Fiction Sara Baume, Spill Simmer Falter Wither (HMH) Mark Beauregard, The Whale (Viking) Nathan Hill, The Nix (Knopf) Idra Novey, Ways […]
People: Morgan Joins Riverhead, and More
Former editorial director at Harper Perennial and Harper Paperbacks Cal Morgan will join Riverhead as vp, executive editor. Riverhead president and publisher Geoffrey Kloske said in the announcement: “I’ve always admired Cal’s innovative literary vision and passion for books and publishing. After a few decades of competing against him I’m thrilled to have him join the community at Riverhead.” Morgan joins Riverhead after more than 14 months away from trade publishing; he left HarperCollins, where he was also executive editor at Harper, “to take a pause” in November 2015 after more than 16 years with the company. Denise Silvestro will join Kensington […]