On the Open Book podcast, Simon & Schuster UK and International ceo Perminder Mann discusses her background in a working-class British Punjabi family, her winding career path, and her dedication to “flexibility, inclusion, and representation, not as buzzwords, but as lived experience.” When Mann became ceo at Bonnier Books UK, she implemented policies for flexible work, equal parental leave, pregnancy loss, and “clear commitments to inclusion and representation. And I did that not because it looks good on paper, but from my own personal experience.” “I believe people do their best work when they feel they belong,” she said. “I […]
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S&S Merges Lines Into A New Atria Gallery Publishing Group
Simon & Schuster will “align” the Atria and Gallery publishing groups, along with the Summit, Simon Element, and Adams Media imprints, to create a new Atria Gallery Publishing Group. Libby McGuire will become publisher and executive vice president of the group and continue to lead Atria. (She is also evp, director of Adult U.S. Content Coordination.) Gallery evp, publisher Jen Bergstrom, Summit evp, publisher Judy Clain, Simon Element vp, publisher Richard Rhorer, and Adams vp, publisher Karen Cooper will report to McGuire. Former ceo and current Simon Six publisher Jonathan Karp was the one to announce the news to employees […]
Fire Hits A Scholastic Book Fairs Warehouse
A fire broke out at the Miramar, CA warehouse for Scholastic Book Fairs on Monday, NBC San Diego reports. Firefighters were called around 2 AM and took about six hours to control the flames. Around 9:15 AM, a pallet of books reignited and firefighters were dispatched again. They “removed several pallets stacked high with books” and opened skylights to dissipate the smoke. An investigation into the cause of the incident is ongoing. The warehouse was closed for Memorial Day on Monday and no one was injured. The facility is one of five Scholastic Book Fairs warehouses in California. Scholastic noted […]
Mac Barnett Responds To Backlash
Children’s author and National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature Mac Barnett has responded to the online controversy caused by an excerpt from his recently published book for adults Make Believe: On Telling Stories to Children. He writes in the book, “I have a nagging fear that children’s literature suffers from a slightly higher crud percentage than literature as a whole…maybe more like 94.7 percent of kids’ books are crud.” Since the book was published on Tuesday, authors and readers in the kidlit community have compared him to pro-book banning organizations and called for him to resign from his ambassadorship. Author […]
University of Chicago Press Employees Unionize
Employees of University of Chicago Press have formed a union with the Chicago News Guild, TNG-CWA Local 34071. The UPC Workers Guild is seeking recognition from management and “is advocating for nothing less than excellence in the treatment of the press’s workers.” Its mission includes “pay equity, sustainability, and transparency.” “I dreamed for years of getting a job in academic publishing, and I’m thrilled to be working not only in my chosen industry but at one of the most prestigious presses in the country,” said UCP guild member Griffin Reed in a release. “However, that excitement is too often exploited […]
Amazon to Distribute Oprah’s Podcast, Book Club
Oprah’s Book Club, along with the mogul’s podcast, “Favorite Things,” and talk show archive will move to Amazon this summer in a multi-year licensing deal. Starting in July, Amazon’s podcast company Wondery will release two episodes per week of The Oprah Podcast in audio and video, through its Creator Services division (which is now separate from their scripted podcasts, which are part of Audible). The podcast features interviews with celebrities and authors. Amazon will also look for ways to integrate Oprah’s Book Club throughout the company. “Amazon executives think that between Audible, Kindle, Amazon.com and Goodreads, the company can expand […]