Wendy McClure has joined Sourcebooks as senior editor for Jabberwocky, Young Readers, and Fire. She most recently was editorial manager at Albert Whitman & Company. Liza Cassity has been promoted to director, marketing strategy and operations for Penguin Publishing Group. Eric Jerome Dickey, 59, author of 29 novels, died on January 3 in Los Angeles after a long illness. His longtime publisher, Dutton, said, “Eric Jerome Dickey loved being a writer and all that it encompassed. He loved challenging himself with each book; he adored his readers and beloved fans and was always grateful for his success. We are proud […]
Obits
People, Etc.
Obituaries National Book Award winner Barry Lopez, 75, died Christmas Day following a lengthy battle with prostate cancer. Publishing veteran Roland Elgey, 65, died recently of colorectal cancer. He was 65 years old. His 40 years in publishing included serving as president of Que Computer Publishing and svp of sales at Que/Sams, Hungry Minds. Later in his career he worked in publishing services, most recently as vp for business development at Integra Software Services. Biographer Scott Donaldson, 92, died on December 1 of lung cancer. Poet Jean Valentine, 86, whose collection Door in the Mountain, won the 2004 National Book Award, […]
People: Grove Promotes Executives, Boosts Starting Salaries; Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Forms Imprint with Random House
At Grove Atlantic, Peter Blackstock is promoted to vp, deputy publisher, and his new responsibilities including beginning to work with ceo and publisher Morgan Entrekin on matters relating to business and finance. Amy Hundley is promoted to vp, executive editor, while continuing as director of subsidiary rights. More broadly, the company will raise their starting salary to $40,000 for full-time employees. A new executive committee has been formed to help with “day-to-day running of the company and larger business decisions.” It comprises Elisabeth Schmitz, Judy Hottensen and Deb Seager, as well as Hundley, Blackstock and Entrekin. Entrekin said in the […]
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John le Carré, the pen name of David Cornwell, 89, who wrote The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, A Perfect Spy, Tinker, Tailer, Solidier Spy, and many more, died of pneumonia December 12, in Cornwall, England. Johnny Geller, his longtime agent at Curtis Brown UK, said in an announcement on Sunday night, “John le Carré was an undisputed giant of English literature. He defined the Cold War era and fearlessly spoke truth to power in the decades that followed.” Brian Tart, president & publisher of Viking Penguin, said, “It has been an honor to be John le Carré’s […]
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Samantha Zukergood has been promoted to assistant marketing manager at Flatiron Books. Daniel Berkowitz has joined Open Road Integrated Media as director of audience monetization. Obituaries Anthony Veasna So, whose debut book Afterparties is forthcoming from Ecco in August 2021, died unexpectedly on December 8. Friends have launched a crowdfunding campaign to help support his partner. Karl Killian, 77, founder of Houston’s Brazos Bookstore and literary nonprofit Inprint, died on December 9. Studies The New York Times published the results of a study aiming to determine how many Black authors were published by major publishing houses between 1950 and 2018. […]
Briefs: Dalkey Archive Founder Dies and Company Is Acquired By Deep Vellum, and More
John O’Brien, 75, founder of the Review of Contemporary Fiction and Dalkey Archive Press, died on November 21. The publisher writes, “O’Brien was dedicated to producing, promoting, and keeping in print, experimental works of international literature.” An online memorial service to honor O’Brien’s life and work will be held on December 9, with details to be announced. In the wake of O’Brien’s death, the publisher has announced that it has been acquired by Deep Vellum Publishing, where it will continue to run as an independent imprint, acquiring new books and maintaining its backlist. Deep Vellum publisher and executive director Will Evans […]