Tom Thompson has joined SMP as vp, creative services and advertising. Thompson most recently was svp, digital strategy/group director of Verso Advertising, where he worked for 10 years. At William Morrow, Emily Krump has been promoted to senior editor. Bookselling Barnes & Noble will close their downtown Minneapolis store at Nicollet Mall in May when the lease expires. The company admitted that the two-floor, 25,000-square-foot store is too big and unsuccessfully tried to negotiate with the landlord for a 14,000 to 16,000-square foot space on one floor. It’s yet another sign that the bookseller is looking to reshape its store […]
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Dean Koontz, who has been without representation in his primary markets for years now, selected new literary agents a couple of months ago — now announced via Deadline: Richard Pine and Kim Witherspoon at Inkwell Management will serve as his primary agents, with Jon Liebman and Missy Malkin at Brillstein Entertainment representing his books for film and television. Koontz continues his longtime relationship with attorney Richard Heller at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz. In the UK, Diana Beaumont is leaving UTA and will join Marjacq Scripts, which completes the emptying out of UTA’s London office. The agency tells the Bookseller it is “pivoting its strategy in […]
People
Libby McGuire has joined The Gernert Company as an agent. Most recently she was publisher at Ballantine Bantam Dell, which she left a year ago. David Gernert said in the announcement: “Having worked with Libby for years I have no doubt that she will be a terrific, and terrifically successful, agent. And her vast experience in publishing will be helpful to us in a variety of ways.” McGuire added: “I have long admired the talent and strategy of The Gernert Company, so when I made the decision to become an agent, they were my first choice. I am thrilled to […]
People
Mary Pachnos, who has worked in association with Aitken Alexander Associates for the last 20 years, retired at the end of 2016. Her next phase will include volunteering as a guide at London Zoo. Marilyn Dahl has retired as editor of Shelf Awareness for Readers after twelve years with the publication. Dahl is succeeded by Stefanie Hargreaves as editor, effective Tuesday. Greaves has worked as an editor, bookseller, and reviewer for Ballantine, Girl Friday Productions, HarperCollins, Amazon.com and Book Page. Robbin Brosterman is joining Bright USA on January 9 as an agent in in the company’s New York office. Most recently […]
People
In the UK, Juliet Mushens and Robert Caskie have formed a new literary agency, Caskie Mushens. Mushens has left UTA and will bring her clients over with her; Caskie had left PFD, where he was chief operating officer as well as an agent, in early 2016, saying he intended to explore new opportunities “in a related industry.” Separately, another former UTA agent Sarah Manning has joined the Bent Agency, based in London. She will expand the UK office’s representation into adult fiction and nonfiction. At Penguin Random House in the US, Debra Polansky has been hired as vp, director of sales for Penguin Children’s, under Felicia Frazier. She previously […]
People
Scholastic has hired Kiffin Steurer as managing editor for Klutz (he was at Harper Children’s), Chloe Fraboni as editor, licensed publishing. (she was at Simon & Schuster Children’s); and Kirk Benshoff as art director for readers, branches and nonfiction (he was at HBG). In promotions: Erin McMahon is now senior designer, licensed publishing; Emily Feliberty moved up to associate director of marketing and publicity for Klutz; Jenna Ballard is now associate editor, licensed publishing; Brooke Shearouse moves up to publicist; Hillary Doyle and Emily Clement are both work working as rights manager; Milena Giunco is publicity coordinator; Christine Reedy is marketing coordinator; and Courtney DeVerges is now sales coordinator for Klutz.