Harper UK managing director Amanda Ridout is leaving the company at the end of next month after seven years to pursue “confidential” ventures, the Bookseller reports. “All will be revealed in the fullness of time,” Ridout adds. Frank McCourt‘s publishers and agent have confirmed that he has been undergoing chemotherapy for melanoma. The 78-year-old author is back home now and “doing pretty well” according to Molly Friedrich.AP Morty Mint and his Mint Publishers Group has taken on the sales operation for Joy Berry Enterprises. Acting as brand consultant, he will be the primary sales executive for the company, working with […]
Personnel
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Anna Stein will join London-based Aitken Alexander and start a New York office for the agency as of June 1. Gillon Aitken is quoted in the Bookseller: “As our markets grow ever closer, we believe this is an auspicious moment to expand our presence in the US, and we are delighted that Anna is joining us.” Jacqueline Flynn has joined Joelle Delbourgo Associates as an agent. Formerly executive editor at Amacom Books, she will represent a wide range of nonfiction including business and career, technology, science, psychology, self-help, and parenting. Carrie Cantor is heading up the agency’s new editorial services […]
People
Variety says that co-chief operating office of the William Morris Agency’s New York office Wayne Kabak is among approximately 100 staff members who are losing their jobs in advance of the pending merger with Endeavor. They note that the FTC and Justice Department have signed off on the merger, though the deal still needs approval from state labor commissioners in New York and California.Variety At Little Brown Children’s, Diane Cain has been hired for the new position of brand marketing director, James Patterson, reporting to deputy publisher Andrew Smith. Most recently she was executive director of marketing at Harper Children’s. […]
People and Awards
Former svp and executive director of publicity and public relations at the Bantam Dell Publishing Group Barb Burg has launched a new company, barb burg ink, offering publicity, public relations, media training, media placement, publishing strategy and brand management services. Endeavor agents Kirby Kim and Rebecca Oliver and subrights manager Laura Bonner will join the merged WME Entertainment, according to the Observer. Australian author Christos Tsiolkas won the overall Commonwealth Writers’ Award for best book for THE SLAP, “about middle-class suburban Australia and its notions of child-rearing and acceptable behavior.” Pakistani author Mohammed Hanif won the best first book award […]
People
Josalyn Moran will join Chronicle as children’s publishing director, officially starting June 10 though also attending BEA with the company. Moran is charged with “overseeing and spearheading the growth” of the company’s children’s line, encompassing both books and “innovative formats.” She has been vp, children’s books at Barnes & Noble for the past nine years (and was associate publisher at North-South Books before working at the bookseller). The ABA membership formally ratified Michael Tucker of Books Inc. as president and Becky Anderson as vice president/secretary.
Red Wheel Partners with Hampton Roads, and People News
Red Wheel/Weiser and Hampton Roads Publishing are joining forces as of June 1 in what is being called a distribution relationship but also “a joint operating agreement” according to Red Wheel president Michael Kerber. (Both lines are already warehoused at Books International.) Kerber notes “we’re also combining forces for several back office functions — eliminating duplication on the operations, accounting, and production side.” The companies say they will operate primarily from Red Wheel’s offices in Newburyport and San Francisco. Greg Brandenburgh will oversee the Hampton Roads part of the endeavor, based in San Francisco, and the imprint will publish a […]