Zondervan has hired Jason Vines from the auto business to serve as vp of public relations and communications. He previously held “top communications positions” at Nissan, Ford and Chrysler. Lucinda Blumenfeld writes to update the PT report we cited last week: As an agent at Fletcher & Co. she will represent narrative/prescriptive nonfiction, YA, and literary fiction. As marketing manager she is “developing marketing strategies and brand extensions for agency clients and scouting opportunities for writers within emerging technology, new media and social networking.” In the UK, former Century publishing director Mark Booth will join Hodder & Stoughton in September […]
Personnel
People
At St. Martin’s, director of marketing and publishing operations/hardcover Matt Baldacci and marketing director/SMP paperbacks Anne Marie Tallberg have both been promoted to associate publisher for their respective divisions. Sally Richardson and Matthew Shear praise “their enormous contributions in sales and marketing that have so contributed to our growth and health. In their new roles, they will continue to work together and with others to further our publishing goals.” Leis Pederson has been promoted to associate editor for the Berkley publishing group. Ruth Katcher has joined Egmont USA as editor-at-large. Most recently she was an executive editor at Harper Children’s. […]
Paul Marsh Dies
Founder of London-based The Marsh Agency, Paul Marsh died suddenly on Sunday in Milan while visiting publishers and clients. Originally focused on selling translation rights for other agents and publishers, Marsh founded his agency in 1994 along with his wife Susanna Nicklin (who now is director of literature for the British Council). A brief notice from Midas Public Relations says that a more detailed statement “will follow shortly.” We’ll remember Marsh as one of the world’s lovely gentlemen of publishing.
NBF Launches Campaign for Best Novel in 60 Years; "Love Dare" Climbs Another Chart; and More Announcements
Hoping to emulate the Booker of Booker’s campaign, the National Books Foundation is initiating a program to select the best novel from the past 59 years. There have been 77 National Book Award-winning works of fiction from 68 authors during that period (the contest incorporates long-retired fiction sub-categories such as best science fiction, best western, and best paperback fiction). The books will be featured, one a day, on a dedicated NBA blog, while the organization polls former winners, finalists and judges to cull a six-book shortlist. (NBF executive director Harold Augenbraum has read all 77 books, and offers comments on […]
Penguin UK to Cut "About 100" People
One of the few big trade publishers to not cut jobs since the recession hit last fall, Penguin UK is now taking some of the steepest cuts of any UK publisher (both Random UK and HarperCollins UK had significant layoffs earlier this year.) The company said today it “anticipated…the loss of around 100 jobs in the UK” after the the mandated consultation period with employees. Penguin positions the realignments as “a series of changes to its UK business which are designed to strengthen the appeal and relevance of its publishing, reduce costs in all areas of the business, and prepare […]
People: Bleak House Publishers Start New Company, and More
Bleak House founder Benjamin Leroy and his colleague there Alison Janssen are leaving the crime and literary fiction publisher to start a new house, Tyrus Books. Leroy is the publisher, and Janssen is senior editor (and Donna Bagdasarian’s recent new literary management agency Publication Riot Group is handling rights.) Their launch list for this fall features three titles originally planned for publication at Bleak House: Peter Gadol’s SILVER LAKE, Michael Lister’s DOUBLE EXPOSURE and an anthology of crime short stories edited by Ed Gorman & Martin H. Greenberg. (Bleak House was acquired by Big Earth Publishing in 2005.) Leroy and […]