Marilyn Ferguson, author of THE AQUARIAN CONSPIRACY, “a galvanizing influence on participants in scores of alternative groups that coalesced as the New Age movement,” died October 19 at home.LAT And William Wharton, 82, author of the NBA-winning novel BIRDY, died last week,MSNBC
Personnel
People
Joey Paul has joined Faith Words as executive editor. Publisher Rolf Zettersen calls it “a significant milestone” for the line. “He brings key relationships, a strong history of bestsellers and great instincts to our program. It will be a privilege to work with him.” Most recently he was vp of editorial and acquisitions for the spiritual growth and practical living division of Thomas Nelson. A 37-year publishing veteran, he was also publisher for Integrity Publishers and editor in chief for Word. Publishing Trends reports that president of eScholastic Seth Radwell is leaving the company, following the sale of Scholastic at […]
Focus on Penny's Team at Costco
The “cover story” in the current issue of Costco’s member magazine dubs the warehouse clubs “the big little bookstore” and looks at how Pennie Clark Ianniciello and her three assistant buyers have built “one of the top five booksellers” in the country. Carrying only about 200 titles at any given time, they say “it’s not uncommon for Costco to purchase 20 to 25 percent of a new book’s first printing.” Harper vp of sales Jeff Rogart concurs that “Costco is consistently one of our top retailers for total sales and frequently ranks number one or two on individual titles.” But […]
Robert Giroux Memorial
Farrar, Straus and Giroux is organizing a memorial service for Robert Giroux. Speakers and readers will include Jonathan Galassi, Paul Elie, Pat Strachan, Alice Quinn, and Father Patrick Samway. It is scheduled for Wednesday, December 10 at 3 o’clock in St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University. The publishers asks that those planning to attend please rsvp to Madeleine.asher@fsgbooks.com, or call 212-206-5359.
Cutbacks at Doubleday
The Doubleday Publishing Group has eliminated a total of 16 positions spread across all of the group’s lines, including Doubleday, Broadway, Nan A. Talese, Speigel and Grau, and Waterbrook Multnomah. Spokesman David Drake confirms that the “jobs were cut in our editorial, marketing, publicity, art and ad promo departments.” Drake says, “These job cuts followed a close review of all aspects of our publishing operations by the management of our publishing group, and, as painful as it is for everyone here to lose a number of well-respected colleagues, we believe the decision was necessary and in the interest of our […]
People and Distribution News
Marie Coolman will join Hyperion as executive director of publicity, taking over the position recently vacated by Beth Gebhard. She has been director of publicity and marketing for Hudson Street Press, and was west coast director of publicity at Random House after eight years with the company before going to the Penguin Group. Coolman says in the announcement: “Publishing needs a new approach, and that’s why I’m so excited to be joining the Hyperion team. As content providers, we need to meet readers where they go for recommendations – whether that is a friend, a media outlet, a bookseller, a […]