In documents filed with the SEC, Barnes & Noble Education provided more granular detail on their fresh infusion of capital. New controlling equity-holder Immersion Corporation is investing through their subsidiary Toro 18 Holdings. Of the $50 million in new equity investment, $45 million is coming from Toro 18, and the remaining $5 million is coming from VitalSource. For the additional $45 million fully backstopped equity rights offering, Toro 18 accounts for a commitment of up to $35 million of the stock, with Outerbridge Capital Management taking $5 million—they hold a board seat, and likely lost big on their significant holding […]
Obituary: Janet Reid
Longtime literary agent and generous creator of Query Shark, Janet Reid died on Sunday, after a brief illness, reportedly passing “swiftly and at peace, with loved ones seeing her through.” Her client Allison K. Williams wrote on social media, “My beloved agent @Janet_Reid has departed for the great library in the sky. Long before we worked together, her blog & @QueryShark educated me about querying, publishing & writing. She was a generous advice giver who truly listened to writers at all stages.” Friends and her next of kin are working on an official obituary.
Forthcoming: Andrew Clements’ THE FRINDLE FILES
On August 27, Random House Children’s Books will publish THE FRINDLE FILES, a sequel to Andrew Clements‘ 1996 book FRINDLE (published by Atheneum). According to a release, Clements finished the manuscript before his death in 2019. SVP & publisher, Random House Brands and Graphic Michelle Nagler acquired world rights from Amy Berkower at Writers House. Nagler will edit the novel with Clements’s family. “We are so proud to be publishing Andrew’s final novel and that it brings the love for Frindle full circle for readers of all ages,” Nagler said. “To have one final story to share with his fans […]
Publishing Triangle Winners
PEN’s Top Literary Prize Potentially Un-Awardable Due to Author Withdrawal
Nine of the ten authors longlisted for the $75,000 PEN/Jean Stein Award have withdrawn their books from consideration, as part of a continued boycott of PEN America over the organization’s response to the war in Gaza. Camille Dungy’s SOIL is currently the book that remains. In a statement provided by her publisher, Dungy said, “Right now in America, book bans are increasing at an alarming rate. In states like the one where I live—Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Iowa—such bans are putting young people at risk, particularly Black, Brown, queer, and trans youths who can’t access books that represent and affirm who […]
Imprints: JVL Media
Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon have announced the creation of a new publisher, JVL Media, created with author and publisher and Davis’s co-publisher on her memoir, Lavaille Lavette. Davis says in the announcement, “This endeavor embodies our collective aspiration—to champion and elevate voices that resonate with authenticity and are often overlooked. Our mission is to interlace a rich mosaic venerates the enduring heritage of storytellers from diverse walks of life.” The company says in fall 2025 it “will expand its literary repertoire to include an array of children’s books and young adult titles.” The first announced titles Had […]