Publisher of Clarkson Potter since 2002 Lauren Shakely will step down from her positions as of the end of December. Pam Krauss, currently publishing director for Rodale Books, will return to Potter–where she worked for over 20 years until moving to Rodale in 2008–as the new publisher, starting next January. Shakely, who as senior vice president was also publisher of Potter Craft, Potter Style, and Watson-Guptill, is praised by Crown president Maya Mavjee as “the driving force behind the phenomenal success of Clarkson Potter and its associated imprints…renowned throughout our industry and beyond for her impeccable good taste, astute judgment, […]
eNews: Smashwords Adds Management for Agents
Smashwords has adjusted their system to make it easier for literary agents to use the ebook distribution service. Their system now recognizes and allows agents to upload and manage clients’ titles as an authorized third party. (Up until now, the Smashwords paradigm made the uploader the “publisher,” a relationship that many agents did not want to accept.) In the new arrangement, agents can upload titles that will credit the author as the “publisher” and list the agency with an appropriate credit line in the metadata stream. Agents sign-up for a regular Smashwords account and then “upgrade” to Agent status. A […]
Bookselling: New Joseph-Beth Store in Cincinnati; Tattered Cover Adds Self-Publishing Services; and More
A new 20,000-square foot Joseph-Beth store has opened in a former Borders location just outside of Cincinnati, OH, with its grand opening celebration slated for November 19. General manager Craig Sherman told Cincinnati.com the new store will have a “friendlier atmosphere” than its predecessor. “If customers are looking for an engaging, memorable experience, they’re going to find it when they walk in here,” he said. “This is a community bookstore.” The Tattered Cover will use its newly installed Espresso Book Machine for self-publishing services within the Denver, CO community. “We are hoping to use the machine to provide better customer […]
People, Etc.
Jeff Umbro has joined Goldberg McDuffie Communications as digital marketing manager, integrating digital marketing into their overall communications strategies. He began his career with Appsolute Media, focused on social media marketing, content strategy and seo. Toronto’s Transatlantic Literary Agency has added three agents. Meghan Macdonald will work part-time, growing a list of adult fiction and non-fiction clients. She worked for David Grossman before joining TLA. Patricia Ocampo will represent children’s authors, after working in editorial at Harper Children’s and in sales and marketing at Hachette Book Group Canada. Amy Tompkins will share representation of international rights sales for Orca Book […]
Independents Triumph At National Book Awards
The National Book Awards turned into a celebration of independence of sorts on Wednesday night, with independent publishers issuing three of the four medal winners, and a special award for service to the American literary community going to independent bookseller and former ABA president Mitchell Kaplan from Miami’s Books & Books. In a similar but different vein, the AP called the evening’s festivities “a gilded tribute to the 99 percent. Stories of resilience in the face of poverty, displacement and disappearance were awarded Wednesday night as hundreds of writers, editors, publishers and other industry officials gathered under the 70-foot ceilings of […]
Barnes & Noble Offers Exclusive Patterson Holiday Novella Promotion In Stores; Can Bundle Print and eBooks Through Store Cash Registers
Barnes & Noble has secured a significant in-store “exclusive” for the holidays: a novella from James Patterson, MERRY CHRISTMAS, ALEX CROSS. The bookseller will give a free copy–either printed, or digital–to customers who buy Patterson’s just-released KILL ALEX CROSS in hardcover and one other Patterson title in any format from a Barnes & Noble Store. Perhaps as important as the exclusive offer, designed to help drive store traffic, is that Barnes & Noble says they have developed a “cashiering system [that] will allow retail customers to seamlessly combine a Nook Book purchase with the purchase of the new hardcover title […]