On December 7, the JD Salinger Estate quietly settled with Frederik Colting, author of the unauthorized Catcher in The Rye sequel 60 Years Later. According to the agreement, Colting will be prevented “from manufacturing, publishing, distributing, shipping, advertising, promoting, selling, or otherwise disseminating any copy of the book 60 Years Later, by Fredrik Colting writing under the name of J.D. California, or any portion thereof, in or to the United States.” Colting is, however, free to sell the book in international territories, and PW reports that is the case in at least a half-dozen countries.PWSettlement agreement Paulo Coehlo accused Iran, […]
Sarnoff Leaves Bertelsmann for KKR
Longtime top Bertelsmann executive Richard Sarnoff will leave his positions as co-chairman of Bertelsmann, Inc., the company’s North American division, and president of Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments at the end of January to join both Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and their affiliate Weld North as a senior advisor. (Bertelsmann is already a partner with KKR in the music-publishing joint venture BMG, and Sarnoff will join that entity’s board on KKR’s behalf.) Bertelsmann chief financial officer Thomas Rabe will take over leadership of BDMI, which has invested in companies including Trion, Mojiva, Qeep, American Reading Company, Vindicia, and RoyaltyShare. Sarnoff spent much […]
People, Etc.
Marjorie Braman is leaving Henry Holt, where she has been vp and editor-in-chief since September 2008. Prior to that she was executive editor at HarperCollins for 12 years. She is leaving on to concentrate on freelance editorial projects, and her last day is January 31. Holt will name a new editor-in-chief at a later date.Christine Pride has joined Hyperion as senior editor. Previously she was an editor with the Crown Publishing Group. At Norton, Brendan Curry and Tom Mayer have been promoted to senior editors. Christina Ward of the Christina Ward Literary Agency and Richard Balkin of The Balkin Agency […]
Top Children’s Awards Go to Vanderpool and Stead
The ALA presented their many Youth Media Awards this morning on the closing day of their winter meeting in San Diego. (Thanks to the organizers for the live webcast of this year’s presentation.) The Newbery medal went to MOON OVER MANIFEST, by Clare Vanderpool; the Caldecott went to A SICK DAY FOR AMOS MCGHEE, illustrated by Erin Stead, and written by Philip Stead. Among other honorees, Tomie dePaola won the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for “a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children.” For the complete list of medalists and honor books, check the ALA site here.
Bookstore Closings: Syracuse Borders Joins Unconfirmed Others, As Portsmouth, NH’s Gulliver’s Announces Closing, Too
Add to the list of upcoming Borders’ closing their outlet in Syracuse’s big Carousel Center mall. A supervisor there tells the local paper they will close some time in March, citing only “a lease situation.” It is the only bookstore in the big shopping center. That closing comes on top of the 14 Borders that closed last week, and another approximately 17 stores that publishers have been told will close by the end of January (though the company has so far declined to confirm that number, even though publishers have been provided a list of stores and expected closing dates). […]
Key Porter Confirms It Will Suspend Operations
Key Porter Books confirmed on Friday that it will suspend operations while it considers “a number of restructuring options.” In a statement publisher Jordan Fenn said that Key Porter will not publish any new books going forward, but the company “is supporting its authors through the continued marketing and sale of previously published works and distribution through H.B. Fenn and Company Ltd.” A number of options are being considered, including selling off some key titles. Key Porter had laid off editor-in-chief Linda Pruessen, its last remaining editorial staffer, on December 16. The company was also supposed to publish Mark Bourrie’s […]