Unconfirmed “tweets” online this morning indicated that the parties have asked the judge for a little more time, until the auspicious Friday the 13th of November. Meanwhile, consistent with his earlier decisions to swat away those who wish to intervene or otherwise delay the consideration of the settlement, last week Judge Denny Chin denied the motions by a variety of individual photographers and photography organizations. Chin writes, “the proposed settlement does not concern the rights to their pictoral materials and it binds them in no way. The movants are free to initiate their own litigation, and to invest the time, […]
Briefs: High Demand for Nook; Harlequin Launches Digital-Only Carina Press; IDPF Moves Conference to BEA
Barnes & Noble spokesperson Mary Ellen Keating tells the WSJ that “demand for the nook in our stores and online has surpassed our expectations.” While the first wave of pre-orders will ship to customers on November 30, those who purchase the units now are being told their orders will ship on December 11. Keating says “we are working hard to meet demand for the holidays.” Harlequin announced the launch of Carina Press, a digital-only publishing house that will sell directly to consumers and “operate independently of their traditional publishing businesses.” Angela James is joining the new operation as executive editor. […]
People
Thomas P. Burke has joined Scholastic as svp, e-commerce, responsible for the operation’s strategic direction and growth, reporting to evp and president of Scholastic Book Clubs and E-Commerce Judy Newman. Burke has been at BN.com for the past five years, overseeing merchandising, online marketing, customer experience, design and editorial content. Philip Gourevitch is leaving the Paris Review–where he has been editor for the past five years–in April, to focus full-time on writing. He says “It has been a great honor — and great fun — to have relaunched this wonderful magazine.” The Sydney Morning Herald has a long profile on […]
Bookselling: Two Schwartz Successors Concerned About Third
Another Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop alum is opening a new store, Open Book run by Lisa Zupke–this time billed as a cooperative, supported by a $35,000 low-interest municipal loan, and located within miles of two other Schwartz successors, Daniel Goldin’s Boswell Book Company and Lanora Hurley’s Next Chapter Bookshop. “They’re definitely targeting my customers,” Goldin tells the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Hurley adds, “I’m just concerned that splitting the pie three ways will take all three of us out.” Open Book is selling memberships ranging from $50 to $500, and soliciting loans from wealthy individuals.MJS
Borders to Slash Another 200 Walden Outlets in January
With competitor Barnes & Noble preparing to close all but the last two of their B. Dalton mall stores by January, Borders announced after yesterday that they will close approximately 200 of the remaining mall-based Waldenbooks outlets in January. The move will leave Borders with about 130 mall-based locations remaining. The company estimates that 1,500 jobs–mostly part-time–will be eliminated as a result. CEO Ron Marshall says, “We believe there remains an opportunity to profitably operate a much smaller Waldenbooks segment that complements our core Borders superstore business and continues to serve readers in their communities. Through this right-sizing, we will […]
Random House Films Gets Stephen Frears to Adapt Beth Raymer Memoir
An agent was asking us just the other day whether Random House Films was still alive since the unit has released only one movie–Reservation Road–since its founding four years ago. But Variety reports that the joint venture with Focus Features has hired director Stephen Frears for a planned film version of Beth Raymer’s forthcoming gambling memoir LAY THE FAVORITE, TAKE THE DOG. D.V. DeVincentis, who worked with Frears on the High Fidelity movie, is adapting, and they are hoping to go into production next June. RH Films optioned the Raymer book in 2007.Variety