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 […]
Can Senator Use Campaign Funds to Commission Book?
That’s the basic question Republican Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond put to the Federal Election Commission recently, as his campaign treasurer wrote, “because the issues present in the book are so important and because we believe the book would be an effective gift to potential donors, we wish to utilize either campaign or leadership PAC funds to compensate Senator Bond’s co-author.” The book, The Next Front: What Can America Do to Win over Asia’s Muslims, was originally signed by Simon & Schuster. Bond now has another publisher and apparently needs to repay his original $60,000 advance and compensate his co-author.The Hill
NBCC Lists Again
About a year ago the NBCC started what was going to be a monthly Best Recommended List, which shortly thereafter turned into a seasonal list of Good Reads and then went dormant after spring recommendations. Now they return with a revamped NBCC Reads for fall. The new plan is not so much recommendations about new books as an online English class: “Three times a year, we will pose a question to this group. The results will be posted here at Critical Mass. We will no longer tabulate votes or rank the titles under discussion. Instead, we will simply give an […]
Because It's Friday: Sarah Palin, the Calendar
A WSJ blog highlighted this new product from Anchorage-based photographer and friend-of-Palin Judy Patrick. “Patrick said her inspiration for the calendar was a simple one–she needs money” to trade up to a new condo in Anchorage “somewhat out of their price range.” Patrick says she printed 30,000 calendars. Currently on sale via SarahCalendar.com, “she is also working out a deal with Barnes & Noble to sell the calendar either in stores or online. It’s also available in local book stores in Wasilla and Anchorage.”WSJ
Random Moves to Reduce eRoyalty Rates
Literary agent (as well as ebook publisher via E-Reads) Richard Curtis posts on his site about Random House’s recent letter to agents explaining their intention to reduce ebook royalty rates on new contracts as of December 1. The new proposal is for a royalty of 25 percent of amount received on sales–compared by Curtis to an earlier contract that provided 25 percent of the retail price until the advance was earned out, and 15 percent thereafter. (Authors who agreed to a lower electronic royalty in the early days will have their rates adjusted upwards.) The company says their previous rates […]