Summer Promotions In Advance of Christmas Film The new film version of THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE doesn’t release until early December, but USA Today reports that retailers are already putting together lavish displays featuring at least some of the 145 different Narnia SKU’s offered by Harper. Target started stocking up in May; Borders is promoting in the front of the store and as part of summer reading displays; and BN will launch table displays later this week. BN children’s buyer Joe Monti says that after the showing of a Narnia trailer in May, “sales have been doubling […]

New Publisher for RH Audio As of early September, Random House svp and director of adult sales Madeline McIntosh will become publisher of the Random House Audio and Large Print Publishing Group. She takes over from Scott Matthews, “who is departing for family reasons.” On Shelby Foote The historian died Monday, at age 88. Washington Post: “Maybe now the Civil War can finally be over. “He had his own internal conflict. He wanted to be known as a novelist but will forever be remembered as the author of a sweetly written, three-volume narrative history of the Civil War and as […]

UK Retail Stays Soft Retailer HMV (owner of the UK’s Waterstone’s) reported full-year results in line with expectations, so the press focuses on the company’s prediction that the UK retail market will remain sluggish. While the Harry Potter release will lift sales numbers, it won’t do much for profits. CEO Alan Giles says, “It’s clearly going to be a hugely competitive market for that title, I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of gross margin in it for anyone, but we’re not expecting that.” In a conference call, Giles also indicated, “Things have improved a little bit since […]

Buy Classics in Bulk, Save on Shipping The WSJ discovered this bargain on the recently-packaged Penguin Classics Library Complete Collection. The 40 percent discount off of the list price of $13,318 is pretty hefty, but even better is Amazon’s shipping price: “a beyond-reasonable $3.99.” Gift wrap for the 1,082-book collection is not available. Penguin’s associate director of online marketing and sales Tim McCall indicates the offering “could be followed by smaller, specialized bundles of classics — Russian literature, Greek literature and so forth.” WSJ (free story) Personnel At the Random House Publishing Group, svp and associate publisher Libby McGuire has […]

Perlman to Leave CDS; Perseus Adds Reps — and More As Perseus integrates recently purchased distributor Client Distribution Services (CDS), a reorganization has been announced. CDS president and co-founder Gilbert Perlman “has decided to leave the company,” but will consult over “the next several months.” COO Steve Black will run what’s being called the client serivce business (e.g. distribution for other publishers). The sales force — which will rep titles for Perseus’s imprints as well as CDS clients — is being expanded “substantially” and “significant investments in systems will give clients access to far more detailed and timely sales and […]

People and More Former managing director of the William Morris Agency’s UK office Stephanie Cabot will join The Gernert Company next week. Germany’s Borsenverein has chosen Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk as the winner of their peace prize, worth 25,000 Euros, to be presented at the Frankfurt Book Fair. In a separate announcement, FBF says that their Agents and Scouts center is fully booked for this fall’s fair and a waiting list has been created. At the moment, registered British agencies outnumber US agencies, 59 to 53. Viacom Denies (One) Sale Story Current Viacom co-president and head of what will be […]