Announcements and Personnel News Barnes & Noble announced the third selection in their B&N Recommends program: Mohsin Hamid’s THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST. NAL is launching a new imprint, Obsidian Mysteries. Led by senior editor Kristen Weber, the line launches this September with both hardcover and mass market originals. Publisher Kara Welsh says in the announcement, “We’ve been publishing extraordinary mysteries for years, and this seemed like the perfect time to bring them all together under one imprint.” Former PGW client Bull Publishing has moved to IPG for distribution as of April 1. At the Book Industry Study Group, Angela Bole has […]

BAM Has Comp-Sales Decline, Too Books-a-Million joined the other big chain booksellers in finishing the year with a decline in comparable-store sales, down 2.4 percent on sales of $174.6 million. Net income rose to $15.1 million, up from $11.2 million a year ago. CEO Sandra Cochran says in the announcement, “It was a tough fourth quarter for bookselling. A strong fiction lineup was not enough to offset a quiet media environment, the absence of a major book related movie tie-in and the lack of strong non fiction bestsellers.” For the full fiscal year, sales were $520 million, with comparable store […]

Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut Nam Le’s debut story collection THE BOAT, for publication in summer 2008, […]

Rare Quiet Barring anything extraordinary, Lunch will rest for the balance of this week. As always, PublishersMarketplace.com will continue without interruption — including news links and postings on the home page as warranted, and the full flow of deals, jobs and data. The ICM Trials With testimony over after a second day of sparks, Judge Leisure will rule shortly on ICM’s request for a temporary restraining order blocking Richard Abate from going to work for Endeavor before the end of the year, when his ICM contract expires. As the LAT notes, “the crux of the case [is]: Was Abate fired […]

Warner No More Warner Books has changed its named to Grand Central Publishing, reflecting their soon-to-be new address on Park Avenue just north of the station. “It also reflects the publisher’s renewed commitment to publishing a diverse range of books and offering readers content through new channels and new formats.” Publisher Jamie Raab’s idea, the new name prevailed over such suggestions as Blue Heron and Jack Straw. Coming Wednesday Oprah Winfrey will announce a new book club pick. Vintage is the lucky publisher. Smith May Want Airport Stores Bearing in mind that the UK press reporting on Borders is rather […]

Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut Julia Stuart’s THE MATCHMAKER OF PERIGORD, in which a barber turned matchmaker […]