Weisberg to Leave RH Post Random House evp and coo North America Don Weisberg wants to “consider and pursue new professional challenges,” even as Peter Olson “tried hard to change his mind over the past few months” and so Weisberg will leave his position at the end of February. He will serve as a consultant to RH thereafter. Deputy chairman Ed Volini will take on the additional title of coo, overseeing the RH sales group and Random Canada, as well as finance, legal, administrative and human resources. AMS Adds 12 Percent Owner to Board, and Postpones Annual Meeting After All AMS […]

Full, If Not Excessive, Disclosure I have a cold and a fever, so bear than in mind as you scan this morning’s long dispatch. Random “Realigns” Random has announced a variety of changes in “several of the businesses in the Random House Information Group.” Current vp and publisher of Random House Reference and Value Publishing Sheryl Stebbins has had her duties “reassigned,” president David Naggar says. “She has graciously agreed to stay on until the end of June to oversee these transitions.” Sales marketing manager Susan Hettleman will be responsible for RH Value Publishing, and publisher of Princeton Review and […]

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 Sidura Ludwig’s HOLDING MY BREATH, a coming-of-age story about a Jewish girl […]

Oprah Picks THE MEASURE OF A MAN, by Sidney Poitier. Creditors Ask Court to Move to Liquidation; Negotiate Perseus Offer The Unsecured AMS Creditors’ Committee has filed a motion asking the court not to approve the company’s debtor-in-possession financing, which they say is unnecessary, and to move instead towards liquidation of the company. “Debtor AMS is hemorrhaging. AMS is unable to buy inventory because publishers will not sell to it. AMS is unable to fill many orders for its customers (the club stores) and many of AMS’s customers have already switched to new distributors to insure a steady supply of […]

Borders Awards; BN’s Next Recommendation Borders announced their Original Voices Award winners: Fiction Kevin Brockmeier’s THE BRIEF HISTORY OF THE DEAD Nonfiction Timothy Egan’s THE WORST HARD TIME: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl Picture Book Jane O’Connor and illustrator Robin Preiss Glasser’s FANCY NANCY YA Catherine Murdock’s DAIRY QUEEN Release Meanwhile, BN has made the second selection in their Barnes & Noble Recommends program: Chris Bohjalian’s THE DOUBLE BIND, set for publication on February 13. Their first promotion, for Diane Setterfield’s THE THIRTEENTH TALE, “broke the company’s sales record for a debut novel […]

When Perseus Went to Court A court filing seeking approval for Perseus’s offer with respect to PGW clients  notes that AMS has accounts receivable of $147.5 million — and $72.5 million in inventory that they are now considering an asset. They also cite “valuable collateral including AMS’s interest in foreign subsidiaries, fixed assets and intellectual property.” Some quick math will tell you they own a lot less than they owe, particularly once the fire sale starts. Wells Fargo, for their part, collected $3.9 million in additional “forbearance fees” just for extending their credit line last summer and fall. The filing […]