Personnel and Announcements St. Martin’s executive editor Jennifer Weis has been given the additional title of manager, concept development, in which she will “develop non-traditional book concepts.” Those ideas will include “book/movie development, creating custom publishing programs with companies, branded publishing, and other special projects.” Random House Audio Group publicity director Amanda D’Acierno has been promoted to the newly-created position of director, marketing and publicity. The position of marketing director, which had been held by Sara Schober, has been eliminated. Herbert Schaffner has been named publisher for business books at McGraw-Hill, “overseeing the daily operation of the editorial team and […]

Monday, March 20 Our Usual Reminder If for some reason this has reached you even though you are not a paying member of PublishersMarketplace, please visit the link below to join us all the time for complete deal reports and more. Click to register http://www.publishersmarketplace.com/register.shtml 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 […]

The 2006 Book Sense Book of the Year Winners Adult Fiction The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova Adult Nonfiction Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner Children’s Literature Inkspell, by Cornelia Funke Children’s Illustrated Zen Shorts, by Jon J. Muth Click to see the runners-up as well Income Down at Borders, But Books Sales Have Strong Finish Like Barnes & Noble, Borders slightly exceeded analysts’ forecasts for fourth quarter income — though unlike BN, Borders’ earnings were lower than the same period last year. Decent fourth quarter sales helped the company finish a mediocre year well. Borders superstores registered […]

BN Delivers As Expected Fourth quarter earnings at Barnes & Noble met analysts’ expectations as the company reported a comparable-store sales increase of 3.3 percent at the BN superstores, with overall sales of $1.4 billion, and a 3.8 percent increase at the ever-shrinking roster of B. Dalton stores, which recorded $50 million in sales. BN.com sales rose just one percent, to $153 million. Net earnings from bookselling (excluding GameStop before the spinoff) were $123 million, or $1.76 a share, including a $7.5 million writedown “related to the impairment of certain store assets determined to be underperforming.” For the full fiscal […]

Holtzbrinck Creates Executive Position Alongside Sargent Holtzbrinck Publishing has created the new role of president, naming Brian Napack to “share general management responsibilities” with CEO John Sargent for the company’s operations, as well as overseeing acquisitions, strategic planning, and business development. Napack was a partner in the media and entertainment practice of L.E.K. Consulting. They note the he has also “built digital and traditional media businesses at companies such as The Walt Disney Company, Simon & Schuster, and ThinkBox, an Internet education company” he founded. Sargent says in the announcement, “Technology is rapidly transforming the way people interact with the […]

The Annotated Dan Brown The reclusive author has given very few interviews since his mammoth success with the Da Vinci Code, so worldwide press is attracted to his testimony yesterday and an accompanying lengthy witness statement as some of the first glimpses into his life. Some excerpts: * “I have a very short concentration span. That’s why I write in short chapters.” * “For me, writing is a discipline, much like playing a musical instrument; it requires constant practice and honing of skills. If I’m not at my desk by sunrise, I feel like I’m missing my most productive hours. […]