Dominic Myers became head of Amazon Publishing in Europe on September 2, based in Luxembourg but overseeing the UK and German publishing businesses and “launching new offices” they “expand our European publishing efforts.”Most recently non-executive director at some consumer-focused startups, he had been managing director of Waterstones in the UK up until it was sold by HMV. Amazon says that their German publishing unit has released 118 titles so far this year. At Simon & Schuster, Carolyn Connolly has been promoted to senior vice president, human resources. CEO Carolyn Reidy writes to employees: “we are fortunate to have in Carolyn a leader whose broad view […]
Archives for September 2014
Osprey Sells 3 Lines; Skyhorse Wins Good Books Auction; Food52 Raises More
In line with our report in June that UK-based Osprey Group was looking to sell non-core components including the Angry Robot fiction line and the ailing Watkins acquisition (along with considering offers for the entire company), the Bookseller reports that the company has indeed sold Watkins, Angry Robot and Nourish to businessman Etan Ilfeld. And it turns out that Osprey had quarantined those three lines in bankruptcy administration “in order to protect the rest of the group,” though in June, when they shut down the Strange Chemistry and and Exhibit A fiction lines the company said “the core Angry Robot […]
Awards: 5 Under 35, PEN/Bingham, and The First Kirkus Prize Finalists
On Tuesday morning, the National Book Foundation’s ninth annual list honoring 5 Under 35 was announced. This time around, all of the honorees except one — Quade — has already published in book form. (Her story collection is set for publication by Norton in 2015.) Alex Gilvarry, From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant Valeria Luiselli, Faces in the Crowd Yelena Akhtiorskaya, Panic in a Suitcase Phil Klay, Redeployment Kirstin Valdez Quade, Night at the Fiestas: Stories On Monday night, Shawn Vestal won the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize for debut fiction for Godforsaken Idaho, a collection of stories. It was published by Amazon Publishing’s Little […]
People, Etc.
Laura Nolan has joined Kuhn Projects as an agent. She was until recently the head of the book division for Paradigm. President of Weldon Owen Terry Newell will retire as president after more than 15 years with the company. Succeeding Newell is Roger Shaw, currently vp, publisher, reporting to Bonnier ceo Dave Freygang, who said in the announcement: “We appreciate Terry’s capable leadership through significant changes in the company’s ownership and the transformation of Weldon Owen from an independent book packager to a highly regarded publisher. Roger has been instrumental in generating long-term custom-publishing businesses with brand partners, creating innovative […]
Ellora’s Cave Sues “Dear Author” and Its Creator, Alleging Defamation
On Friday, Ellora’s Cave and Jasmine Jade Enterprises filed suit in an Ohio state court against the Dear Author blog and its author Jennifer Gerrish-Lampe (writing as Jane Litte), alleging that a September article about the publisher “made false and defamatory statements concerning the companies’ financial stability and practices, insinuating that the companies are on the verge of financial ruin.” The suit further charges that the post “attempts to induce panic in Plaintiff’s authors by stating that Ellora’s will close by the end of the year or is likely to undergo a bankruptcy.” The company says in the suit it […]
People, Etc.
Emilie Polster has joined Little, Brown Children’s as executive director of marketing. She was previously senior director of integrated marketing & operations at Harper Children’s. At Picador, Andrea Rogoff has been promoted to senior publicist, while Elizabeth Bruce has been promoted to associate editor. In addition, Shannon Donnelly has joined as marketing manager. Previously she was a marketing manager at Dey Street Books. Min Lee rejoins the Penguin Random House Legal Department as vp, associate general counsel, executive director of privacy. Former University of California Press editorial director and University Press Books cofounder Sheila Levine, 65, died September 21 from ovarian […]