Tundra Books Moves Foreign Rights to Cooke Agency

Tundra Books of Toronto has announced that its foreign rights sales and permissions will now be contracted out to The Cooke Agency International (TCAI). "The move is a natural one for Tundra and offers a resolution to the difficult challenge presented by the resignation of long-term foreign rights director Catherine Mitchell, earlier this year," said Tundra managing director Alison Morgan.

Major Cuts at Key Porter Books

The Canadian publishing scene was shaken yesterday by news that Toronto-based Key Porter Books' operations are being dramatically cut back with 11 people losing their jobs. Harold Fenn, chairman of Key Porter Books, acknowledged that the imprint has been struggling, forcing the closing of the Toronto office with remaining employees moving to the Fenn headquarters in Bolton, Ont.

St. Martin's Issues Statement on Revised 'Operation Dark Heart'

St. Martin's has issued a statement regarding the revised edition of Operation Dark Heart: Spycraft and Special Ops on the Frontlines of Afghanistan--and the Path to Victory by Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer, which it published on September 24, after the U.S. government bought the 9,500-copy first printing for $47,500, and St. Martin's destroyed and recycled those copies at the government's request.

Zondervan Signs with IPS for ABA Market

Zondervan has reached a distribution services agreement with Ingram Publisher Services, Inc. to expand the reach of Zondervan's entire product line into the ABA market. The agreement will serve to complement the efforts of Zondervan's current sales and distribution team, and there will be no staff changes as a result.

Texas Appeals Court Hears Landmark Defamation Case

A Texas Appeals Court yesterday heard a key defamation case that will decide whether books will get the same First Amendment protections as other media, such as newspapers, in the state of Texas. The case revolves around the book Bulldozed: "Kelo," Eminent Domain, and the American Lust for Land by Carla Main (Encounter Books) and a defamation lawsuit filed by Dallas developer H. Walker Royall, who claims the book defames him and is seeking to ban any further printing or distribution of the book.

Harras Named Editor-in-Chief of DC Comics

Robert Harras, formerly group editor, collected editions at DC Comics, has been named editor-in-chief, v-p, DC Comics, overseeing editorial for the DC Universe, Mad magazine and Vertigo. He will report directly to DC Comics co-publishers Jim Lee and Dan Didio and he will be based in New York City.

News Briefs: Week of 9/27/10

Not Your Father's Ingram

Ingram has long been thought of as the book industry's quintessential middleman, distributing publishers' books and other products to thousands of accounts. But over the past five to 10 years, the company has invested tens of millions of dollars to become what Skip Prichard, president and CEO of the Ingram Content Group, called the "centerspoke" of an industry in transition.

Macmillan Sees Ingram Deal as Win-Win

The distribution agreement between Macmillan and the Ingram Content Group plays to the strengths of both parties, Macmillan senior v-p and COO Peter Garabedian told PW in an interview about how the relationship announced Tuesday morning will work. While Macmillan will remain focused on shipping large quantities of frontlist books, "Ingram is better at short run distribution than I am," Garabedian said.

Macmillan to Move Some Fulfillment to Ingram

Looking to lessen costs associated with its traditional print business, Macmillan has reached an agreement with the Ingram Content Group under which Macmillan will use Ingram's print on demand and physical distribution infrastructure to manage its traditional inventory and POD needs for "long tail" titles. Macmillan will continue to service its customer relationships from its primary warehouse in Virginia.

Infinity Publishing Adds Audio

Infinity Publishing, the West Conshohocken, Penn., self-publishing company, has added an audio option to its list of services. For a $599 setup fee, Infinity will record an author's book into an audiobook one hour long and make it available in CD and downloadable formats.

News Briefs: Week of 9/20/10

Where the Boys Are Not

It’s no secret that lots of women work in publishing. But just how many more women work in publishing than men? In PW’s recent Salary Survey (Aug. 2) one statistic stuck out: 85% of employees with less than three years of experience in the industry are women.

Crown Realigns Trade Paperback Operations

Tina Pohlman, v-p and publisher of the Crown Publishing Group's Three Rivers Press and Broadway Paperbacks trade paperback imprints, has announced a rebranding effort aimed at tying the hardcover and trade paperback publishing programs more closely together. Under the realignment, Three Rivers and Broadway will only publish trade paperbacks from certain hardcover imprints. In addition, the Crown Business and Crown Forum hardcover titles will be released under those names in paperback format rather than being rebranded.

Pub Date Set for New DFW

Little, Brown has set a pub date for The Pale King, the posthumous novel by David Foster Wallace, who committed suicide in 2008 before finishing the work. The novel, which is set in the 1980s and follows a crew of IRS tax-return processors, will be published on tax day, April 15, and feature cover art by Wallace's widow, the painter Karen Green.

Ingram to Distribute Berlitz and Insight

Ingram Publisher Services has entered into an agreement with APA Publications, owners of language and travel brands Berlitz Publishing and Insight Guides. Ingram will provide distribution services for the North American market for a range of products for both Insight and Berlitz beginning September 19.

News Briefs: Week of 9/13/10

OUP Releases Ambitious English-Chinese Dictionary

Oxford University Press is about to release its Oxford English Chinese Dictionary, a 2,064-page tome that it claims is the most authoritative English-to-Chinese and Chinese-to-English reference source of its kind. The book, which goes on sale September 16, includes over 300,000 definitions and phrases, carries a $75 list price.

Hazelden Releases Original Manuscript of 12-Step Book

On October 1, Hazelden, the national nonprofit addiction treatment center, will publish The Book That Started It All: The Original Working Manuscript of Alcoholics Anonymous. The book reveals never-before-seen handwritten edits and comments from the 1939 book on recovery from addiction.

Raincoast Moving to Bigger Warehouse

In a move expressing confidence in the health of its market for print books, Vancouver, B.C.-based distributor Raincoast Books announced this week that it is moving its warehouse facility to a location that will hold 40% more books.