Short news items from the world of book publishing:
07/02/2024
Ann-Janine Murtagh Launches Tall House Creative
The former executive publisher at HarperCollins Children’s UK has launched her own London-based agency focusing on content development and literary representation.07/02/2024
DK Acquires A Kids Book About Series
With this acquisition, DK takes on the global sale of the A Kids Book About frontlist and backlist catalog of more than 170 titles, establishing DK's first children's editorial team in the U.S.07/01/2024
Terrance G. Finley, Sally Kim Join Poets & Writers Board of Directors
The Books-A-Million CEO and Little, Brown publisher, as well as former Diameter Capital Partners senior analyst Alexandra Engler, are the newest members elected to Poets & Writers' board of directors.07/01/2024
Orion Appoints Franklin & Siegal as U.S./Canada Scout
The Orion Publishing Group, a division of Hachette UK, has appointed Franklin & Siegal Associates as their U.S./Canada scout, effective July 1.07/01/2024
Asaf Bar-Tura Named CEO of Literacy Partners
Bar-Tura comes to the literacy nonprofit from the San Francisco–based education nonprofit SMART, where he was executive director. He succeeds Anthony Tassi and will take the helm July 22.07/01/2024
Emma Knight Launches Literary PR Firm
The longtime publicist at Hachette UK's Hodder & Stoughton, who worked on campaigns for all of David Nicholl's novels to date, has launched her own literary PR agency, Studio 49.07/01/2024
Bookwire, IPG Ink Digital Distribution Partnership
In its biggest U.S. deal so far, Bookwire will team up with Independent Book Group, with IPG gaining access to the Bookwire OS platform and Bookwire gaining access to IPG's digital print and distribution services.07/01/2024
Book Manufacturing Mastered Slated for October
The Book Manufacturers’ Institute's annual industry event will be held on October 1 in Boston and produced in partnership with the AAP, IBPA, BISG, and PubWest, among other publishing organizations.06/27/2024
Melanie Tortoroli Promoted to Executive Editor at Norton
Tortoroli joined W.W. Norton in 2008 and, following stints at Viking and Amazon, returned in 2017 as senior editor. She was named a VP in 2023.06/27/2024
ABA Welcomes Rejection of Proposed Swipe Fee Settlement
The American Booksellers Association and other small business organizations supported U.S. district judge Margo Brodie's June 25 rejection of a class action settlement with Visa and Mastercard.06/26/2024
Memorial Services for Gary Urda Set
A funeral service will be held for Urda, who was SVP of sales at Simon & Schuster, on Monday, July 1. Urda died unexpectedly earlier this week at the age of 59.06/26/2024
Litquake Prepares to Shake Bay Area
San Francisco’s annual Litquake Festival, founded in 1999 and now under the leadership of executive director Norah Piehl, will be held October 10–26.06/26/2024
Wibke Grutjen Named Global Chief Marketing and Communications Manager at S&S
Grutjen, previously chief marketing officer at Hachette Book Group, will step into the newly created executive role at Simon & Schuster on August 5.06/26/2024
Martha Bucci to Join Quarto as SVP of U.S. Sales and Marketing
Bucci comes to Quarto from Hachette Book Group, where she most recently served as VP of mass merch and chain sales.06/25/2024
S&S Signs New Hillary Clinton Book
Clinton’s longtime publisher, Simon & Schuster, will publish her memoir 'Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty,' on September 17.06/25/2024
Canada's Orca Book Distribution Adds Clients
As of September 1, Orca is handling the distribution of Pownal Street Press in the U.S. and Midtown Press in the U.S. and Canada.06/25/2024
Vermette Joins S&S Canada as Senior Editor
Author katherena vermette is joining Simon & Schuster Canada as a senior editor, with a focus on working with authors from the Indigenous, 2SLGBTQIA+, and other underserved communities.06/24/2024
Elen Jones Named Publisher of Gemini Editions
Jones joins Gemini Editions, a new gift imprint at the U.K.-based Gemini Books Group, from Hachette UK's Laurence King, where she was publishing director.06/24/2024
Simon Element to Publish Debut Book by Andrew Huberman
'Protocols,' the first book by the popular neuroscientist and podcast host, is slated for April 22.06/24/2024
LAOC Mentorship Program Opens for Applications
Applications are open through July 31 for the Literary Agents of Change Mentorship Program for assistants and rising agents at the junior and associate levels from historically underrepresented groups.06/24/2024
The 'Rumpus' Launches Summer Fundraiser
The online literary magazine is looking to triple its current monthly contributor budget by raising $15,000.06/21/2024
Threshold Editions to Publish New Book by Vivek Ramaswamy
The Simon & Schuster imprint will publish 'Truths: The Future of America First,' the latest book by the former presidential candidate, on September 24.06/21/2024
Bindery Books Signs with Atlas Literary, Independent Artist Group
The publishing startup, which launched last summer, will work with Atlas and IAG to bring its titles to screen. Its inaugural slate of books will publish simultaneously on October 15.06/21/2024
Scholastic Completes 9 Story Media Group Purchase
Following the approval by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Scholastic has finalized its $186 million acquisition of the Toronto-based 9 Story Media Group. Scholastic reached an agreement to buy 9 Story in March.06/21/2024
Humanoids Smashes Fundraising Goal for English-Language Caza Graphic Novel
The comics publisher cofounded by Mœbius is celebrating its golden anniversary by publishing the first-ever English-language translation of 'Arkadi and the Lost Titan' by French comics pioneer Caza. Its Kickstarter has raised more than $170,000.06/21/2024
ASIFA-Hollywood Launches Animation Book Database
The Animation Educator's Forum the California-based branch of international animation nonprofit l'Association Internationale du Film d'Animation has launched an online resource for books on animation, animation history, and more.06/21/2024
Gotham Ghostwriters Launches Professional Development Program
Ghostmasters, which launches this fall, will offer online courses, one-on-one coaching, conferences, events, and other resources intended for both aspiring and mid-career ghostwriters.06/20/2024
Taylor & Francis Issues Expanded AI Guidance for Authors, Editors
The updated policy, focused on research publishing, outlines the expectations of authors, editors, and reviewers who use AI tools in their work.06/20/2024
Harper to Publish Boris Johnson's Memoir
The former U.K. prime minister's book 'Unleashed' will be published in the U.S. on October 15.06/20/2024
Tara Weikum to Helm New HarperCollins Children's Imprint
Weikum has been promoted to VP and publisher of a new imprint at HarperCollins Children's Books. The as-yet-unnamed imprint will launch in winter 2025 and focus on fiction for middle grade and teen readers.06/20/2024
Black-Owned Indie Presses, Bookstore Win $5,000 Grant
An Atlanta indie press and a Saint Paul bookstore-publisher are among the winners of this year's Citi Trends Black History Makers Grant.06/20/2024
Libro.fm Marks a Decade with WNDB Benefit, Top 10 Audiobook List
Audiobook subscription service Libro.fm celebrates 10 years in business this month. The employee-owned social purpose corporation shares profits from audiobook sales with its indie bookseller partners.06/20/2024
Schaffner Press Declines to Award Annual Prize
Independent publisher Schaffner Press of Tucson, Ariz., did not present a 2024 Nicholas Schaffner Award for Music in Literature, citing a lack of submissions that met the award criteria.06/18/2024
'Three-Body Problem' to Become Graphic Novel
Yilin Press, an imprint of China’s Phoenix Publishing and Media, will publish a graphic novel adaptation of science fiction phenomenon Liu Cixin’s Remembrance of Earth's Past trilogy. The first volume is due this December.06/18/2024
National Book Festival Announces Author Lineup
More than 90 authors will appear at this year's Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C., on August 24, including Rachel Khong, James McBride, Meg Medina, and Rebecca Yarros.06/18/2024
CDF Freedom Schools Program Launches Read Aloud Campaign
In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer Project, the Children's Defense Fund Freedom Schools Program's 60 for 60 Read Aloud Campaign will recruit authors and illustrators to read aloud at CDF Freedom Schools sites.06/18/2024
CALIBA Urges Bookseller Attendance at Antitrust Hearing
The California Independent Booksellers Alliance strongly encourages California independent bookstore owners to add their voices to a June 20 hearing on California’s antitrust law.06/17/2024
Gary Lovely to Join Two Dollar Radio HQ as Co-Owner
Lovely, currently store manager at Prologue Bookshop in Columbus, Ohio, will join the Columbus-based publisher’s bookstore-bar-café business as co-owner and managing partner in September.06/17/2024
Anthony Cond Takes Office as AUPresses President
Cond, director of Liverpool University Press, is the first non–North American to lead the Association of University Presses.06/17/2024
U.S. Book Show CEO Roundtable to Stream on C-SPAN 2's 'BookTV'
C-SPAN2's 'BookTV' will broadcast and stream the CEO roundtable session from this year's U.S. Book Show, presented by Publishers Weekly and the Association of American Literary Agents, starting on June 23.06/14/2024
Wendy Wolf Joins Harvard UP as Editor-at-Large
Wolf was previously VP and associate publisher at Viking, where she has been an editor since 1994.06/14/2024
Restless Books Launches Poetry Line
The new poetry line, launching in spring 2025 with 'Nezahualcoyotl: Nahuatl Poems,' will focus on works in translation as well as English-language originals, with an emphasis on international, immigrant, and Indigenous authors.06/14/2024
Amazon Books Names Best Books of 2024 So Far
'James' by Percival Everett tops Amazon Books' list of the 10 best books of 2024 so far.06/14/2024
Naomi Klein, V. V. Ganeshananthan Win Women's Prizes
Naomi Klein has been named the inaugural winner of the Women’s Prize for Nonfiction for 'Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World,' and V. V. Ganeshananthan is the winner of this year’s Women’s Prize for Fiction for her novel 'Brotherless Night.'06/12/2024
Andrew Lownie to Take Over Sinclair-Stevenson List
The U.K.-based Andrew Lownie Agency will absorb the Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson Agency's list following Sinclair-Stevenson's retirement.06/12/2024
S&S and Les Nouveaux Éditeurs Ink First-Look Deal
Simon & Schuster has entered into a cooperation agreement with the French publishing company, recently launched by former Hachette Livre CEO Arnaud Nourry. S&S CEO Jonathan Karp and Nourry jointly announced the deal.06/12/2024
Laura Pennock, Nicky Devaney Join HBG Sales Department Amid Revamp
Weeks after announcing a restructuring of its sales department, which resulted in the elimination of two VP roles, Hachette Book Group has hired Pennock as VP of mass merch, wholesale, and library marketing and Devaney as director of field sales.06/11/2024
Strand Book Store Announces 97th Anniversary Celebration
New York City's Strand Book Store will mark its 97th anniversary on June 15 with author appearances, children's activities, custom totes, discounts, giveaways, and a documentary screening.06/11/2024
Jean McGinley to Succeed Juliette Shapland at HarperCollins
McGinley, who has served as VP and associate publisher for children's books since 2018, will succeed Shapland as SVP of rights and permissions. Shapland will retire on July 31 after 26 years with HarperCollins.06/11/2024
WWB Receives Grant from Hawthornden Foundation
The $75,000 operating grant will support Words Without Borders' planned expansion of its work and provide financial stability through an executive leadership change.News Brief Archive
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