Short news items from the world of book publishing:
03/28/2025
Professional Audiobook Narrators Association to hold Virtual Conference
The association will host its first conference, PANAcon, on July 26, featuring webinars, panels, social opportunities, and more.03/27/2025
Kate Medina to Retire from Random House
After nearly four decades with the imprint, Medina will retire from her position as EVP, associate publisher, and executive editorial director at the end of June.03/26/2025
Book.io Receives Second Round of Funding from Ingram
In partnership with Ingram, the Web3 blockchain-based marketplace for e-books and audiobooks will expand into physical books. The two companies have also launched Mint+Print, a digital-to-print on-demand service.03/25/2025
Yahdon Israel, Jacquelynn Kerubo Osoro Join Center for Fiction Board
Israel, senior editor at Simon & Schuster, and Osoro, communications director at the Henry Luce Foundation, have been elected to the Center for Fiction’s Board of Directors. Both are residents of Brooklyn, where the Center is located.03/25/2025
Applications Open for Binc’s Kamil Writers Prize
The prize will award two aspiring writer-booksellers or creator–comic retailers with $12,500 to focus on a full-length manuscript.03/24/2025
2025 PEN Awards Longlists Announced
PEN America has announced the longlists for its 2025 Literary Prizes, which confer more than $350,000 to writers and translators.03/24/2025
Distribution Deals for the Week of March 24, 2025
IDW Publishing partners with Alien Books and OverDrive will distribute Podium's audiobooks worldwide.03/20/2025
Bloomsbury Expects Record Fiscal 2025
In a financial update, U.K.-based Bloomsbury Publishing said it expects sales and profits in the fiscal year ended February 28 to exceed analysts’ projections, which called for revenue of £333.4 million.03/20/2025
Book Aid International Sends More Than 35,000 Books to Middle East
The U.K.-based charity has sent 35,362 brand-new publisher-donated books to eight partners across the West Bank and Lebanon.03/20/2025
Square Enix Teams with PRH on Manga Initiative
Square Enix Manga & Books has partnered with Penguin Random House on the newly launched Comic Partner initiative, a new retailer support program to “promote adoption of more manga in comic bookstores nationwide.”03/19/2025
Detained Comics Artist Returns Home to Britain
After being detained for 20 days by ICE agents in the U.S., Welsh comic book creator R.E. Burke was returned home to the U.K. on March 17. A GoFundMe was launched last week to help cover her legal fees.03/19/2025
Black Lawrence Press Launches Immigrant Author Fellowship
The Black Lawrence Fellowship for New Immigrant Authors will offer financial and editorial support for immigrant authors with no more than one book at the time of application.03/19/2025
EveryLibrary Launches Platform to Save IMLS
Following President Trump's executive order targeting the Institute of Museum and Library Services, EveryLibrary has launched SaveIMLS.org, where library supporters can contact their representatives, sign petitions, donate, and learn more about the IMLS.03/19/2025
Saints & Sinners Festival Renames Award to Honor Dorothy Allison, Felice Picano
The annual Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival, founded in 2003, has renamed its Emerging Writer Award in honor of the late Dorothy Allison, an acclaimed lesbian author, and Felice Picano, a champion of queer literature.03/19/2025
Dominique Raccah to Receive BISG’s 2025 Lifetime Service Award
The Book Industry Study Group named Sourcebooks founder and CEO Dominique Raccah the recipient of its Sally Dedecker Award.03/18/2025
David Kramer Appointed CEO of UTA
Kramer, who currently serves as president of United Talent Agency, succeeds longtime CEO Jeremy Zimmer, who will step down in June.03/18/2025
Agustina Casal to Head Digital Sales at HBG
Casal joins Hachette Book Group from Ingram. In her role as VP of online and digital sales, she will oversee sales for the publisher’s largest online accounts, including Amazon and Audible.03/18/2025
Mad Cave Studios to Host ‘L.A. Strong’ Benefit and Book Launch
Comics anthology L.A. Strong, a Mad Cave Studios project, will benefit creators affected by the Los Angeles wildfires of January. A benefit event and book launch will be held in L.A. on March 22, with book signings and a silent auction.03/17/2025
Layoffs Hit Silver Sprocket
San Francisco–based indie comics publisher and comics shop has laid off three employees due to the compounded effects of economic strain, the bankruptcy of Diamond Comic Distributors, and a recent flood.03/17/2025
TarcherPerigee Rebrands to Tarcher
The PRH imprint’s rebranding includes a new name, logo, tagline, and “refreshed mission.”03/17/2025
Distribution Deals for the Week of March 17, 2025
Ingram Content Group inked an exclusive commercial deal with Hachette Livre, Oni Press and Magnetic Press team up, and more.03/14/2025
Harlequin to Open 2025 Mentorship Submissions
Submissions for the Romance Includes You Mentorship, which aims to support debut writers from “underrepresented communities,” will open on May 1.03/13/2025
Wiley Releases AI Guidance for Authors
At this year’s London Book Fair, Wiley released detailed guidelines on how authors can responsibly and effectively use artificial intelligence in their writing.03/13/2025
New Hires at PRH Christian Publishing Group
Jeff Miller (l.) and Rebecca Schriner will join the publisher as art director and assistant director of publicity, respectively, on March 17.03/13/2025
Nantucket Book Festival Lineup Announced for June
The 14th annual Nantucket Book Festival, set for June 12–15, will feature 29 authors including Jennifer Finney Boylan, Wally Lamb, Imani Perry, Ocean Vuong, and Bob Woodward.03/13/2025
ABA Condemns Second Raid on Educational Bookshop
The ABA issued a statement on Wednesday evening condemning the second raid by Israeli police on the East Jerusalem bookstore.03/12/2025
Kevin Roditeli Departs Massive Publishing
Roditeli, cofounder and president of Massive, has left the comics publisher to create comics of his own.03/12/2025
2025 National Book Awards Submission Open, Judges Announced
The National Book Foundation is accepting submissions for the 76th National Book Awards through May 14. This year's awards judges have also been announced, and include Rumaan Alam, Tiya Miles, and Terrance Hayes.03/12/2025
NetGalley Reorganizes Ahead of Product Launch
NetGalley has realigned its upper management ranks ahead of the rollout of Booktrovert, its forthcoming consumer marketing platform.03/11/2025
Transgender Law Center Organizes Spring Auction
Roxane Gay, David Balducci, and Gillian Flynn are among the authors participating in the organization’s auction, which will coincide with Trans Visibility Day in late March.03/10/2025
Mara Anastas Forms Muse Media
Anastas, a former executive with Open Road Integrated Media, Simon & Schuster, and HarperCollins, has launched a consulting firm aimed at connecting literary stakeholders with digital opportunities.03/10/2025
Crazy Maple Studio Launches ReelShort Publishing House
RSPH will novelize the most popular video shorts from Crazy Maple's vertical streaming platform ReelShort, with plans to publish 10 to 16 adaptations per month.03/10/2025
Distribution Deals for the Week of March 10, 2025
SCB Distributors inks deal with Storm King Comics.03/10/2025
Illinois Barnes & Noble Ratifies Union Contract
Less than a week after employees at three Barnes & Noble stores in New York City ratified contracts, workers at the Bloomington, Ill., outlet approved their own agreement.03/07/2025
HarperCollins UK Unveils Glasgow Distribution Hub and Offices
The publisher has unveiled its new 550,000 square foot distribution center and offices in Glasgow, which will employ 400 people and handle 110 million books a year.03/07/2025
Klopotek CEO Peter Karwowski Steps Down
Karwowski has served as CEO since 2023. Cheryll Beumer, portfolio manager at Valsoft, which acquired Klopotek in 2023, has been appointed interim CEO.03/07/2025
Aparna Rishi to Lead Marketing Operations at HBG
Rishi joins Hachette Book Group from the Random House Group as executive director of consumer engagement and marketing operations, and will focus on content marketing strategies, brand partnerships, and audience development.03/06/2025
Sheikh Zayed Book Award Shortlists Announced
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre has revealed the shortlists for the 19th edition of its Sheikh Zayed Book Award, featuring authors and institutions from 15 countries. Winners will be announced on April 28 in Abu Dhabi.03/06/2025
Firebrand Relaunches Online Analytics Tool
Eloquence on Alert, Firebrand Technologies’ online retail analytics tool, has been relaunched with new features and capabilities.03/06/2025
MMQ Makes Altman Partner, Changes Name to MMQA
Elias Altman has been named a partner at Massie & McQuilkin literary agency, which moving forward will be known as Massie McQuilkin & Altman Literary Agents.03/05/2025
Mike Shoults Joins HBG US Distribution as COO
In the newly created role, Shoults will oversee Hachette Book Group US Distribution's warehouse operations and fulfillment departments. He previously held roles overseeing transportation, logistics, and fulfillment at Amazon and GameStop.03/05/2025
MacDowell Announces Spring-Summer 2025 Fellows
MacDowell has awarded 149 fellowships to artists from 25 states and 15 countries. Among this season's fellows are authors Jessamine Chan, Mira Jacob, and Hector Tobar.03/05/2025
Maya Rutherford to Head Up Publicity at Scribner
Rutherford was previously senior director of publicity at HarperCollins’ flagship imprint. Scribner publisher Marysue Rucci announced the hire amid a reorganized senior management structure at the imprint.03/05/2025
Clarivate Extends Perpetual Purchase Program Through June 2026
The information services provider, which has been under fire in the library community for pivoting to a “subscription-based access strategy,” will continue to allow perpetual purchases of print books and e-books through its platform until next year.03/04/2025
Summit to Publish Anthony Hopkins Memoir
The Simon & Schuster imprint will publish We Did OK, Kid, a look back on the actor's life and work, in tandem with S&S UK, Australia, and India on November 4.03/04/2025
Pam Muñoz Ryan, Meg Medina to Keynote LKBF Latinx Storytellers Conference
The Latinx Kidlit Book Festival's second annual Latinx Storytellers Conference will be held at Scholastic Headquarters in NYC on September 12–13, with an opening keynote from Ryan and Medina.03/04/2025
Off Limits Press to Close in June
The boutique horror press will shutter on June 1, per an announcement posted on Bluesky.03/04/2025
Quarto, SVA to Launch Series of Books on Branding
The Quarto Group’s Rockport Publishing division and the School of Visual Arts have partnered on a new series focusing on branding. Inaugural titles are slated to publish this summer.03/03/2025
Industry Veterans Launch New Publishing Service Company
Fergus Edmondson and Merle Bennett have launched BeRead, a “complete publishing partner” that offers support and services throughout the publishing process.03/03/2025
Amanda Luedeke to Helm MacGregor & Luedeke
Luedeke will succeed Chip MacGregor as president and owner of the literary agency.News Brief Archive
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