Harlequin Launches Audio Imprint

Harlequin is launching Harlequin Audio, a new audio imprint for Harlequin titles, to be headed up by Reka Rubin, senior manager of subsidiary rights for Harlequin, and Sean McManus, associate publisher at HarperAudio. Harlequin Audio plans to do about 200 titles annually, with the first titles out in June.

Hoopla Launches E-book Service for Libraries

Midwest Tape, a media distributor to libraries, has announced the rollout of its new e-book service. Thousands of titles from indie publishers, including comics, will now be available through the company’s Hoopla platform, on a multiuser basis.

Vook Becomes Self-Pub Platform Pronoun

E-book creator Vook has relaunched itself as Pronoun. The new company is a soup-to-nuts self-publishing platform comprising the combined technological tools of Byliner, Booklr, and Vook. Declaring itself a new model for authors, Pronoun offers its services free of chargeand gives authors a 100% royalty rate.

Cleis Press Publisher Resigns

Brenda Knight, publisher of Cleis Press and founder/publisher of Viva Editions, has left the company, citing “irreconcilable differences of vision with the new ownership.” In his statement, Jarred Weisfeld, president of Start Publishing, said, “We are extremely disappointed that Ms. Knight has chosen to resign by letter without notice or warning.”

Epic! Adds Macmillan Kids’ E-books

Epic!, an e-book subscription service for kids, is adding titles from another Big Five publisher to its inventory of 10,000 e-books. Macmillan will provide a few hundred children’s e-books to the service’s library.

Young to Retire At Hachette

David Young, former CEO of Hachette Book Group USA, is to stand down as CEO of the Orion Publishing Group and deputy CEO of Hachette UK and will retire from publishing at the end of 2015.