News about publishers and the crazy things they do.
Updates are sparse this week — with good reason: everyone played musical chairs last week. However, we were diligent and kept our nose to the grindstone (not really, we have no idea where one would locate such an item) to find a few items of interest. St. Martin’s Press has added Marcia Markland (formerly Avalon) as an editor. She’ll handle mystery and suspense. Word on the street is she loves crime fiction. St. Martin’s Press
Penguin has a new distribution system, and it, apparently, doesn’t work very well. Bold innovation in automation is like that sometimes. Given that time is money and all that, they’re working hard to get books out the door and into stores. It’s not like it helps to have all those lovely items sitting in a warehouse. Which is why we’re thinking the threatened lawsuit by the Association of Author’s Agents (this is how you know we’re talking about the UK, not the US) isn’t helping matters. First off, how can the so-called lost sales be calculated? What possible metric exists?
Over at Crown (part of the Random House family), they’re surely running out of office space. Luke Dempsey will be acquiring serious non-fiction (so don’t be thinking you’re gonna slip anything non-serious into his slush pile). Random House
And the updates just keep coming. We are stunned by the movement, especially considering the weather. Jen Bergstrom has been promoted to publisher for Simon Spotlight and Simon Spotlight Entertainment. Simon Spotlight Entertainment hits shelves in Fall, 2004. Simon & Schuster
Michele Martin was added to Avalon Publishing Group’s org chart. She’ll be overseeing their four publishing houses: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Marlowe & Co., Nation Books, and Thunder’s Mouth Press. Avalon Publishing Group
Over at HarperCollins, things are hopping. Roger Freet is now senior editor of Harper SanFrancisco. Kate Travers was promoted to editor at Harper Perennial. HarperCollins Harper SanFrancisco Harper Perennial
Rockport Publishing Group acquired Creative Publishing International. Well, some of it. As we understand it, things shake out like this: Two-Can (children’s books), NorthWord Press, nature, and photography/wildlife imprints were not acquired; everything else apparently was (home improvement, decorating, sewing/craft). Hopefully this is clear as mud for everyone involved. Rockport Publishing Profile Creative Publishing International
Roaring Brook Press is entering the graphic novel game (really, at this point, who isn’t?). Mark Siegel will be working on the imprint. We understand this will be a mainstream imprint, though Roaring Brook is traditionally targeted toward the children’s market. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group (Roaring Brook’s parent company)
Bethany Brown, formerly of Adams Media, has joined the editorial staff at Sourcebooks. Sourcebooks is an independent publisher with a commitment to its authors. Though known primarily for non-fiction works, they are also acquiring fiction (agented submissions only). Sourcebooks, Inc.
A busy, busy week in the world o’ publishing. So many updates this week, it makes us wonder if it was Get A New Job Week. We made every attempt to pay careful attention, and believe we got everybody. If you moved and we didn’t get your change-of-address card, we apologize (next time, copy us on your “It’s been fun working with everybody” email!). So, to start: word on the street is that Sam Bell is leaving Red Dress Ink. Bell manned the Red Dress London beat. She’s moving into freelance editing. Red Dress Ink – UK
