News Briefs

R.R. Donnelley has purchased Von Hoffmann, a printer that works primarily with educational, trade and catalogue publishers. The deal, in which Donnelley paid $412.5 million in cash, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2007. The Von Hoffmann purchase marks the third major acquisition Donnelley has made in recent months, after buying Banta Corp. late in 2006 and agreeing to purchase catalogue printer Perry-Judd in December.

Simon & Schuster is starting a publishing program in India, locally producing and marketing English-language titles there. The books, which will be selected from the house's American and U.K. lists, will be geared to India's fast-growing English-speaking audience. The list will launch in February with the release of Mira Kamdar's Planet India(which will be published by Scribner in the U.S. at the same time).

Steve Tager has been named publisher of the HNA imprint Abrams. Tager, who's been with the illustrated book publisher for eight years, was most recently v-p for sales and distribution. As of January 16, he will oversee all of Abrams's adult titles.

Jerome Kramer, managing director and editor-in-chief of VNU's U.S. literary group, has left the company. Kramer oversaw Kirkus Reviews and Book Standard. Along with Kramer, two other Book Standard staffers were let go. Book Standard operations have been integrated into VNU Business Media's literary group under managing director Tracey Davies.

Luke Dempsey has been named to replace Laureen Rowland as editor-in-chief of Penguin's Hudson Street Press. Dempsey arrives from Crown and will report directly to Clare Ferraro, president of Viking. Rowland stepped down after her family relocated from New York City.

British indie Profile Books has bought another London-based small publisher, Serpent's Tail. Serpent's Tail will become an imprint of Profile, with it maintaining its direction and character. Serpent's Tail publisher Peter Ayrton will remain head of the imprint, though staff changes could occur at the newly expanded house.

Cherise Davis has been tapped as editor-in-chief of Penguin's Plume Books imprint. Davis was most recently at S&S, where she was a senior editor at Touchstone Fireside. She'll start her at Plume on January 10.

As part of its decision to replace its commission rep force with an in-house sales and special sales team, Chelsea Green Publishing has made several hires and will open a second office, in Golden, Colo. To help implement the new sales strategy, the company has hired former Fulcrum Publishing v-p Mike Dyer as director of marketing and business development. He worked on a similar project at Fulcrum, which recently brought its sales in-house. Dyer will be based in the Golden office. Working with him will be the new Rocky Mountain and Midwest regional sales manager, Darrell Koerner, who was previously Fulcrum's Rocky Mountain sales manager. And taking over Chelsea's publicity is Constance Creed, formerly with Trafalgar Square.

Deborah Sloan, formerly marketing director at Trafalgar Square, has opened her own boutique marketing firm in Andover, Mass. Deborah Sloan and Company will handle marketing and promotion of books, illustrators and authors. Before Trafalgar, Sloan was at Candlewick Press.