TODAY'S NEWS

Beaufort Keeping to ‘Medina’ Pub Plans
by Jim Milliot
Plans for the American publication of The Jewel of Medina remain in place and retailer support remains firm, Eric Kampmann, president of Beaufort Books, Medina’s publisher, said yesterday. Over the weekend, the headquarters/residence of Martin Rynja, publisher of Medina’s U.K. house, Gibson Square, suffered some minor damage after what is believed to be an attack linked to the book’s publication. Rynja has been under police protection since the attack. Read on »

Lots of Good Vibrations at MBA
by Claire Kirch
Moving back across the Mississippi River after last year’s show in Minneapolis, the Midwest Booksellers Association returned to familiar haunts this past weekend, holding their annual trade show at the RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn. Some in attendance likened this year’s exuberant gathering to the State Fair’s “Great Minnesota Get-Together,” nicknaming it the “Great Midwestern Booksellers Get-Together,” a reference to the strong sense of community and camaraderie among independent booksellers who do business in nine predominantly rural states and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Read on »

Libel Tourist, Orphan Works Bills Approved
While the defeat of the $700 billion bail out package by the House of Representatives drew worldwide headlines, Congress did manage to pass two bills supported by most segments of the publishing community, although it was unclear if either would be signed into law during the current Congressional session.

On Saturday the House passed a bill that would make it harder for libel tourists to threaten American authors and publishers with foreign libel suits aimed at undermining their First Amendment rights. The bill, H.R. 6146, would prohibit U.S. courts from recognizing a foreign defamation judgment “based upon a publication concerning a public figure or a matter of public concern” unless the court determines that the foreign judgment satisfies the free speech and free press protections guaranteed by the First Amendment. Read on »

Lurie Joins Disney-Hyperion
By John A. Sellers
Stephanie Owens Lurie has been named editorial director of Disney Book Group’s Disney-Hyperion Books imprint, beginning October 22. She will oversee the publishing programs for both Disney-Hyperion and the Disney-Jump at the Sun imprint. “Stephanie is a seasoned leader with a phenomenal history of building strong editorial teams and nurturing both established and emerging authors and illustrators,” said Jonathan Yaged, v-p and U.S. publisher of Disney Book Group, in announcing Lurie’s hire.

Lurie comes to Disney from Dutton Children’s Books, a Penguin imprint, where she was president and publisher, working with authors including Judy Blume, Brad Barkley, Heather Hepler and Eva Ibbotson; her nine-year tenure also saw the launch of Judy Schachner’s SkippyJon Jones series as well as the career of Printz Award-winner John Green. Lurie replaces Donna Bray, who, along with Alessandra Balzer, left Disney-Hyperion this past spring to start an eponymous imprint at HarperCollins.

Pakman to Leave eMusic
David Pakman will step down as the CEO of eMusic at the end of the year, the digital distributor of music and spokenword audiobooks announced this morning. Pakman, who joined eMusic in 2004, is joining an unnamed venture capital firm. The company said it has hired an executive search firm to find a new CEO.

"David has been instrumental in transforming eMusic from a niche music business to a global direct marketing platform capable of delivering any form of downloadable digital media.” said Danny Stein, chairman of eMusic and president of JDS Capital Management. "While we're proud of David's success and the great team that survives him, we look forward to working with a new CEO who will take the company from $70 million of revenue to several hundred million of revenue.”

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Job Moves
Graham Shaw has left Harcourt Educational International. Shaw's departure follows the sale of Heinemann Global Library, of which he was President, to Capstone Publishers. Shaw was COO of Harcourt Education International.

Edward Benitez and Paul Kolkka have both joined promotional publisher Parragon Ltd. Benitez, who was regional director of sales for Latina America, Europe and the Middle East at Perseus, has been named regional sales manager; Kolkka, who was at Playmore Publishers as national sales director, has been named sales manager for mass and discount markets.

Clara Heyworth has joined Melville House as head of publicity. Heyworth was a publicity and marketing executive for the UK independent publisher Verso.

Perseus Had Record Year, Steinberger Writes
The Perseus Books Group surpassed its overall budget goals for the fiscal year ended June 30, president David Steinberger wrote to employees in his annual year end letter. The year featured more integration of the PGW and Avalon Publishing operations, and record performances from PublicAffairs, Vanguard Press and Running Press. Avalon Travel beat budget expectations, Steinberger wrote, “despite a very difficult time for the travel category.” Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Terrell Owens; Paul Theroux; Nancy Nichols
Today on Fox Sports Radio’s Out of Bounds, physique master and Dallas Cowboys' wide receiver Terrell Owens explained T.O.'s Finding Fitness: Making the Mind, Body, and Spirit Connection for Total Health (S&S, $26). After the jump: Paul Theroux, CIA operative Robert Baer and Farnaz Fassihi. Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

His Prices Are Insane!
John Fuller, store manager of New York's noted Japanese bookstore, Kinokuniya, shows off the store's booth on the floor of the New York Anime Festival. Submit your pictures here »

JOB OF THE DAY

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