TODAY'S NEWS

Hachette Brings Yen, Orbit Under One Roof
By Rachel Deahl
Hachette Book Group is combining two imprints launched last year, the sci-fi-based Orbit and the graphic novel-focused Yen Press, under one roof, forming a new division taking the Orbit name. According to statement from the publisher, the rejiggered Orbit "will strategically strengthen HBG’s presence in these increasingly vital segments of the book buying market."

As part of the reorganization, Tim Holman, who launched Orbit, will run the new division as v-p and publisher. Kurt Hassler, who was running Yen Press as co-publisher with Rich Johnson, will now report to Holman. Johnson will be leaving Hachette at the end of the month. And Alex Lencicki, who was at Orbit, will keep his title as marketing and publicity director for the new division. Hachette CEO David Young said that while the company was sorry to see Johnson go, it became clear Yen need a single publisher. Read on »

Seo Stepping Down at S&S
By John A. Sellers
Ginee Seo, v-p and editorial director of Ginee Seo Books, an imprint of Atheneum Books for Young Readers at Simon & Schuster, has resigned from her position with the publisher, according to an internal memo sent earlier this week by Atheneum v-p and publisher Emma Dryden.

Seo joined Atheneum in 2000 as v-p and associate publisher and launched her eponymous imprint in 2005 with Totally Joe by James Howe and Inexcusable by Chris Lynch, a National Book Award finalist. More recent titles from Ginee Seo Books include the Bob Dylan picture book Forever Young, illustrated by Paul Rogers; and Nic Sheff’s bestselling memoir Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines. Read on »

Dan Harvey Dies at 62
Dan Harvey, a longtime book publishing executive, died yesterday after a long struggle with melanoma. He was 62. Harvey was most recently senior v-p, director of marketing for Trident Media Group. He joined the literary agency in January 2007. For 17 years, Harvey held senior management positions at the Putnam Publishing Group. He left the company in 2006 as senior v-p and publishing director. Prior to that, he was director of publicity, advertising and promotion at Harper & Row, and director of publicity at Princeton University Press. Before starting his publishing career, Harvey served two years in the army after graduating from the College of William and Mary.

During his career, Harvey created publicity and marketing campaigns for many of America bestselling authors, including Tom Clancy, Patricia Cornwell, Catherine Coulter, Nora Roberts, Lance Armstrong, A. Scott Berg, Clive Cussler, Sue Grafton, Spencer Johnson , John Sandford and Amy Tan.

A memorial service will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in his memory to the research fund of his oncologist, Dr. Jedd Wolchok, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Ave., New York, NY 10065.

NPR to Run Exclusive Pre-Pub Reading with Toni Morrison
By Lynn Andriani
Pulitzer-winning author Toni Morrison will unveil her highly anticipated ninth novel, A Mercy, on NPR.org’s Book Tour in a pre-publication reading October 27, 28, 29 and 30. Knopf will release the book in hardcover on November 11 with a 215,000-copy first printing. The four-day serialization will also present NPR arts correspondent Lynn Neary discussing the book with Morrison, and the audio will be available as streaming audio, podcast or download on NPR.org. Additionally, Michele Norris, host of All Things Considered, will interview Morrison about A Mercy. At the end of the entire serialization, Morrison will participate in a web chat on NPR.org that will run sometime during the week of November 17. Read on »

'Heresy' Lands U.S., U.K. Deals
by Matthew Thornton
One of the hot properties out of the gate in Frankfurt last week was S. J. Parris’s Heresy; as the fair got underway, Jonny Geller at Curtis Brown already had two high-six-figure offers on the table for U.K. rights. Geller has just now concluded that auction, with three books going to HarperCollins UK, with Allison Callahan at Doubleday taking U.S. rights in a two-book deal. Jennifer Joel at ICM, who went out with the U.S. submission last week, said the U.S. sale was a similarly competitive process.

The historical thriller, the first in a planned series, is set in 16th-century England and follows the Italian philosopher and “renegade monk” Giordano Bruno as he stumbles upon a series of murders at Oxford while working undercover there, in the Queen’s service, to foil Catholic assassination schemes being hatched against the monarch. Parris is a pseudonym for British author and critic Stephanie Merritt.

A sale in Canada is ongoing, and so far Geller has offers on the table in Germany and Brazil. Planned pub date for Heresy in the U.S. and U.K. is spring 2010. In an entertaining side note, as Geller points out, Bruno himself attended the Frankfurt Book Fair, in 1591.

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AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Edgar Sawtelle; Do Gentlemen Really Prefer Blondes?; Synecdoche, New York
Today, Oprah talks with her Book Club pick author David Wroblewski about The Story of Edgar Sawtelle: A Novel (Ecco, 978-0061768064, $25.95; Recorded Books unabridged CD, $39.99). PW’s starred review said: “A literary thriller with commercial legs, this stunning debut is bound to be a bestseller.” Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Anchors Away
Last Thursday, October 16, 2008, marked the 710th and final call to New York for Cunard’s QE2. Douglas Ward, author of Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships 2009 and Cruising: All Questions Answered, was on this last, and historic, voyage for a luncheon celebrating the ship. Ward’s 2008 guide is also being promoted on Cunard ships as a collector’s item. Pictured here (l. to r.) at the event are: Commodore Bernard Warner; Carol Marlow, president & managing director of Cunard; Ward; and Captain Ian McNaught. Submit your pictures here »

JOB OF THE DAY

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