TODAY'S NEWS

Penguin Adopts New Global Management Approach
By Jim Milliot
To ensure that it is properly positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities in digital and emerging markets, Penguin Group has made some changes to its global management structure and publishing strategy. The new alignment puts the CEOs of four of Penguin’s major subsidiaries in charge of different regions to help promote what Penguin chairman John Makinson calls a local market focus combined with a global publishing approach.

Under the reorganization, David Davidar, president of Penguin Canada, is taking on the additional responsibility as CEO of a new division, Penguin International. The appointment puts him in charge of Africa, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent. Before joining Penguin Canada, Davidar founded Penguin’s Indian subsidiary. Penguin Australia CEO Gabrielle Coyne will take on an additional regional role for Asia Pacific, working with Eddy Teo in Penguin’s Singapore office to develop a strategy for South-East Asia and with Jo Lusby, head of the Beijing office, to grow Penguin’s presence in Japan and South Korea. Read on »

Writers House Announces Simultaneous Six-Country Release of Follett’s Next Novel
By Lynn Andriani
The first major deal out of this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair involves an international laydown of Ken Follett’s next novel, Fall of Giants, which will be the first title in the author’s New Century Trilogy. The simultaneous six-country release—set for September 28, 2010—will coincide with the airing of an eight-hour Pillars of the Earth TV miniseries next fall.

Follett’s agent, Amy Berkower of Writers House, made the announcement. Fall of Giants will be published by Penguin in the U.S., Pan Macmillan in the U.K., Random House Mondadori in Spain and Latin America, Editions Laffont in France, Verlagsgruppe Lubbe GmbH & Co. KG in Germany and Mondadori Editore-Mondadori VE in Italy. The book will be published in hardcover in all markets. Read on »

Penguin, John Wiley In China Deals
By Liz Thomson & Lynn Andriani
With China as the featured country at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, Penguin and John Wiley used the occasion to announce new China initiatives.

Penguin, which opened an office in China in 2005, has announced the establishment of a new publishing program highlighting writing about and from China. Based in Hong Kong, the list will feature translations of Chinese-language works, as well as books originally written in English. As of 2010, Penguin China will publish five to eight books a year, fiction and nonfiction. General manager Jo Lusby commented, “This new English-language publishing program from China is a great opportunity to develop and build new voices around the region. We believe Penguin is uniquely positioned in China to seek out the best writing, publishing works for the regional English market and beyond. Just as Penguin did in India 20 years ago, we hope to find the best local talent, and use this platform to bring new writers to international attention.” Read on »

Bookstore Sales Tick Up in August
Bookstore sales were virtually flat in August, rising $1 million over August 2008 with total sales of $2.40 billion, up less than half a percentage point. With the inclusion of sales from college bookstores, sales in August were the largest for 2009 to date. Through the first seven months of 2009, bookstore sales were down 2.0%, to $10.92 billion. For the entire retail segment, sales were down 6.5% in August and off 10.1% for the first seven months of 2009.

McGraw-Hill Professional in E-books Deal with ScrollMotion
By Lynn Andriani
McGraw-Hill Professional has announced a deal with iPhone app developer ScrollMotion to offer e-books as iPhone and iPod Touch apps via ScrollMotion’s Iceberg Reader.

The first titles are now available at the iTunes Apps Store, and include two recent bestsellers, How to Make Money in Stocks by William J. O’Neil and Leadership in the Era of Economic Uncertainty by Ram Charan, as well as other e-books in the areas of career development, management, innovation, entrepreneurship, communication, finance and investing. Read on »

Blogs

MORE STORIES

PW Spring Announcement Listings
E-mails were sent to publishers on October 12 (the deadline is Oct. 23) regarding submissions for spring announcements; if you did not receive an e-mail, contact Skip Skwarek.

The PW Morning Report: Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Wherever there’s book and publishing news (on the Internet), the PW Morning Report will be there: Google’s E-Book Program; Nobels and Small Presses; Online Book Browsing; The Year of Bush Books; Chomsky Book Banned at Gitmo. Read on »

AUTHORS ON THE AIR

Authors on the Air: Valerie Bertinelli; Queen Bees and Wannabes; Ed Viesturs
Both today and tomorrow, Good Morning America hosts bestseller Valerie Bertinelli, whose new book is Finding It: And Satisfying My Hunger for Life without Opening the Fridge (Free Press, 978-1439141632, $26; S&S Audio abridged CD, $29.99). Read on »

PICTURE OF THE DAY

Opening Day in Frankfurt
Frankfurt Book Fair director Juergen Boos and press officer Thomas Minkus kicked things off at the opening press conference of the 61st Frankfurt Book Fair yesterday. (Photo credit: Fernando Baptista) Submit your pictures here »

JOB OF THE DAY

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