Scholastic, Ruckus Form New Imprint

Children’s digital developer Ruckus Media is joining with Scholastic to create the Scholastic Ruckus imprint, a joint venture that will publish a wide range of children’s and teen content across all platforms, from interactive content and transmedia projects to e-books, enhanced e-books, and print. The first titles from the Scholastic Ruckus imprint will be released in 2012.

First Quarter Results Up at Wiley

A strong performance by its scientific/technical/medical/scholarly group helped to offset softness in John Wiley’s two other operating units, leading to a 5% increase in total revenue for the first quarter ended July 31, to $430.1 million. Net income rose 15%, to $50.8 million. In the quarter, Wiley benefitted from foreign exchange. Excluding currency fluctuations, revenue was up slightly. In its professional/trade division, e-book sales rose to $11 million from $4 million and represented 11% of total group sales.

HMH Picks Tech Vet as New CEO

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ended its five-month search for a new leader by appointing Linda Zecher as president and CEO. Most recently a corporate v-p at Microsoft in charge of its Worldwide Public Sector business, Zecher was also named to the board. She succeeds Barry O’Callaghan, who resigned in March. Michael Muldowney, who has served as interim CEO, will continue as CFO. Zecher has held executive positions with a number of technology companies, including PeopleSoft, Oracle, and Evolve.

Faber Upgrades Digital Distribution Service

Faber and Faber enhanced its Faber Factory digital service for independent publishers, signing an agreement with Perseus’s Constellation, which will now be available for publishers in the U.K., Ireland, and the Commonwealth. According to Perseus president David Steinberger, while Faber’s clients will benefit from Perseus’s sales contacts in the U.S., Constellation’s U.S. clients will benefit from enhanced position in the U.K. digital market through Faber’s contacts.

Akashic Launches Drug-Based Anthologies

Akashic Books, publisher of the successful city-based Noir Series, is branching out from locale-centric stories with a new sister series focused on drugs, called the Akashic Drug Chronicles Series. The first two titles in the series, The Speed Chronicles and The Cocaine Chronicles, will be released on December 1. The Speed Chronicles is edited by Joseph Mattson and features stories by William T. Vollmann, Sherman Alexie, James Franco, Megan Abbort and Jerry Stahl, among others. The Cocaine Chronicles is edited by Gary Phillips and Jervey Tervalon, and features stories by Susan Straight, Lee Child, Laura Lippman and Ken Bruen, among others. All the stories are original to the series.

Google Buys Zagat

After earlier attempts to find a buyer fell through, Zagat has been acquired by Google. According to a post from Marissa Mayer, Google v-p, local, maps, and location services, “Zagat will be a cornerstone of our local offering.” In their own post founders Tim and Nina Zagat said the Google acquisition “is the right next step for our employees, our users and for our business, all of which will benefit from the additional resources and reach that Google provides.” The emphasis will be on using Zagat content to build local Google search services for restaurants and other entertainment options.

Barton Up at Penguin

Molly Barton, director of business development at Penguin, has been promoted to v-p, digital publishing, business development and strategy.

Booked at the Decatur Courthouse

The sixth annual Decatur Book Festival drew record crowds, with attendance up between 10% and 15% this year, and with the Sunday parade including almost 500 kids.