Publishers Lunch

Today's Meal

Briefs
Interim managing editor of Freight Books Robbie Guillory is leaving the company "for personal reasons." He took over in June following the departure of co-founder Adrian Searle in April, and the company has reportedly been up for sale. Co-founder Davinder Samrai is now running the publisher.

Former head of Hearst Corporation's trade publishing group (Avon/Morrow and other lines), and prior to that ceo of Warner Books and then publisher at Random House trade Howard Kaminsky, 77, died recently, according to PW.

The full schedule for Saturday's National Book Festival in Washington, DC is posted, along with some sample itineraries from the Washington Post.

Update
Controversial author of Handbook for Mortals Lani Sarem and her film partner B-list actor Ian Thomas Nicholas gave a credulous interview to the Hollywood Reporter, trying to defend the book's suspicious sales -- but sort of admitting "they had reached out independent bookstores to buy bulk copies of the book in advance of local comic conventions over the fall." (Sarem insists to the Huffington Post it's normal for an author to buy her book in bulk at retail to resell at a minor event.) Nicholas says, "Maybe that's where things got convoluted."

Forthcoming
Ian Rankin told fans at the Edinburgh International Book Festival that "a further installment" featuring his recurring character John REbus will be published in the UK by Orion in fall 2018.

Picks
The September Pennie's Pick at Costco is Ghosts of War by Brad Taylor.