NY Publishing News - Publishers Lunch

Alter Hired As NYT Publishing Reporter

In an encouraging sign, the New York Times has reached outside to recruit a book publishing reporter, hiring Alexandra Alter from the Wall Street Journal. She will start in early July. The news was announced by NYT media editor Peter Lattman on Friday. He wrote to NYT staff:

"Alexandra has covered books and publishing at The Wall Street Journal for the past five years, focusing on features and analytical pieces in the paper's Friday arts and culture section. She has profiled authors from Stephen King to Don DeLillo, and delivered smart stories on industry trends like the rise of self publishing and fan fiction, the boom in audiobooks, and the way digital publishers and retailers can now track what and how people are reading. She also wrote front-page stories about quirky publishing trends, like the popularity of Amish romance novels and NASA’s new line of science fiction."

People

After nine months as interim head of Columbia University Press, Jennifer Crewe has officially been named as president and director. Provost John Coatsworth said in the announcement: "Jennifer's notable strengths as an editor and administrator, as well as her deep understanding of the Press' history, made her the clear choice of the faculty-led search committee. She has taken steps to increase the reach, visibility and effectiveness of the Press, developed new strategies to expand capacity and improve book schedules, and negotiated an agreement for the Press to distribute Woodrow Wilson Center books." She has worked at the Press for 28 years.

Renowned children's publisher Frances Foster, 83, passed away on Sunday after a long illness. She was publisher of Frances Foster Books at Farrar, Straus Children's from 1995 to 2013, when she retired due to her illness. Foster worked in children's publishing for over 55 years. Macmillan reports that, in lieu of a funeral, a memorial service will be planned for late fall or early summer.

Moira McCann is leaving Perseus on June 26 after 15 years with the company, most recently as head of its London offices. Succeeding McCann as UK/EU sales & marketing director is George Banbury. "With a steady hand, and an instinct for how to make the most of any publishing opportunity that came her way, Moira built a team as she built a business, expanding her purview from Running Press, to the full complement of Perseus imprints, to our four independent distribution lines," Carolyn Savarese said in a statement. McCann will take a brief sabbatical after which she will be setting up a sales consultancy business for independent publishers.