Latest News from The Bookseller

LATEST NEWS Gaby Wood made Booker's literary director Daily Telegraph head of books Gaby Wood has been appointed as the next literary director of the Booker Prize Foundation, succeeding Ion Trewin who died earlier this month. Neil to leave WHS W H Smith’s book director Michael Neil will be leaving the business at the end of May. Neil joined W H Smith at the beginning of 2014 as its business unit director for books. In this role, he has been responsible for the full books and e-books offer at WH Smith High Street and has delivered a number of customer focused initiatives, the company said.  Coutts wins Wellcome Book Prize Marion Coutts has won the Wellcome Book Prize 2015 with The Iceberg (Atlantic Books). Bill Bryson, chair of the prize judges, said the book was “painful to read, but beautifully expressed”. Coutts’ husband, art critic Tom Lubbock, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2008, and died in 2011. The Iceberg is a memoir about the 18 months leading to Lubbock’s death. Stolper to lead Nielsen Book Nielsen has promoted Jonathan Stolper to senior vice president and m.d. of Nielsen Book. Stolper will take on the global leadership of Nielsen Book, as current president Jonathan Nowell is stepping down. Stolper, who is currently senior v.p of Nielsen’s US book business, said: “I am thrilled to take on this role. We have a strong team at Nielsen Book and I look forward to meeting our clients and collaborators around the world over the next few weeks and months.” Malcolm Edwards to step down at Orion Malcolm Edwards is to leave the roles of deputy c.e.o. and publisher of Orion at the end of this year. Edwards, 65, will become chairman of Gollancz, where he started his publishing career in the 1970s, and consultant publisher at Orion. Orion c.e.o. David Young said he had been talking to Edwards for “some time” about the latter’s “desire to work a flexible week which will give him the freedom to work on fewer projects close to his heart”. Bloomsbury signs new Tom Kerridge Bloomsbury cookery imprint Absolute Press has signed a cookbook from Michelin starred chef Tom Kerridge. Publisher Jon Croft signed rights in Tom's Table: My Favourite Everyday Recipes in a deal with Deborah McKenna Ltd. The book will feature 100 recipes focusing around Kerridge's home-cooked dishes, including cheddar and ale soup, roast chicken, and lamb ribs with roasted onions. Amazon petition couple sell bookshops A couple who were splashed across the national press when they delivered a petition to 10 Downing Street calling on Amazon to pay corporation tax in the UK have sold their two bookshops. Keith and Frances Smith who owned Warwick Books and Kenilworth Books have sold both the indies to new owners and plan to travel around Europe before moving to Cornwall in retirement.  Walker signs two books from Non Pratt Walker Books has acquired two standalone titles from YA Book Prize shortlisted author Non Pratt. Publisher Denise Johnstone-Burt and commissioning editor Annalie Grainger bought the world rights to Truth or Dare, which will be released in 2016, and an unnamed book for publication in 2017, from Jane Finnegan at Lutyens and Rubenstein. More authors join Charlie Hebdo PEN Award protest Writers including Joyce Carol Oates and Junot Diaz are among two dozen who have signed a letter protesting against PEN America giving an award to French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Six authors – Peter Carey, Michael Ondaatje, Rachel Kushner, Taiye Selasi, Francine Prose and Teju Cole – have already pulled out of the PEN American Center Gala in New York on 5th May, where Charlie Hebdo is due to receive a Freedom of Expression Courage Award. Jacqson Diego children's bookshop closes The Jacqson Diego Story Emporium shop, a children’s bookshop in Essex, is closing next month “due to unforeseen circumstances”. Owner Jacqueline Johnson said: “As you may have heard, due to unforeseen circumstances the emporium shop will be closing at its current address on 21st May. Jacqson Diego Story Emporium will continue in all of its other forms, including pop ups and events throughout the summer. History of St Petersburg to Hutchinson Hutchinson has acquired a history of St Petersburg by cultural historian Jonathan Miles. Senior editor Sarah Rigby bought world English rights at auction for an undisclosed sum from Julian Alexander at LAW to St Petersburg: A City Of Murderous Desire. The book will “recreate the drama of this absurd and brilliant city, beginning with the homicidal megalomania of its founder and the sadism of its early rulers”. Judy Blume joins YALC line-up US author Judy Blume is taking part in this year’s Young Adult Literature Convention (YALC), which is taking place 17-19th July at Olympia, London. Blume will be interviewed by Patrick Ness on the 18th July to mark 40 years since her coming-of-age novel, Forever, was first published.