HBG Big News This Week: March 19-23, 2018
Following is a recap of major news at Hachette Book Group for the week of March 19-23, 2018:
Bestsellers: HBG has 18 titles on the New York Times Bestseller list dated April 1, including two #1s—Russian Roulette by Michael Isikoff and David Corn (Twelve) debuts at #1 on the Print Hardcover (Nonfiction) and Combined Print & Ebook Bestsellers (Nonfiction) lists. James Patterson’s All American-Murder (Little, Brown) remains at #1 on the Sports and Fitness (Monthly) list for the eighth consecutive week. HBG’s distribution clients have two titles on the list this week. Russian Roulette is also #1 on the USA Today bestseller list (see the full list here).
Major acquisition: LBYR announced the acquisition of Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel this week, with a great New York Times feature (‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Goes from Stage to Page) on the front page of the Arts Section. See attached press release for more information about the book, which will be published on October 9.
James Beard Awards: Lizzie Collingham’s The Taste of Empire (Basic Books) has been nominated for a James Beard Award in Writing. Winners will be announced on April 27, see the full list of nominees here.
American Academy awards: The American Academy of Arts and Letters announced the 15 writers who will receive its 2018 awards in literature, and Little, Brown author Rick Moody is among them. This year’s literature prizes honor both established and emerging writers of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and each winner takes home a $10,000 prize.
Patterson Classroom Library Campaign: James Patterson and Scholastic announced their 2018 Classroom Library Campaign—with James Patterson personally donating $2 million to classroom libraries this year (up from $1.75 million in past years), in the fourth installment of his School Library Campaign. This year’s campaign focuses once again on classroom libraries: 4,000 teachers will receive grants of $500 and 500 Scholastic Book Club Bonus Points. In partnership with Scholastic Book Clubs, the program was launched in 2015 as part of an ongoing effort to keep books and reading a priority for children in the United States. To date, Patterson has donated $7.25 million to school libraries.
Audie Awards: Kim Stanley Robinson’s New York 2140 (Orbit/Hachette Audio) is a finalist for the prestigious Excellence in Production Audie Award. The award for Excellence in Production “recognizes a production that represents the best the format has to offer in listening excellence.” The winners of the Excellence Awards will be announced on May 30.
Honoring Rudolfo Anaya: The North Valley Library in Albuquerque, New Mexico has been renamed to honor iconic New Mexico writer Rudolfo Anaya, author of the coming of age classic Bless Me, Ultima (GCP), and known as the father of Chicano literature in English. “I’ve always been connected to libraries,” Anaya said during the renaming ceremony, “the library is probably one of the most important things in my life. It’s a center for democracy and of a community.”
RITA Awards: Two Forever titles have been nominated for RITA Awards—Between the Devil and the Duke by Kelly Bowen and A Scottish Lord for Christmas by Lauren Smith. Winner will be announced on July 19. For more information on the award and the full list of nominees, click here.