At Hachette Book Group, some staff at Workman Publishing are being let go, and Algonquin is being folded into Little, Brown. Algonquin Books is becoming part of Little, Brown, reporting to president and publisher Sally Kim, while Algonquin Young Readers will become part of Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, under president and publisher Megan Tingley.

Among personnel changes that Hachette confirmed, Susan Weinberg, executive v-p and publisher of the Workman Publishing Group, "has decided to retire from her role at the end of this year. She will take up a new part-time role in 2025 to help people to deepen their financial understanding of the business."

Kristin Kiser, senior v-p and publisher of the Running Press Group, will become president and publisher of a new division called the Workman Running Press Group, effective January 1.

Lia Ronnen has been promoted to senior v-p, publisher of Workman, Artisan, and Black Dog & Leventhal. Black Dog & Leventhal will move from Running Press to Workman, and the calendar group will move to Workman under Ronnen's leadership.

Stacy Lellos has been promoted to senior v-p, Workman Kids.

Shannon Fabricant is being promoted to publisher of Running Press, running the RP Adult, RP Kids, and RP Studio publishing programs, effective January 1.

Betsy Hulsebosch is being promoted to v-p, deputy publisher of Running Press, effective January 1.

Colin Dickerman has been promoted to senior v-p and editor in chief, Grand Central, adding responsibility for fiction to his existing responsibility for nonfiction.

Karen Kosztolnyik has become v-p, executive editorial director for fiction, at Grand Central.

In other moves at Running Press, senior editor Shannon Kelly will assume oversight of Running Press's gift and stationery line, RP Studio, and Running Press's self-help and wellness vertical, RP Inspires, effective January 1. RP Kids editorial director Julie Matysik will assume responsibility for growing children's licensing. Maria Simione is promoted to assistant editor at Running Press.

The company commented: "The reason for these changes in our Workman and Grand Central Publishing divisions is to optimize for success--promoting key team members and adding extra roles in areas where the market is strong and cutting back in areas where the market has weakened. In the case of Workman, these changes are in line with usual company acquisition synergies." Because the company guaranteed no staff would be fired for three years, "We were not legally allowed to make these changes three years ago when would be normal in a company acquisition--so the business plan from that time was for us to make them in summer 2024, at the conclusion of the three-year term, which is what we are doing now."

The changes come after a period of reshuffling at Hachette that started at the beginning of the year when Hachette UK CEO David Shelley took the additional role of CEO of Hachette Book Group, succeeding Michael Pietsch.

Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill was founded in 1982 by Louis Rubin and Shannon Ravenel and focused on publishing literary fiction and nonfiction with an emphasis on undiscovered writers from the South. Early authors included Jill McCorkle, Kaye Gibbons, Julia Alvarez, Robert Morgan, and Larry Brown. Workman bought Algonquin in 1989, and it opened offices in New York City. Algonquin Young Readers launched in 2013.

Hideaway Hollow, a mobile bookstore with fiction for all ages, has debuted in Veneta, Ore., KEZI reported. 

The bookstore first set up shop in late June and is open five days per week in the parking lot of the Grocery Outlet in Veneta. Owner Amy Kocyan opened Hideaway Hollow to give residents of Veneta easier access to books. For the moment, she is focusing only on fiction, and all of the books she carries are remainders. She hopes eventually to find a permanent bricks-and-mortar location for the store.

"I've had so many people come in and say we need a bookstore here," Kocyan told KEZI. "I really want to be out here in rural areas where people can get books."

Bookseller Luke Mettler is taking over management of CatTale's Books and Gifts in Brainerd, Minn., from owner Theresa Woodward, the Brainerd Dispatch reported.

Woodward, who purchased the store from original owner Wendy Rosnau in 2016, had decided to sell the business and move to Missouri, in the hopes that warmer weather would help alleviate some of the symptoms of her arthritis and fibromyalgia. She had a potential buyer lined up in early 2023, but that deal fell through. Now, Woodward has turned to Mettler to run the bookstore in her stead.

The new and used bookstore also sells puzzles, toys, jewelry, cards, and other gift items. Once Mettler finds his footing, he hopes to expand the bookstore event offerings with things like tea parties and book club meetings.

"This has been a really fulfilling job," Mettler told the Dispatch. "It's really cool to see all the different local community people that I've seen at my previous jobs, and just seeing how excited and happy books make people."

Hudson, part of Avolta AG, has opened a new Ink by Hudson bookstore at Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, Mich. Part contemporary bookstore and part self-serve wine bar, the hybrid concept "brings a sense of place to the airport and an experience that is worth arriving early for," according to the company, which operates more than 1,000 stores in airports, commuter hubs, landmarks, and tourist destinations in North America,

The store features local authors, locally made snacks and gifts, and a curated wine list of local vineyards created in partnership with nonprofit organization Michigan Wine Collaborative. Customers can pour a glass of wine--offered on taps activated by an RFID bracelet--and explore the bookshelves. 

"Hudson is dedicated to tailoring airport retail and dining to the unique tastes of travelers, offering them additional exploration and discovery during their journey," said Brian Quinn, COO, retail, North America, Avolta. "Our partnership with Michigan Wine Collaborative celebrates the state's rich cultural heritage and local flavors, narrating a compelling story and cultivating a sense of place. Hudson is excited about this distinctive addition to the Ink brand, and for the continued opportunity we see to make the journey as exciting as the destination for travelers by creating unique, hybrid retail and food and beverage experiences." 

Brian Lillie, president of the Michigan Wine Collaborative, commented: "Partnering with Hudson on its innovative Ink wine bar concept is a testament to our commitment to showcasing the exceptional quality of Michigan wines. This collaboration not only elevates our local wine industry by offering exposure to both the domestic and global travelers through GRR daily, but also provides an exciting platform for consumers to discover and appreciate the unique flavors and diversity of our region's offerings." 

Maria Kim, CFO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority, added: "Ink by Hudson is an innovative concept that blends literature with local flavors, showcasing Michigan's culinary landscape through collaboration with Michigan Wine Collaborative. We are grateful to our partners at Avolta for their commitment to incorporating local touches into the airport environment to further elevate the guest experience."

Evan Wright, "a modern-day gonzo journalist who embedded with an elite U.S. Marine battalion in Iraq for prizewinning articles that were published in Rolling Stone and grew into the book and HBO miniseries Generation Kill," died July 12, the Washington Post reported. He was 59. Wright wrote for several magazines including Time and Vanity Fair, but was perhaps best known for his contributions to Rolling Stone, the literary home beginning in the 1970s of Hunter S. Thompson. 

Wright, however, rejected the "gonzo" label. " 'Gonzo' speaks of writing that is more about the reporter than the subject," he wrote in Hella Nation: Looking for Happy Meals in Kandahar, Rocking the Side Pipe, Wingnut's War Against the Gap, and Other Adventures With the Totally Lost Tribes of America (2009). "With few exceptions, my intent has always been to focus on my subjects in all of their imperfect glory."

He was most celebrated as a war correspondent, embedding first with the U.S. military in Afghanistan and then, in 2003, with the Marine First Reconnaissance Battalion in Iraq. His writings from Iraq, a three-part series published in Rolling Stone as "The Killer Elite," received the 2004 National Magazine Award for reporting.

Wright expanded his articles into the book Generation Kill: Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America and the New Face of American War (2004), which was later adapted in 2008 into an HBO miniseries the author co-wrote with David Simon and Ed Burns (The Wire). 

Lt. Nathan Fick, who was featured prominently in Rolling Stone's "The Killer Elite" series, wrote in a tribute:  "I knew Evan as a good and gentle guy in a place that was neither good nor gentle. He wasn't a Marine, but many of us who spent March and April 2003 alongside him have thought of Evan for the past two decades as one of us. Rest in peace, brother."

Wright's other books include American Desperado: My Life--From Mafia Soldier to Cocaine Cowboy to Secret Government Asset (with Jon Roberts, 2011) and How to Get Away With Murder in America: Drug Lords, Dirty Pols, Obsessed Cops, and the Quiet Man Who Became the CIA's Master Killer (2012).

In a social media post, David Simon wrote: "We've lost a fine journalist and storyteller. Evan's contributions to the scripting and filming of Generation Kill were elemental. He was charming, funny and not a little bit feral, as many reporters are. So many moments writing in Baltimore and on set in Africa to remember."

[words] Bookstore in Maplewood, N.J., hosted Taffy Brodesser-Akner, whose second novel is Long Island Compromise (Random House), in conversation with Gilbert Cruz, editor of the New York Times Book Review. More than 160 people attended the sold-out, ticketed event. Pictured: Brodesser-Akner flanked by [words] owners Ellen and Jonah Zimiles.

Posted on Instagram last Sunday by La Joie de Vivre bookstore & cafe in New York City: "What a beautifull and joyfull Bastille Day! Thank you all for visiting us on Madison Avenue! Rendez vous in one year!/ Quel magnifique et joyeux Bastille Day! Merci de nous avoir rendu visitie sur Madison Avenue! Rendez-vous l’année prochaine!"

Storyline Bookshop, Upper Arlington, Ohio, shared a pic of the shop's "Judge a Book by Its Cover" endcap display on Instagram, noting: "Our Owner and General Manager take great pride in curating the endcaps with interesting discoverable finds! We know which one is the most talked about. But we want to know which one is your favorite! Share below."

Falon Kirby has been promoted to senior publicity manager at Atria. She joined Atria in 2020.

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At Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree:

Neda Kamalhedayat has joined Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree as consumer marketing coordinator. She most recently was a school and library marketing intern in the Candlewick marketing department.

Caitlyn Davis has joined Candlewick Press, Holiday House, and Peachtree as trade marketing assistant. She most recently was a publicity intern in the Candlewick marketing department.

Jaclyn Withers has joined Candlewick Press as sales coordinator, special markets and proprietary sales. She was previously a production coordinator at NewGlobe Education.

Don Coppola by Amazing Ameziane (Titan Comics).

Tomorrow:
Today Show: Niro Feliciano, author of This Book Won't Make You Happy: Eight Keys to Finding True Contentment (Broadleaf, $27.99, 9781506480411).

Also on Today, contributor Ally Love will promote The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle (New World Library, $17, 9781577314806), which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.

Jennifer Hudson Show repeat: Jenn Drummond, author of BreakProof: 7 Strategies to Build Resilience and Achieve Your Life Goals (Mango, $29.99, 9781684814350).

Awesomeness is developing on Blue Bloods, a TV series adaptation of the bestselling book series by Melissa de la Cruz, Deadline reported. Jacquie Walters will serve as writer and executive producer. Additional exec producers include Richard Abate and Katie Newman Krandel for 3 Arts Entertainment, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein for the Gotham Group, and De La Cruz.

"I am so excited to bring my beloved Blue Bloods series to life with a stellar team at Awesomeness, Gotham, 3Arts and our incredible writer Jacquie Walters who understands my story and characters deeply," De La Cruz said. "Cannot wait to see them on screen at last!!! LFG!!!"

Walters added: "It is a rare treat to work on a project with such a loyal fanbase, and we have had so much fun reimagining this story for the present-day, as it is the juiciest combination of romance, mystery, and lore. Gotham's passion paired with the exceptional vision of those at Awesomeness make a dream team to bring this story to the screen."

A shortlist has been released for the $25,000 Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction, which is "intended to recognize those writers Ursula spoke of in her 2014 National Book Awards speech--realists of a larger reality, who can imagine real grounds for hope and see alternatives to how we live now." The winner, chosen by a panel of authors, will be named on October 21. This year's shortlisted titles are:

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera (Tordotcom Publishing)
The Skin and Its Girl by Sarah Cypher (Ballantine Books)
It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over by Anne de Marcken (New Directions)
Orbital by Samantha Harvey (Grove Press)
Sift by Alissa Hattman (The 3rd Thing)
The Library of Broken Worlds by Alaya Dawn Johnson (Scholastic Press)
Those Beyond the Wall by Micaiah Johnson (Del Rey)
The Siege of Burning Grass by Premee Mohamed (Solaris)
Some Desperate Glory by Emily Tesh (Tordotcom Publishing)
Mammoths at the Gates by Nghi Vo (Tordotcom Publishing)

photo: Cacá Santoro

Elaine U. Cho is associate editor at Shelf Awareness and a former bookseller at Seattle's Elliott Bay Book Company. She has worked as a film critic and has an MFA in Flute Performance from CalArts. Her debut novel is Ocean's Godori (Hillman Grad Books/Zando), and she has a sequel coming out next year.

On your nightstand now:

I tend to have poetry, essays, short stories, or manga/manhwa on my nightstand--books I can consume little by little. Currently I have There's Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib, a collection of essays tied together with the theme of basketball, which I know very little about, but I'll read anything by Abdurraqib. He's so wise and witty, and his writing brims with joy. And this was totally unplanned, but I also have Garbage Time, Volume 2 by 2sajang, which is a manhwa (or maybe it's a webtoon-turned-book?) about an underdog high school basketball team. I'm basically learning a lot of very specific basketball terminology in Korean I'll probably never use.

As for what else I'm reading, I just finished The Last Rhee Witch, which is a Korean folklore-infused middle-grade novel by Jenna Lee-Yun about a girl who goes to a summer camp that's haunted by a gwishin. It's creepy, sweet, and heartfelt. I'm currently in the middle of Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham. My interest in Maugham was recently re-piqued by Tan Twan Eng's The House of Doors, a captivating novel that touches on Maugham's time in Penang.

Favorite book when you were a child:

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine still holds up, I promise. And I also recently reread the Animorphs series by K.A. Applegate (but only up to #32, which is around when the books started getting ghostwritten). The first few books have recently been adapted to graphic novel by Chris Grine, who does such a fantastic job of capturing the sheer grossness of the morphing sequences. You'll laugh at this, but I still think about those pivotal moments: The David trilogy! The Cassie butterfly episode! The Tobias/Ellimist book!

Your top five authors:

Alexander Chee--Alexander Chee forever. He writes truthfully in a sympathetic and gorgeous, but never maudlin way. And in writing about finding a space for himself to belong, he created a space for so many of us to belong, too. He's the best example of how when you write specifically for yourself, others will find themselves in you.

E.J. Koh--Whenever I read Koh, I'm so grateful that she exists, not only for her generous and elegant writing, but also for the personal warmth that comes across the page.

Ursula K. Le Guin--Le Guin's wisdom shines through everything she's written. There is always a sense of the humanity present in her characters, even as the work simultaneously handles the weighty and philosophical.

Clarice Lispector--My personal experience with Lispector's writing has been that some of it is so opaque that you have to wrestle with it, and some of it immediately rewires your brain. She's constantly surprising. I'm obsessed with Benjamin Moser's afterword in The Hour of the Star that talks about how editors and translators repeatedly tried to "correct" her prose and how Lispector assured them, "I am fully aware of the reasons that led me to choose this punctuation and insist that it be respected."

Marilynne Robinson--Her work is luminous. I wish I could live in her words.

Book you've faked reading:

I would be too afraid I'd be found out. Besides, although there are obviously wonderful discussions to be had when you've both read a book, there are also really lovely conversations to be had when you haven't read something, and you get to hear why someone loves or loathes it. It can bump something up on my TBR, incite a trip to the bookstore to pick it up, or lead to brave new worlds!

Book you're an evangelist for:

The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez is truly astonishing and one of the best books I've read in the last few years. It juggles first, second, and third person narrations and when you start it, you think, "There's no way this will hold up," but Jimenez blows all expectations out of the water. When I finished it, I thought, "everyone needs to read this."

I also have not shut up about Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park since I read it last year.

Anyway, I should stop there.

Book you've bought for the cover:

I buy books for their covers all the time! Or sometimes I'm dissuaded from buying a book because of its cover (sorry!). But rather than give you a few stellar covers, I'll share some cover illustrators/designers I love:

Na Kim is an illustrator and art director for Farrar, Straus and Giroux and you might have seen some of her stunning work on covers like I Hold a Wolf by the Ears by Laura Van Den Berg or Luster by Raven Leilani.

I'll pretty much pick up any book that has a cover illustrated by Tran Nguyen (her work's immediately recognizable and has been seen on Zoe Hana Mikuta's Off with Their Heads and Wesley Chu's The Art of Prophecy).

The immensely talented Will Staehle has done some iconic work with V.E. Schwab's Shades of Magic series and the Sister Holiday mysteries by Margot Douaihy (which pairs so perfectly with the iconoclastic, utterly cool books), to name a few.

Book that changed your life:

Into the Land of the Unicorns by Bruce Coville turned me into a reader. Until then, my mom despaired at how much TV I consumed. This was the very first book I had to finish, and I got up early in the morning so I could get back to reading it. My mom was so surprised when she found me in the living room with it. It also heavily influenced the first story I wrote. So, thank you, Bruce Coville. For this book and dozens of others, including Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher.

Andrew Joseph White (The Spirit Bares Its Teeth) opens his third YA novel, Compound Fracture, with an unapologetically grisly account of a riot and a murder. What follows is a volatile, compelling mystery about an autistic transmasculine teen in a poor town in West Virginia who fights to reclaim his family's radical legacy.

Sixteen-year-old Miles Abernathy's world shatters when he obtains photos proving that Sheriff Davies intentionally caused the car wreck that traumatized Miles's father, killed a friend, and badly burned another. "The Davieses have a way of doing things.... They'll pull the trigger or bring down the hammer. End you just like that." It is unsurprising, then, that when Davies's son and his cronies discover Miles has the photos, they beat Miles and leave him for dead. Miles wakes in the hospital, the disfigured, soot-covered spirit of his great-great-grandfather looming over his bed.

The Abernathys have been fighting for justice for decades. Miles's great-great-grandfather led a coal miners' labor riot and was viciously murdered by a member of the Davies clan. After Miles is released from the hospital, he accidentally kills one of the boys who hurt him and reignites the generations-old war. Miles can suppress the truth or speak out and risk calamity.

White makes Miles a convincing product of his upbringing through candid, often gruesome, first-person narration punctuated by text exchanges. Miles prefers the company of his dog, Lady, to that of other humans and prefers suffering in silence over asking for help, as when he secretly stops taking his prescribed opioids and goes through withdrawal. At the same time, Miles adapts to his newly public trans identity and grapples with his sexuality. It's his slow-to-reveal vulnerability and trust in others--his parents, childhood friend Dallas, and local activist Amber--that render him whole.

The author portrays emotional trauma and physical scars as metaphors for the enduring tenacity among exploited poor and queer communities. "The fact that you're poor and scared and covered in blood is politics, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise," Miles thinks. White explores the violent realities of capitalism and transphobia while simultaneously celebrating the resilience and collective strength of the committed working class. He also weaves a tragic, beautiful thread through the tapestry of Compound Fracture, describing Miles's examination of his communist political leanings and paralleling it with his ancestor's path. This book will almost certainly leave readers battered, bruised, and inspired. --Kieran Slattery, freelance reviewer, teacher, co-creator of Gender Inclusive Classrooms

Shelf Talker: This unapologetically gruesome story of a trans Appalachian teen channeling strength to preserve his family's legacy amidst intergenerational trauma has the power to leave readers profoundly changed.