Ian Chapman is stepping down as CEO and publisher of Simon & Schuster UK and International, effective in May. Perminder Mann, currently CEO of Bonnier Books UK, will become the new CEO of Simon & Schuster International, as of May 1; she will lead Simon & Schuster UK and oversee Simon & Schuster Australia and Simon & Schuster India.

Perminder Mann

Mann has been at Bonnier UK for 15 years. She began her publishing career in the sales departments of Macmillan and Transworld and later established U.K. satellite offices for international children's publishers Hinkler and Phidal before spending time in the toy industry. She is currently president of the Publishers Association in the U.K.

Simon & Schuster CEO Jonathan Karp said that Mann is "known for being a strategic thinker, an innovator, and a team builder. Her vision for Simon & Schuster's future is exciting and expansive, one with an emphasis on building upon our impressive foundation to make our publishing programs even stronger."

Mann added: "When Jonathan Karp offered me the opportunity to join Simon & Schuster at such a pivotal and exciting moment in their journey, it felt like the right time for me to embrace a new challenge. With the company poised for ambitious growth, I am deeply honoured to play a role in shaping this next chapter. Simon & Schuster has a rich publishing heritage, a bold vision for the future, and an unwavering commitment to authors and readers alike. I look forward to working with the exceptional team to build on its success and drive even greater opportunities in the years ahead."

Jim Zetterlund, chairman of Bonnier Books UK and COO/CFO of Bonnier Books globally, said: "Perminder Mann was an exceptional and innovative leader for Bonnier Books UK, transforming the business and helping to drive it to significant growth. She will be greatly missed by all of us here and we thank her for everything she has contributed and wish her every success in the future. We will announce our plans around new leadership for the business very soon, but at this moment want to pay tribute to Perminder and everything she achieved here."

Ian Chapman

Chapman was named to his current position in 2013 and is celebrating his 25th year with S&S. Before joining the company, he was managing director of Macmillan General Books, with overall publishing responsibility for the Macmillan, Picador, Pan and Sidgwick & Jackson imprints. He has also held editorial and publishing positions at Pan Macmillan and Hodder & Stoughton, and in the U.S. at William Morrow, Berkley and Doubleday.

Chapman commented: "I have had the most wonderful time doing a job I love, building a hugely talented and delightful team throughout the U.K., Australia, India and other international territories outside of the U.S., working in the world of books. I am so proud of what we have achieved and leave a legacy of a great publishing company following a period of rapid growth. I am grateful to the authors who have trusted us with their work. It has been a privilege to publish you."

Karp said, "Through the years, Ian has demonstrated strong and steady leadership, driving dynamic growth in our U.K., Australia, and India divisions, and earning the broad respect of the international publishing community. Ian's exceptional accomplishments were marked by two consecutive British Book Awards in 2022 and 2023 as Publisher of the Year alongside Children's Publisher of the Year in 2023, a double rarely achieved.

"Describing the significance and sweep of what Ian has accomplished in his quarter-century of leadership is a daunting challenge. For all of his colleagues at Simon & Schuster, Ian has been a beacon and a stalwart ally. For all of our authors, he has been an enthusiastic and effective champion. The number of authors he has published to great success and acclaim is far too numerous to mention, but the list is long and storied, and their books will be read long after all of us have retired."

Avid's future home

Avid Bookshop, Athens, Ga., will relocate this spring from its Five Points space, which opened in 2016, to the Atlas II building at 625 Barber St., Suite 150, between Hidden Gem and ReBlossom. In a letter to customers, owner Janet Geddis wrote that although a specific opening date has not been set, "we're moving as fast as we can and will let you know when we've established a timeline."
 
The new space is approximately one and a half times larger than the Five Points store, and more than twice as large as Avid's original bookstore on Prince St., which was founded in 2011 and closed at the end of 2019. The new location will have a parking lot, as well as off-street parking spots directly in front of the shop's entrance, including an accessible one. 

Noting that there are several reasons for making the move, Geddis wrote: "But suffice it to say that we've loved our time in Five Points and that, for the business to remain sustainable long-term, a move to a bigger space in a different location is necessary."
 
Geddis told the Red & Black that even with the relocation, she hopes to preserve Avid's purpose: "It's like the third place you can go and feel comfortable being yourself and run into other people and chat. Those kinds of spaces are extremely important, but especially in a time when people feel really divided." She also noted that the selection of the Barber Street location was also prompted by the chance to be "in a concentrated area of local businesses" that is more walkable. 

Geddis said she believes the bookstore--and its customers--are ready for the change: "I think that if I had opened my store and decided this is the perfect formula, it's going to be this way forever, I know I would have gotten really bored, but I think the customers probably would too."

Janie Rambo is now the co-owner of Stone Soup Books in Waynesboro, Va., the News Leader reported. Rambo officially took part-ownership of the bookshop on February 10, and she now shares responsibilities with original owner Mary Katharine Froehlich. Froehlich founded the bookstore, which sells new and used titles, in 2006.

"I have always loved reading and writing," Rambo told the News Leader. "It has offered a means of creative release and escape since I was a teenager. And since I was a young adult, I have dreamed of running or owning a small bookstore."

Rambo moved to the Waynesboro area several years ago and met Froehlich through their church. They began volunteering together, and their growing friendship led Rambo to join Stone Soup Books.

Looking ahead, the pair plan to expand Stone Soup's book and event offerings, and they will send out a series of surveys in the months ahead to get a better idea of just what the community would like to see.

"We are thankful for where we have been and excited about continuing our visioning and planning for the next chapter," said Froehlich. "I continue to be amazed at this bountiful pot of stone soup."

A group of independent publishers has formed "a forward-thinking collective" called the Stable Book Group, whose core mission, it said, is "to expand its publishers' reach and foster new opportunities for curated frontlist content, co-publishing collaborations, and marketing strategies."

The Stable Group consists of Ulysses Press, VeloPress, Trafalgar Square Books, and She Writes Press (including SparkPress titles), as well as partnerships with Galpón Press, the new imprint founded by former Abrams CEO Michael Jacobs and Sheridan Hay, and Mountain Gazette Books, a new book division launched by Mountain Gazette publisher Mike Rogge.

The Stable officers include CEO Chris Gruener, formerly with Abrams and Cameron; president Keith Riegert, CEO of Ulysses Press, VeloPress, and Perfect Bound; and COO Brooke Warner, publisher of She Writes Press, all in partnership with Sam Lundin and Chris Yeung of the Vimbly Group.

In addition to publishing, the Stable Book Group will provide hybrid, design, and custom production services through its Stable Studios division, which will be led by v-p, creative director Iain Morris, who most recently was creative director of entertainment & licensing at Abrams.

Simon & Schuster is distributing the Stable Book Group.

CEO Chris Gruener said, "The launch of the Stable Book Group represents a new chapter for independent publishing. Our vision combines the strength of proven category leaders with forward-thinking marketing and production strategies to create value and opportunity for our authors and partners alike."

President Keith Riegert added, "I believe that independent publishing has always thrived on innovation, adaptability, and a deep understanding of market niches. With the Stable, we're bringing together some of the boldest independent publishers to create new opportunities for authors, booksellers, and readers alike. Our mission is not just to preserve the independent publishing spirit, but to elevate it to new heights through collaboration and shared resources."

Kathy Burnette

Kathy Burnette, owner of Brain Lair Books, South Bend, Ind., has resigned from the board of the American Booksellers Association. In a letter to members in Bookselling This Week, ABA president Tegan Tigani of Queen Anne Book Company, Seattle, Wash., said, "We will greatly miss her clear perspective and creative insights. Kathy's years as a librarian and as a bookseller and bookstore owner make her a keystone of her community in South Bend, Ind., and beyond. Her voice has been a powerful one in our organization, and we look forward to continuing to learn from her as she writes her next chapters." She added that the board is working to appoint a new director to fill Burnette's seat.

Burnette founded Brain Lair Books in 2018. Last October, Burnette announced that the store needed to sell 5,682 books that month to avoid closing. She said she believed that goal was impossible, but the community responded, and the store sold 5,744 books.

Scrawl Books in Reston, Va., hosted author Meera Trehan (left) to celebrate the release of her middle grade novel Snow (Walker Books US). Trehan was joined in conversation by fellow middle grade author Leah Henderson.

Today co-host Jenna Bush Hager has chosen This Is a Love Story by Jessica Soffer (‎Dutton) as her February Read with Jenna book club pick. This Is a Love Story "tracks many years in a marriage between Jane, an artist, and Abe, a writer, and the lives their relationship touches," Today said.

"In this beautiful book, we meet Abe and Jane who, upon the end of their life, are recounting their love story as a way to keep their memories alive," Hager said. "We find out both the beautiful things that tied them together, but also the more difficult ones that threaten to tear them apart. This is a book about marriage and devotion."

This Is a Love Story is Soffer's second novel following her 2013 debut, Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots. "It's a happy marriage--reciprocal, respectful, compassionate," Soffer said. "But life is hard, and love is hard, and so I tried to offer up the truths."

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Junie by Erin Crosby Eckstine (‎Ballantine) is the GMA Book Club pick for February. Good Morning America said the novel "explores grief, destiny and the weight of choice. It follows Junie, a young girl who, after awakening her sister's ghost, must make a life-altering decision while uncovering truths about love, friendship and power as the Civil War looms.

"Sixteen-year-old Junie has spent her life enslaved on Bellereine Plantation, tending to the master's daughter, Violet, while secretly grieving her sister Minnie's sudden death.

"When wealthy guests arrive from New Orleans, hinting at marriage for Violet, Junie's world shifts. In desperation, she awakens Minnie's spirit, now trapped between worlds. With the help of Caleb, a visiting coachman, Junie searches for a way to set her sister free--only to uncover dark secrets that could change everything."

"Happy Snow Day!" That was the wintry message on the sidewalk chalkboard in front of Bold Coffee & Books, Portland, Ore., which noted: "Yes, we're open! Come in for a $2 hot chocolate (8 ounce), a book, and a warm spot on the loveseat." 

Alex Cruz-Jimenez has joined Celadon as marketing manager. She was previously at Viking and Penguin Books.

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Lindsey Triebel has joined HarperCollins Children's Books as senior publicist. She was previously PR and marketing coordinator at Health Communications.

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At Ballantine Bantam Dell:

Daniel Denning has joined the marketing team as a senior marketing manager. He was previously at Union Square & Co.

Sophie Normil has joined the marketing team as a senior marketing manager. She was previously at Gallery Books.

Emily Siegmund has joined the marketing team as a marketing manager. She previously worked in sales at Penguin Random House.

Supa Nova by Chanté Timothy (Nosy Crow), the first in a graphic novel series.

Today:
Today Show: Ruby Bridges, author of Ruby Bridges: A Talk with My Teacher (Orchard Books, $19.99, 9781338753943).

Good Morning America: Will Packer, author of Who Better Than You?: The Art of Healthy Arrogance & Dreaming Big (Harmony, $28, 9780593582169). He will also appear on the View.

Fresh Air: Dr. Adam Ratner, author of Booster Shots: The Urgent Lessons of Measles and the Uncertain Future of Children's Health (Avery, $30, 9780593330869).

Tomorrow:
Today Show: Jessica Soffer, author of This Is a Love Story: A Novel (Dutton, $29, 9780593851265).

Late Night with Seth Meyers repeat: Graham Norton, author of Frankie: A Novel (HarperVia, $18.99, 9780063436473).

Tonight Show: Mary Ellen Matthews, author of The Art of the SNL Portrait (Abrams, $55, 9781419782534).

A trailer has been released for On Swift Horses, based on Shannon Pufahl's 2019 novel, IndieWire reported. The film had its world premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival last year, where it was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. It will have its U.S. debut at SXSW, where it will close the fest on March 13, and be released to theaters April 25.

Directed by Daniel Minahan, On Swift Horses stars Will Poulter, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Jacob Elordi. The film was developed by Minahan and producer Peter Spears, as well as Tim Headington through Ley Line Entertainment. Theresa Steele Page and screenwriter Bryce Kass are on board as producers.

The winners of the 2025 Southern Book Prize, honoring "the best Southern books of the year" as nominated by Southern indie booksellers and voted on by their customers, have been announced by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. Winning authors receive a donation in their name to the charity or nonprofit of their choice.

Fiction
Rednecks by Taylor Brown (St. Martin's Press)
"The themes of family, labor's value, and economic freedom are as prescient today as during the novel's time period. Rednecks is well-researched and engrossing. I felt like I was in the cold, muddy camps along with the families." --Susan Williams, M. Judson, Booksellers in Greenville, S.C.

Nonfiction
The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida, and Felony by Annabelle Tometich (Little, Brown)
"Parts of Annabelle Tometich's story of growing up in Fort Myers, Florida, the daughter of a Filipino mom and white dad, are so unbelievable they must be true. Written by a veteran journalist and food critic and writer, The Mango Tree is incredibly entertaining and compellingly readable." --Rachel Watkins, Avid Bookshop in Athens, Ga.

Young Readers
Not Like Other Girls by Meredith Adamo (Bloomsbury YA)
"I loved the twists laced through this thrilling story. A mystery full of heart and at times deeply unsettling. Teenagers are messy, but they are wholly human with all the pain that often includes." --Rayna Nielsen, Blue Cypress Books in New Orleans, La.

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The winners of the 2024 Porchlight Business Book Awards were revealed at a publishing industry celebration in New York City on January 29. The eight winners, one per category, are:

Big Ideas & New Perspectives
Tech Agnostic: How Technology Became the World's Most Powerful Religion, and Why It Desperately Needs a Reformation by Greg Epstein (MIT Press)

Current Events & Public Affairs
The Truth About Immigration: Why Successful Societies Welcome Newcomers by Zeke Hernandez (St. Martin's Press)

Innovation & Creativity
The Vagina Business: The Innovative Breakthroughs that Could Change Everything in Women's Health by Marina Gerner (Sourcebooks)

Leadership & Strategy
Higher Ground: How Business Can Do the Right Thing in a Turbulent World by Alison Taylor (Harvard Business Review Press)

Management & Workplace Culture
The Problem with Change: And the Essential Nature of Human Performance by Ashley Goodall (Little, Brown Spark)

Marketing & Communications/Sales & Influence
Say It Well: Find Your Voice, Speak Your Mind, Inspire Any Audience by Terry Szuplat (Harper Business)

Narrative & Biography
Savings and Trust: The Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman's Bank by Justene Hill Edwards (W.W. Norton)

Personal Development & Human Behavior
Unlearning Silence: How to Speak Your Mind, Unleash Talent, and Live More Fully by Elaine Lin Hering (Penguin Life)

Additionally, the Jack Covert Award for Contribution to the Business Book Industry was given to Matt Holt, editor-in-chief of BenBella, in recognition of his 29-year career acquiring more than 1,000 titles and publishing 10,000.

An unassuming hero must move forward after trauma and seek reparations for a historic crime in this emotionally deep, friendship-affirming fantasy mystery. The Tomb of Dragons is the third in Katherine Addison's the Cemeteries of Amalo series, set in the universe of her breakout novel The Goblin Emperor.

Othala Thara Celehar's victory over a dangerous evil in the previous book, The Grief of Stones, came at the price of his power to speak to the dead and therefore his standing as Witness for the Dead. Now he must decide who he is without that title. He continues to follow the calling of his god, "even though I wasn't sure I had one anymore," as well as advising his mentee, Othalo Tomasaran, who finds herself suddenly thrust into the role of Witness for the Dead. His Archprelate charges him with investigating a large municipal cemetery that has stopped accepting the dead. Celehar finds a sea of disorganized paperwork and orphaned bones at the cemetery office, as well as a supervising prelate overwhelmed by the Sisyphean task of sorting it all out. He will also learn once and for all whether his calling is finished with him when a group of miners forces him to confront a long-dead, vengeful dragon spirit trapped within a mountain. Celehar will have to face down some of the nation's most powerful players to see justice served.

Addison (The Witness for the Dead) continues to flesh out her world, adding new political and economic details along with her own take on dragons. Celehar finds plenty of mystery and intrigue, or it finds him, even without his power. The core of the story reckons with the complexity of healing, whether from a widespread social injustice or a personal crisis. Celehar's previous adventure has left him shaken and unsure of his future, but he won't endure his struggles alone. He is supported by familiar friends, including opera director Iäna Pel-Thenhior, and new ones such as Hanu Olgarezh, an honorable guard captain with eyes of "pale orange fire." Fans will be happy to see cameos from the Goblin Emperor, among others. While the finale offers some closure, Addison leaves plenty of room to return to Celehar and his continuing escapades. Readers who are up to date on Celehar's earlier ventures will derive the most enjoyment from this installment. Readers new to Addison's world should consider enjoying her highly recommended backlist. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads

Shelf Talker: Katherine Addison's fantasy mystery series continues with an emotionally complex story of healing and reparation.

The bestselling self-published books last week as compiled by IndieReader.com:

1. On the Hippie Trail by Rick Steves
2. Shallow River by H.D. Carlton
3. Haunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
4. On Being Jewish Now by Zibby Owens
5. Twisted Love by Ana Huang
6. The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden
7. Hunting Adeline by H.D. Carlton
8. 10,000 Hours With a Rich Menace by Jahquel J.
9. The Butcher by Penelope Sky
10. Scythe & Sparrow by Brynne Weaver

[Many thanks to IndieReader.com!]