Ideas Are Popping Up All Over

As part of our work covering the publishing industry, we get to talk to some really interesting people who are doing innovative and creative work to keep our industry thriving. In just the past week or so, I’ve had the opportunity to talk to Irene Edwards, the new executive editor of Lonny Magazine, a digital-only shelter magazine, Jill Tomich, Co-founder and CEO of Slicebooks, who is developing new ways to sell books in segments, and Susan Ruszala, President of NetGalley, who is making great strides in automating and digitizing the distribution of galleys. I’ve spoken with Tina Weiner, who is busy finessing the line-up for this summer’s Yale Publishing Course, and Florrie Kichler, outgoing president of the Independent Book Publishers Association, which is preparing for their annual IBPA Publishing University next weekend in Chicago. I’ll be reporting more on these conversations in future issues.

I tell you all this not to give you the sense that I talk a lot (no comment!), but to share my optimism that these are exciting times for publishers. New technology has doubtless presented its challenges, but opportunities abound.

I look forward to talking to many more of you in the near future. We’re gearing up for Book Expo America, for which we’ll be publishing a special daily BEA Spotlight edition of this newsletter. If you have news to be covered, let us know!

And to our publishing colleagues and everyone in my hometown of Boston, we send our prayers for healing and recovery.