On Monday, Publishers Weekly reported that Bookspan, acquired just six weeks ago by Bertelsmann, will cut 280 positions and close some of its book clubs, which include Book-of-the-Month, Doubleday and The Literary Guild. It looks as if the 54-year-old Science Fiction Book Club, which offers a selection of graphic novels and comic novelizations, will be among the casualties.
Although there haven’t been any official announcements, science fiction editor Jonathan Strahan reported on his blog yesterday that SFBC’s only editors — Editor-in-Chief Ellen Asher and Senior Editor Andrew Wheeler — have lost their jobs at Bookspan. Strahan says Bertelsmann probably will merge SFBC with its Doubleday Book Club.
A press release last week announcing a deal to bring David Petersen’s Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 to the Science Fiction Book Club mentioned Doubleday as much as it did SFBC, which makes Strahan’s suggestion seem likely.
Wheeler, who maintained the SFBC blog, hasn’t commented directly on the reports, but writes on his personal blog: “I choose to be happy; I choose to look forward, not backward.”
May 27th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
This doesn’t sound good. I hope the situation improves for everyone.
May 29th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
I’d just like to note that also among those laid off from Bookspan was Senior Editor Jay Franco (who was quoted in that Mouse Guard press release linked to above.) Jay didn’t work exclusively for the Science Fiction Book Club, but he was a key part of its growth in the comics/graphic novel category.
Jay–and many of the other ex-Bookspan employees I’ve heard have been let go–are class acts indeed, and I hope they land on their feet soon.
May 31st, 2007 at 2:28 pm
For what it’s worth, PUBLISHERS WEEKLY is now (31 May) reporting that Bookspan has named a new editor to the Science Fiction Book Club, a Rome Quezada who’s come from William Morrow. So it would appear that Science Fiction Book Club will continue as an ongoing, separate entity of some sort. (Which would make the headline of this blog entry innaccurate…)
http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6447952.html
January 17th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
Finde nette Chats ab 50
February 27th, 2013 at 5:53 am
I know it’s old news but it’s always gutting when book company/sites/stores go under