BTW News Briefs

B&N Considers Possible Sale

On Tuesday, Barnes & Noble announced that its Board had begun a process of evaluating strategic alternatives, including a possible sale of the company, in order to increase stockholder value.

The process is being overseen by a committee of four independent directors, who will consider alternatives and recommend a course of action.

The New York Times reported that the company's chairman and founder, Len Riggio, who owns almost 30 percent of the company, would consider putting together an investor group to acquire the company. Other possible buyers include private equity firms and billionaire investor Ronald Burkle, who has challenged B&N's governance and tried to increase his 19 percent stake in the company, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Legacy Books to Close

The investors in Legacy Books of Plano, Texas, have made the decision to close the bookstore on Saturday, August 14, according to a company statement. Teri Tanner, who managed and operated the store since its opening, said, "I am disappointed that the store will not continue. But I am very proud of the work done here, and on behalf of our team I want to thank all those who supported a locally owned and operated ‘indie’ of this stature over the past 21 months. We will miss our customers the most."

Tanner said that she "continues to believe that North Texas readers deserve and will support exceptional independent booksellers." To that end, she has formed Double T Consulting, a company “dedicated to pursuing independent bookselling and other retail opportunities," and, according to the Dallas Morning News, expects to open a new indie bookstore this fall.

Romance Writers Announce Award Winners

The Romance Writers of America announced the winners of its 2010 RITA and Golden Heart awards at its 30th Annual Conference, held in Orlando, Florida, this week.

The list of this year's RITA winners includes:

• Best Young Adult Romance: Perfect Chemistry, by Simone Elkeles (Bloomsbury/Walker Books for Young Readers)
• Best Inspirational Romance: The Inheritance, by Tamera Alexander (Thomas Nelson/Women of Faith Fiction)
• Best Novel With Strong Romantic Elements: The Lost Recipe for Happiness, by Barbara O'Neal (Bantam Dell/Discovery)
• Best Romantic Suspense: Whisper of Warning, by Laura Griffin (S&S/Pocket Star)
• Best First Book: One Scream Away, by Kate Brady (Grand Central/Forever)
• Best Contemporary Single Title Romance: Too Good to Be True, by Kristan Higgins (Harlequin Enterprises/HQN)

The full list of RITA and Golden Heart winners is available at rwa.org.

NEIBA Announces 2010 Book Award Winners

The New England Independent Booksellers Association has named the winners of its 2010 New England Book Awards. This year, for the first time, NEIBA changed the focus of the awards from a body of work to specific titles in fiction, nonfiction, and children’s books. The titles must be either about New England, set in New England, or by an author residing in New England, and can be either a hardcover or paperback, original or reissue that was published between September 1 and August 31.

The 2010 winners are:

• Fiction: Father of the Rain, by Lily King (Grove Atlantic)
• Nonfiction: Let's Take the Long Way Home, by Gail Caldwell (Random House)
• Children's Books: City Dog, Country Frog, written by Mo Willems and illustrated by Jon J Muth (Hyperion)

New Atlantic Booksellers Name Sales Rep of the Year

Bob Werner of Macmillan has been named the Helmuth Sales Rep of the Year by the New Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association.

Werner, a 36-year book industry veteran, began his career as a bookseller at the Harvard Coop in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His career as a sales rep, which began in 1978, included stints at Rodale Publishers, William Morrow, Henry Holt, and Macmillan.

Werner will receive the Helmuth Sales Rep of the Year Award at the NAIBA Fall Conference Awards Banquet on Tuesday, September 21, in Atlantic City.