Annik LaFarge Out as Publishing Director at Bloomsbury

After a devastating year that saw U.S. sales plunge 14.9%, Bloomsbury has fired its publishing director, Annik LaFarge.

Ms. LaFarge joined Bloomsbury in November 2005, Bloomsbury said in an announcement at the time that Ms. LaFarge--who had been working at Crown-- would be serving as a “liaison between editorial and marketing/publicity, coordinating pre-publication plans, seeing books through publication and helping to maximize sales.”

Ms. LaFarge confirmed by phone this morning that she had been fired and had started giving away her office supplies, but declined to comment further.

Ms. LaFarge’s departure comes several months after Bloomsbury issued a statement saying that its U.S. operation was not expected to turn a profit this year. At the time Bloomsbury said it would have to reduce staff by means of attrition.

A call to Bloomsbury US publisher Karen Rinaldi was not immediately returned.