Chuck Shelton, Managing Editor of Neilsen's US Literary Group - which includes Kirkus Reviews and The Book Standard - is leaving behind not only his post, but the publishing industry altogether. "I leave New York in just under a month for Italy, where I'll be managing a trio of b&b's in Florence," he explained in an email to GalleyCat late last week. "Interesting things fell into place last fall while I was in Italy, entirely by happenstance, fueled by hubris, wine and beautiful people: right place, right time. I took an entrepreneurial opportunity of my own devising but came back to New York for a few months only to make sure I wasn't jumping off a cliff I didn't want to jump off of."

His last day with the company is March 8, though he is working on transition plans with the London office of the Neilsen Group (which also owns the Bookseller.)Shelton started off his publishing career with Kirkus at the tender age of 18 and stayed there ever since, excluding a three-year stint as a producer at NBC News/MSNBC from 1997 to 2000, after which he returned and was instrumental in conceiving, building and launching The Book Standard in 2005.

We wish all the best to Chuck in his new career, and we'll sorely miss his biting, snarkalicious wit that entertained us at many a book shindig.