An author bought his own book to get higher on bestseller lists. Is that fair?

Author Mark Dawson has attracted criticism after bulk buying his own book gave him a high chart position. But that isn’t breaking any rulesFor any author, being able to describe yourself as a bona fide bestseller is key to conferring your career with a certain gravitas – and will often bring you even more sales. In the UK, while most book charts are tallied by Nielsen BookScan, the Sunday Times bestseller list – like the New York Times chart in the US – has become the gold standard. But making the bestseller list isn’t necessarily as straightforward as tallying sales. Not all is fair in romance and war (and other genres) when it comes to getting to the top of the charts.Take the case of Mark Dawson, a British writer who just over a week ago hit No 8 on the Sunday Times hardback list with his thriller The Cleaner, released by the independent publisher Welbeck at the end of June. This is a great achievement for any author or small publishing house, but Dawson had done something remarkable: he bought 400 copies of his own book, at a cost of £3,600, to push his sales high enough to make the top 10. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2020-07-20 15:59:35 UTC ]
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Maximum Pop! launches books channel

Maximum Pop!, a pop music site for 14-21 year olds, has launched a dedicated channel for YA books. The company has hired a full-time books editor, former YA blogger Laura Fulton, to run the books area of the site and already has more than 4,000 followers of its twitter account... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Style writer Francesca Hornak to Pavilion Books

Portico, an imprint of Pavilion Books, has bought two books by Sunday Times Style writer Francesca Hornak. Commissioning editor Nicola Newman bought world rights in History of the World in 100 Modern Objects and Worry With Mother from Olivia Guest of Jonathan Clowes Ltd. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pan Mac acquires four for its biz and science list

Pan Macmillan has made four “major” acquisitions as part of a “significant investment” in its business and popular science lists. Non-fiction publisher Robin Harvie bought UK and Commonwealth rights excluding Canada to The Storyteller’s Secret by Carmine Gallo from SMP. Gallo is the author of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Picks: Books of the Week, July 27, 2015

This week: a vampire story mixed with a detective story, plus the latest from Mary Kubica and Paula McLain. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of July 27, 2015

Equinox’s president takes business advice to Harper, Two Dollar Radio signs its first graphic novel, the Pioneer Woman inks a multi-picture-book deal, and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bodley Head buys book by John Murray's Philipps

The Bodley Head has acquired a biography of spy Donald Maclean, written by John Murray publisher Roland Philipps. Publishing director Stuart Williams bought UK and Commonwealth rights, excluding Canada, to A Spy Named Orphan: The Lives of Donald Maclean, from Natasha Fairweather at United... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This Week's Bestsellers: July 27, 2015

Harper Lee’s "Go Set a Watchman" sets a record, and then some, for first-week sales this year. Plus we look at new books by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Ernest Cline, and others. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple iBooks Category Bestsellers, July 19, 2015

The bestselling iBooks in mystery, romance, sci-fi, biography, fiction, and more for the week ended July 19, 2015. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Training for author events in schools

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[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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IndieReader’s Top 10 Five-star Reviews of Self-Published Books

A selection of the top ten books that have received five star reviews on IndieReader, a service which reviews self-published books. The post IndieReader’s Top 10 Five-star Reviews of Self-Published Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Diversion Adds Print Program for Self-Pubbed Authors

Diversion division EverAfter Romance has launched a print program for its self-published romance authors. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Product Hunt Wants To Be The New Oprah's Book Club

The popular product recommendation site is launching a new vertical for books.Product Hunt is expanding yet again. This time, the wildly popular product recommendation site is launching a new tab dedicated entirely to books. Product Hunt Books, which went live this morning, takes the site's... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Russian Booksellers Balk at “Help” from Putin in Picking Books

Putin's government plans to offer tax breaks and other benefits to booksellers who let the government pick patriotic titles for in store promotions. The post Russian Booksellers Balk at “Help” from Putin in Picking Books appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Asks: Your Top Seuss Books

The Cat, the Lorax, and Horton...those are your favorite Dr. Seuss protagonists. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How New Dr. Seuss Book Was Discovered in a Box by His Widow

Twenty-four years after the death of classic children's author Dr. Seuss, his hidden manuscript was published today to the delight of fans of all ages. Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Vending Machines to Dispense Free Kids Books

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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Is This the Greatest Book Award Acceptance Speech Ever?

Bryan Stevenson took home the Carnegie Medal for 'Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption' and gave a riveting speech that left the audience buzzing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Baddiel pens second children’s book

HarperCollins Children’s Books will publish The Person Controller, the second children’s book from author and comedian David Baddiel. Illustrated by Jim Field, the book is about Fred and Ellie - twins who end up inside a video game, and will be published this October. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ales Kot, the writer taking comic books to mindbending new dimensions

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[ The Guardian | 2015-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Revisit Fables’ Beautiful, Groundbreaking Comic Book Covers

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[ Wired | 2015-07-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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