Are small publishers doing all the hard work for the big ones?

These days, it is minimally staffed and funded firms who invest in new authors. The giants avoid such risk, only picking the writers once their names are madePaul McVeigh and Kirsty Logan are authors you may have heard of. Both of their debuts were published by Salt, an independent publisher. Paul McVeigh’s The Good Son was shortlisted for a bunch of awards, and won the Polari first book prize this year. Kirsty Logan’s The Rental Heart and Other Fairytales won three awards — including the Polari in 2015— and Logan had her next book published with Harvill Secker, a division of Penguin Random House. The same trajectory is likely for Paul McVeigh. It’s a familiar story.Independent publishers have existed since the 19th century; it wasn’t until the 20th and the 21st that we saw the industry dominated by a few corporations. “The Big Four” publishers – Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, Hachette and HarperCollins – have grown big by buying up small publishers. Hogarth, for example, was founded by Leonard and Virginia Woolf in 1917; now it is an imprint at the Crown Publishing Group, which is in turn a part of Penguin Random House – which itself used to be Penguin and Random House before their merger in 2013. Phew. Related: 'Crazy but fantastic': Man Booker prize pitches tiny publishers into big league Related: A northern powerhouse really is coming – in publishing Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2016-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]

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England: ‘A (Very) Short History’ Wins the £25,000 Royal Society Science Book Prize

The paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Henry Gee wins the 2022 Royal Society Science Book Prize sponsored by Insight Investment. The post England: ‘A (Very) Short History’ Wins the £25,000 Royal Society Science Book Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-11-29 20:32:49 UTC ]
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Lit Hub Daily: November 29, 2022

Nick Fuller Googins makes the case for selling Simon & Schuster to… the employees of Simon & Schuster. | Lit Hub The 23 best old books we read (or reread) in 2022. | Lit Hub Reading Lists Read a new translation of “The Caucasus” by Ukrainian poet-hero Taras Shevchenko: “The bones / Of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-29 11:30:48 UTC ]
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In Praise of the Worker-Owned Company (OR: What to Do About Simon and Schuster)

Well, Simon & Schuster is not going to be sold, for now. A federal judge ruled in October that Penguin Random House couldn’t buy the publisher, and since then, Simon & Schuster’s parent company has decided against mounting an appeal. That said, the future of America’s third-largest... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-29 09:53:56 UTC ]
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What’s Next for Simon & Schuster?

Paramount is likely to seek a new home for the publisher after it terminated the sales agreement with Penguin Random House. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-23 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Paramount pulls offer to sell Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House

After a judge blocked the sale of Simon & Schuster to Penguin Random House, S&S parent company Paramount pulls its sale offer and declines to appeal. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-11-21 22:50:02 UTC ]
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Paramount scraps $2.2bn sale of Simon & Schuster publishing to Penguin

Penguin owner Bertelsmann will not appeal US judge’s ruling that merger would be illegal because it would hit authors’ payPenguin Random House, the world’s largest book publisher, and rival Simon & Schuster have scrapped a $2.2bn deal to merge, Penguin’s owner said in a statement on... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-11-21 22:41:38 UTC ]
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The Merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster Is Dead in the Water

S&S has decided not to extend the deal's deadline, which prevents PRH from appealing the court's decision to block the merger. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-11-21 14:58:02 UTC ]
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PRH, S&S Deal Likely Dead

With the purchase agreement between Paramount and Penguin Random House set to expire, reports from multiple media sources say that Simon & Schuster's parent company will let the deadline lapse, thereby killing the deal. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-21 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Simon & Schuster and Penguin Random House Deal on the Verge of Collapse

Penguin Random House’s agreement to buy Simon & Schuster is set to fall through. Simon & Schuster’s parent company decided not to extend it after a judge blocked the purchase. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-11-21 02:56:51 UTC ]
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Book Deals: Week of November 21, 2022

The editor-in-chief of Electric Literature sells a debut novel to Random House, Europa takes on a novel by the director of the Turin Book Fair, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-11-18 05:00:00 UTC ]
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The Guardian view on the book publishing industry: no one size fits all | Editorial

The failure of a recent bid to merge two large publishing companies shines a light on a central issue of cultural powerDespite a rise in self-publishing, commercial publishers are still the main gatekeepers of what arrives on our bookshelves. As such, they have great cultural and – if a book... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-11-04 18:25:28 UTC ]
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Your guide to free virtual literary events this November.

We love to be active and engaged members of the literary community. We also love to not leave our bed. Now you can do both! * 2022 Brooklyn Public Library Book Prize Celebration November 2 @ 7pm EST Hosted by Isaac Fitzgerald, this event will celebrate the winners of this year’s BPL Book Prize... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-11-02 13:30:38 UTC ]
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A Merger Between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster Was Blocked, but Brought the Industry Little Clarity

The uncertainty comes at a time when publishing is facing slumping sales after a pandemic boom, and fears of recession. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-11-01 22:14:42 UTC ]
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Court Blocks Merger of Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster

A Federal Court has blocked Penguin Random House's acquisition of one of its main rivals, Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-11-01 16:06:02 UTC ]
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Court Blocks PRH-Simon & Schuster Acquisition

In the United States, Judge Pan rules against the merger of trade book publishers Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster. The post Court Blocks PRH-Simon & Schuster Acquisition appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-11-01 02:36:58 UTC ]
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Judge blocks Penguin Random House takeover of Simon & Schuster

Biden administration receives a clear victory, with the judge ruling the blockbuster merger would diminish competition in book publishing. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2022-11-01 00:51:06 UTC ]
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US judge blocks $2.2bn Penguin Random House merger

Justice department argued the melding of the publishing house with Simon & Schuster would harm competition and authors’ payA US judge has blocked the $2.2bn planned merger of Penguin Random House, the world’s largest book publisher, with rival Simon & Schuster.Judge Florence Pan of the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-11-01 00:30:18 UTC ]
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Title and Pub Date of Prince Harry Memoir Revealed

The memoir by Prince Harry, announced by publisher Random House in July, finally has a title and a publication date: 'Spare' will be released on January 10, 2023. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-10-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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‘When Women Kill’ Wins the 2022 British Academy Book Prize

Commended for revealing 'attitudes to female homicides,' Alia Trabucco Zerán's work of research wins the British Academy's £25,000 award. The post ‘When Women Kill’ Wins the 2022 British Academy Book Prize appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-10-27 02:56:02 UTC ]
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Book Riot’s YA Book Deals of the Day: October 22, 2022

The best YA book deals of the day, sponsored by Penguin Random House Audio: browse today where you can discover books that play!`Penguin Random House... Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-10-22 10:30:00 UTC ]
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