Authors fear the worst if Penguin owner takes over Simon & Schuster

Analysis: if Bertelsmann, owner of Penguin Random House, buys US publisher, writers expect smaller deals and less choice for readersUK watchdog investigates Penguin owner’s Simon & Schuster takeoverJokes circulated online when, in 2013, Penguin and Random House merged: would the new mega-publisher, which became the world’s biggest trade publishing group, be known as Random Penguin? Penguin House? Now, as the prosaically named Penguin Random House’s parent company Bertelsmann’s $2.17bn acquisition of Simon & Schuster comes under scrutiny in the UK, the jokes are fewer and further between.Authors have made it abundantly clear that they fear the fallout if the deal goes ahead. When it was first announced last November, the Authors Guild in the US was quick to register its objections. The acquisition, which would bring heavyweight S&S authors including Hillary Clinton, John Irving, Stephen King and Bob Woodward under the PRH umbrella in the US, would “creat[e] a huge imbalance in the US publishing industry”, it warned, calling on the US justice department to step in. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2021-03-22 23:24:23 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Authors fear the worst if Penguin owner takes over Simon & Schuster"


Penguin Random House put up billboards displaying the work of LGBTQ authors in Texas and Florida.

In the midst of a deluge of book bans across the country, Penguin Random House has erected billboards featuring quotes from books by LGBTQ authors in six cities—New York City, Chicago, Dallas, Orlando, Miami and Austin. Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law and Texas’ anti-trans youth healthcare bills... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-07-19 14:46:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Dana Canedy to Step Down at Simon & Schuster

On July 27, exactly two years to the date since she took over S&S's flagship imprint, Dana Canedy will step down from her position as senior v-p and publisher. Her predecessor, S&S president and CEO Jonathan Karp, will lead the imprint "for the foreseeable future." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Book Deals: Week of July 11, 2022

Random House buys a memoir about alcoholism and family, and Irish novelist Joseph O’Connor sells a historical trilogy to Europa. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


How TikTok Became a Best Seller Machine

#BookTok, where enthusiastic readers share reading recommendations, has gone from being a novelty to becoming an anchor in the publishing industry and a dominant driver of fiction sales. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-07-01 13:38:09 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Book Deals: Week of July 4, 2022

Random House picks up a new novel by Salman Rushdie and a leadership guide by Bob Iger, Europa signs a British debut, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


S&S Launches Banned Books Promotion for Bookstores

In response to growing book censorship, Simon & Schuster has launched a “Read banned books!” promotion that provides information on challenged titles, in-store displays, and social media materials. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Frederick Douglass Books, a new imprint, will publish nonfiction by writers of color.

Forefront Books and the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives are teaming up to form Frederick Douglass Books, a publishing imprint meant to “establish a pathway for Black and Brown authors” into the publishing industry, the two organizations announced in a press release last week. The imprint... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-06-16 13:04:40 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Obituary: Lisa Hill

Long-time book sales representative Lisa Hill, a veteran of Random House and S&S, died on June 9 at Hospice of W. Kentucky from a short illness. She was 60. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-14 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Unseen works by ‘queen of gothic fiction’ Shirley Jackson published

Two previously unseen short stories by Jackson, rated by Stephen King as one of the great horror fiction writers, are to appear in US magazine the StrandTwo previously unpublished short stories by Shirley Jackson, the queen of gothic fiction, have been released.Charlie Roberts and Only Stand and... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-06-09 14:05:30 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Penguin Random House to Distribute for Disney Publishing

Starting next April 1, Penguin Random House Publisher Services will take over distribution of the adult and children’s print books published by Disney Publishing Worldwide. Under the agreement, PRHPS will also take on distribution of Marvel Publishing’s collected editions and graphic novels to... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Post Hill Press Starts New Imprint, Twin Flame

The imprint, which will publish nonfiction titles in the spirituality, relationships, and sexuality categories, is led by editorial director Elena Vega, who formerly worked as an editor for Macmillan and Simon & Schuster. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-06-02 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


U.S. Book Show: Pondering a Healthy Publishing Industry

Panelists addressing the issue of what a healthy publishing industry looks like concluded that, while the industry is suffering some severe aches and pains, creative remedies could bolster the book business—as long as industry leaders are willing to reimagine old formulas. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-25 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Jen Silverman on Re-reading, Making a Tarot Deck, and Other Kinds of Escape

Jen Silverman’s novel, We Play Ourselves, is out now in paperback from Random House, so we asked about her favorite books to give to friends, the best stories to revisit, and how she procrastinates. * What is your favorite book to give as a gift? I am bad at many things in life, among them... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-05-24 08:51:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Random House Brings Licensed Titles Under One Roof

Random House has created a new imprint dedicated to licensed book publishing. Starting in 2023, Random House Worlds will house Random House’s adult licensed titles under the direction of Keith Clayton, v-p, deputy publisher of Del Rey, who will also serve as publishing director of Random House... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Unnnamed Press Prepares for Transition

The pending departure of Unnamed Press executive editor Olivia Taylor Smith for Simon & Schuster is just the latest development for the edgy Los Angeles independent press. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-06 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Penguin Random House, Authors Guild on Book Bannings

As book-bannings sweep the United States, two campaigns from the industry demonstrate different styles and tones of response. The post Penguin Random House, Authors Guild on Book Bannings appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-05-06 00:17:19 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Publishing Two Ways Makes Rowman & Littlefield a Winner

The combination of professional and trade publishing keeps one of the country's largest independent publishers moving forward. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-29 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Stephen King's ‘Scariest Work Yet’ Might Be This Ridiculous Microwave Recipe

The internet is in “misery” after the horror legend shared the recipe on Twitter. Continue reading at The Huffington Post

[ The Huffington Post | 2022-04-22 03:28:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Black Lives Matter Spurs a Publishing Awakening

David Unger, director of the Publishing Certificate Program at the City College of New York, highlights how Black Lives Matter woke up the publishing industry. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Book Deals: Week of April 11, 2022

Dallas Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall sells a memoir to Ballantine, Random House buys a Lincoln bio from Jon Meacham, and more. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-04-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this