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 ]

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Penguin Random House Expands Its Christian Publishing Program

The Penguin Random House Christian Publishing Group, a new standalone entity, will expand and build upon on the publisher’s existing evangelical Christian publishing programs under the leadership of Campbell Wharton. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House Grew Slightly More Diverse in 2024

According to the publisher’s fifth annual demographics report, 68.9% of the company’s entire workforce was white in 2024, down from 70.1% in 2023. The percentage of new hires of BIPOC workers fell slightly in the year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Small, local book festivals are still thriving | Letters

Stewart Collins says support for the Petworth literary festival in West Sussex is growing, and Kathryn Streatfield suggests local events are the solution for a changing festival worldLaura Barton’s piece paints an understandably downbeat picture of where we are now in the world of the literary... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-29 16:25:30 UTC ]
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AAP StatShot: US Publishing Industry Up 8.5 Percent in August

The United States' book publishing trade in August was up 13.4 percent year over year, and was up 8.1 percent year-to-date. The post AAP StatShot: US Publishing Industry Up 8.5 Percent in August appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-10-29 15:02:49 UTC ]
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R.F. Kuang Has Called Out The Publishing Industry With Satire. But The Truth Is, She’s Ready For Change.

The “Yellowface” author is using her voice to bring Asian and Asian American histories to life on the page, and advocating for others to do the same. Continue reading at HuffPost

[ HuffPost | 2024-10-22 15:00:22 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House Moves to Prohibit AI Companies From Using Its Books

PRH will add language to its copyright pages prohibiting AI companies from data mining, John Grisham accuse of poaching material, and more. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-10-21 15:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House amends its copyright rules to protect authors from AI

Artificial intelligence makers have faced a mountain of criticism for borrowing from the work of others to train its models. Now the world’s largest publishing house is taking steps to ensure its authors don’t have their work plagiarized in the name of progress. The Bookseller reports that... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-10-18 21:04:36 UTC ]
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Random House to Publish Ayana Gray's Adult Fantasy Debut

'I, Medusa,' a Black feminist retelling of Greek myth from the author of the YA trilogy Beasts of Prey, is slated for fall 2025. Random House editorial director for fiction Caitlin McKenna acquired North American rights in what she called a "heated" auction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House to Publish Memoir by Pope Francis

'Hope' will be published by Random House in the U.S., and simultaneously in more than 80 countries, on January 14, with Italian publisher Mondadori managing world rights. Random House is touting the book as "the first memoir written by a sitting pontiff." Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Inklore, Tiny Onion to Copublish Three New Series by James Tynion IV

The imprint of Random House Worlds, which launched last year, has partnered with Tynion’s independent production house to publish three original graphic novel series by Tynion as part of a 12-book deal. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Which One of You Sent Me Lonesome Dove in the Mail? Or: Tackling the Great American Western

It was a random day in August when a trade paperback copy of Lonesome Dove showed up in the mail from Simon & Schuster. It didn’t come with a press release or a note, and I’m still not sure who sent it to me (I’ve asked a few S&S publicists and it remains a mystery!), […] Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-10-10 11:50:25 UTC ]
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How Book Bans Happen Under the Radar

Thousands of books have been publicly challenged and removed from libraries in the past couple of years. Elizabeth Harris, who covers books and the publishing industry for The New York Times, explains how books are being pulled from libraries in a quiet process called weeding. Weeding normally... Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-10-08 09:00:02 UTC ]
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China’s Publishing Industry Seeks New Growth Amid Recovery

A look at China’s book market data shows signs of post-pandemic recovery, as well as new trends in book sales channels. The post China’s Publishing Industry Seeks New Growth Amid Recovery appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-10-08 00:27:24 UTC ]
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Black British Book festival founder criticises lack of diversity in publishing

Increasing number of black authors forced to self-publish or promote work on social media, says Selina BrownThe founder of a book festival celebrating black authors has said they are “forced” to pave their own way into the publishing world because of a lack of diversity within the... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-02 16:06:33 UTC ]
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A 64-Year-Old Literary Agent and TikTok Star Adds ‘Novelist’ to Her Résumé

Betsy Lerner has spent decades in the publishing industry. Writing her first novel, “Shred Sisters,” unlocked a completely new side to her creativity. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-10-01 19:20:03 UTC ]
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Banned Books Week: A Renewed Court Challenge to Iowa

After an appeals court ruling upholds the First Amendment in school libraries, the Big Five and others renew their lawsuit of the state of Iowa. By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson See also: During US Book Banning Week: A New Resolution in Congress US Supreme Court: AAP,... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-09-27 22:59:46 UTC ]
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US Supreme Court: AAP, Authors Guild File Brief on Sexual Content Law

Banned Books Week: Association of American Publishers, Authors Guild, and others file an amicus brief with US Supreme Court. The post US Supreme Court: AAP, Authors Guild File Brief on Sexual Content Law appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-09-24 18:56:17 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House Creates New Role to Help Battle Book Bans

Rosalie (Rosie) Stewart, most recently manager of grassroots communications for the ALA's Public Policy and Advocacy Office, will join the publisher as senior manager for public policy, reporting directly to PRH VP Skip Dye, a key move that signals the publisher's intent to expand its battle... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-09-20 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Exclusive Cover Reveal of “When the Harvest Comes” by Denne Michele Norris

Electric Literature is pleased to reveal the cover of When the Harvest Comes by editor-in-chief Denne Michele Norris, which will be published by Random House on April 15, 2025. You can pre-order your copy here. In this heart-wrenching debut novel, a young Black gay man reckoning with the death... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2024-09-18 11:04:00 UTC ]
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Authors Guild Reaches Agreement with Troubled TouchPoint Press

After hearing from dozens of authors about the poor business practices of TouchPoint Press, the Authors Guild has reached an agreement with founder Sheri Williams to pay authors overdue royalties, revert rights back to any author who has not yet received them, and close the press. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-09-16 04:00:00 UTC ]
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