On eve of Costa awards, experts warn that top books prizes are harming fiction

The dominance of three honours in the UK can be prohibitively expensive for small publishers, and end up discouraging risk-taking on ‘difficult’ authorsCutting-edge British literary fiction risks being undermined by its growing reliance on a handful of powerful book prizes, a leading literary agent has warned. But the associated costs of entering the biggest awards mean independent publishers willing to take risks on “difficult” works without obvious marketing potential are being shut out of contention.The warnings, from Jonny Geller of Curtis Brown, come as the Costa book of the year judges prepare to announce the shortlist for the £30,000 award. He said: “Literary fiction is under threat in this country due to a combination of factors – reluctance by major houses to take risks; a bottleneck in the distribution chain [and] diverse voices being ignored by a predominantly white, middle-class industry.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #curtis brown #costa book #literary fiction #major houses #diverse voices #predominantly white

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iBookstore joins Fiction Uncovered promotion

Publication Date: Mon, 14/02/2011 - 08:31 Apple's iBookstore is the latest retailer to sign up to Fiction Uncovered as the new promotion for midlist authors attracts 80 submissions. The online giant joins Waterstone's and Waterstones.co.uk, Foyles, The Book Depository, Amazon.co.uk, W H Smith... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fiction uncovered #book depository #smith travel #indie bookshops


HarperCollins Children's Books acquires four

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Mon, 14/02/2011 - 17:21 HarperCollins Childrens Books publishing director Helen Mackenzie Smith has bought her first books since joining the publisher from Random House earlier this year. She bought four books by picture author and illustrator Rachel... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books acquires #harpercollins children #world rights #literary agency


The Pitfalls of E-Book Buying: What to Look Out for Before You Purchase

Easy downloads and convenient storage are the chief lures of a virtual library, but ownership has some irritating downsides that require your attention before you hit the ebook purchase button. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dominic Kingston to leave Macmillan Children's Books

Publication Date: Thu, 10/02/2011 - 07:55 Senior publicity manager Dominic Kingston is to leave Macmillan Children's Books (MCB) at the end of April. Kingston has been with the publisher since 2005, when he joined as publicity manager. Lauren Ace will join the team as publicity manager on 7th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books mcb #publicity manager #lauren ace #7th march #tiger press


Beautiful Books acquires two "major" autumn titles

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 10/02/2011 - 08:00 Beautiful Books has acquired two "major" non-fiction titles for autumn 2011, with one revisiting Orwell's Wigan Pier and another looking at one of the first people to recognise the Young British Artists (YBA). Publisher... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #non-fiction titles


The Daily Is A Top News App But Download Complaints Soar

While it’s probably not surprising given the buzz around the launch of News Corp.’s tablet-only publication, but The Daily is currently #1 in “Top Apps” and #1 in “News Apps,” according to topappcharts.com. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Booker Foundation launches Beryl Bainbridge prize

Publication Date: Tue, 08/02/2011 - 08:55 The Man Booker Foundation is to award a special prize to the late author Beryl Bainbridge, who was shortlisted five times for the accolade but never won. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The 2010 Eddie and Ozzie Award Winners

The Eddie and Ozzie awards recognize excellence in magazine and digital editorial and design. The awards draw by far the widest variety of publication types—from b-to-b to consumer to association and custom—and our industry is particularly proud of its creative output. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Waterstone coy on bid for book chain

Written By: Bookseller Staff Publication Date: Mon, 07/02/2011 - 09:20 Tim Waterstone is reportedly pondering a bid to buy the bookstore he founded in 1982 with HMV billionaire investor Alexander Mamut. In the recent past, Waterstone has distanced himself from a bid saying while he would be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book chain #recent past


French book sales down 1.5% in 2010

Written By: Barbara Casassus Publication Date: Mon, 07/02/2011 - 08:53 Sales of books in France fell by 1.5% in 2010 or 0.5% without taking account of book price inflation, according to French weekly Livres Hebdo’s indicators. After three years of increase, the decline came as retailing in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Will Apple Close the e-Book on Kindle?

Analysis: Apple is modifying its licensing policy, raising doubts that ebooks bought elsewhere will be readable on Apple devices. Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2011-02-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #apple devices #ebooks bought


Emma Hopkin to leave Macmillan Children's Books

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Fri, 04/02/2011 - 16:42 Emma Hopkin, managing director of Macmillan children's books, is to leave the company on 21st April to "pursue an exciting new challenge elsewhere in children's publishing". Hopkin said: "It's been fantastic and I've... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #macmillan children #exciting opportunity


Trade gears up for industry awards

Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 04/02/2011 - 09:07 The starting gun has been fired for the Bookseller Industry Awards, which this year have been expanded with two new categories celebrating public libraries and children’s publishing. The awards, which run on 16th May during... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #industry awards #trade gears #childrens publishing #starting gun


Penguin Children's Books creates new licensing wing

Written By: Benedicte Page A new Media and Entertainment group has been created within Penguin Children’s Books under newly promoted publishing director Eric Huang. The group combines the BBC Children's, Sunbird and Ladybird licensing teams. Penguin Children's Books m.d. Francesca Dow said... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #penguin children #benedicte page #entertainment group #bbc children #francesca dow


Goldsboro Books to double in size with new shop

Written By: Lisa Campbell Central London independent Goldsboro Books is expanding to a new premises more than double its size. The retailer, is currently based in Cecil Court in a 40 square metre premises. However, at the end of March the store is moving to a new site in the same street that is... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #goldsboro books #cecil court


Open Road to Publish Virginia Hamilton E-books

On February 15, Open Road Integrated Media will publish the first children’s titles in its “author branded program”: seven ebooks by Newbery Medal and National Book Award winner Virginia Hamilton, who died in 2002. Among the ebooks on the list are Newbery and NBA winner M.C. Higgins, the Great. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #newbery medal #open road


ASA drops W H Smith R&J book club ad complaint

Written By: Lisa Campbell A complaint against a W H Smith advert for the Richard and Judy Book Club has not been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority. The television broadcast, promoting the husband-and wife team’s exclusive deal with W H Smith to run Richard and Judy’s Book Club,... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #lisa campbell


Juliet Rogers to leave Murdoch Books

Written By: Graeme Neill Juliet Rogers, chief executive of food and illustrated publisher Murdoch Books, is stepping down from the publisher with immediate effect after 10 years in charge. She will be replaced by Bruce Haslett, who ran the Time Magazine and Sports Illustrated businesses of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #time magazine #murdoch books


Cairo Book Fair cancelled amid demonstrations in Egypt

Written By: Bookseller Staff The 43rd Cairo Book Fair, due to have been held this week, has been cancelled. The Guardian reports that "many foreign exhibitors" have been left stranded after failing to secure flights home, while others have had to abandon stands and books after the fair was... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #guardian reports #left stranded


Random House buys book on BP oil crisis

Written By: Charlotte Williams Random House Books has acquired one of the first books on the Gulf of Mexico oil leak, Spills and Spin: The Inside Story of BP by Reuters oil-industry reporter Tom Bergin. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #inside story