Philip Pullman argues that authors are being shortchanged on ebook loans

Few people understand the magic of libraries better than Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials, but all is not well when it comes to digital lending. As the soon-to-be president of the Society of Authors, Pullman is leading the charge against publishing houses that may be shortchanging writers on ebook loans. In a letter to major publishers like Random House and Bloomsbury, Pullman argues that selling ebooks to libraries as single sales rather than licenses costs authors up to two-thirds the income they receive from print loans. The Society's brief calls for the industry to reconsider existing models for compensation so that writers can continue producing books with which to line library shelves. After all, without authors, there would be no books, and as Pullman himself wrote, "Without stories, we wouldn't be human beings at all." Filed under: Misc Comments Via: The Guardian, The Telegraph Source: The Society of Authors (PDF) Continue reading at 'Engadget'

[ Engadget | 2013-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]

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Penguin Development Group Quietly Pads Slate

Random House has Random House Films. Macmillan has Macmillan Films. And Penguin? Although the house has been low-key about the ways it has begun to dip its corporate toes into film production, and Hollywood, it, too, is making inroads there. One way is with Penguin Development Group. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-01-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Publishers Lunch Opens “Bookateria” Book Discovery Site with Random House

Bookateria, a new book discovery and sales site, features titles that are being discussed, reviewed and recommended by those in the industry and the media. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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China ‘investigating Amazon ebooks’

Chinese authorities have started investigating Amazon’s methods of selling ebooks in the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon wins EU ebook pricing battle with Apple and major book publishers

The European Union has accepted an offer from Apple and four major publishers to reduce pricing restrictions on content offered at Amazon and other book-sellers. After being caught out by the EU, we heard that the offer was likely to be adopted last month, and the commission has now confirmed... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-12-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Girls' creator Lena Dunham's book proposal leaks online

Lena Dunham's 66-page book proposal earned her $3.5 million in her deal with Random House. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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RH US staff get $5,000 Fifty Shades bonus

  Random House US employees will all be receiving a $5,000 bonus this year due to the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'50 Shades' Success Yields $5,000 Bonuses at Random House

Employees at book publisher Random House are getting a little something extra in their fishnet Christmas stockings this year, a $5,000 bonus. The bonus, which will be the same for top editors as their secretaries, follows a particularly good year for the publishing house in... Continue reading at ABC News

[ ABC News | 2012-12-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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E-Serials as the “Third Layer” in the Publishing World

Plympton—a startup publisher of serialized digital fiction—was created as 'a nimble alternative to the major publishers and online markets,' as the founders explain. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-12-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Headline's Byrne moves to Cornerstone, Ronan promoted

Headline's UK and international sales director Aslan Byrne is moving to Random House as sales... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Christmas digital consumer campaign from Random House

Random House UK has launched its first digital consumer campaign for Christmas on dedicated... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bertelsmann Buys 100% of Random House Mondadori

Bertelsmann’s Random House will now own 100 percent of the shares in Random House Mondadori, its trade book publisher in Spain and Latin America. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Random House: Supergroup to redefine trade

Universal shock at the news on Monday (29th October) of a merger between Penguin and Random House... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-11-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Makinson, Rebuck, Dohle reassure staff and clients

Random House and Penguin chiefs have moved to reassure staff, authors and agents as news of the... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book merger 'will not be blocked'

Penguin and Random House, which are merging to form one of the world's biggest publishers, are confident of regulatory approval but will sell "bits and pieces" if necessary. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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News Corp. Unit Interested in Penguin Group

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. has expressed interest in buying book publisher Penguin Group, potentially undermining merger discussions between Penguin and Random House, people familiar with the situation said. Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2012-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin/Random House merger confirmed

Pearson and Bertelsmann have confirmed that Penguin and Random House are to combine into a new... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin talks lift Pearson shares

Pearson shares open higher on news that two of the world's biggest publishers, Penguin and Random House, are in talks about a possible merger. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2012-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin and Random House: Will they combine to form the world's biggest publisher?

Pearson, the owner of Penguin, and Bertelsmann, Random House's parent company, are currently in discussions to merge the two companies. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Random House and Penguin in "merger" talks

Pearson has confirmed that it is in talks with Bertelsmann regarding a potential merger between... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2012-10-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dunham’s $3.7m Advance: Everything Wrong With Publishing Today?

Lena Dunham, creator of HBO’s Girls, signed a $3.7 million book deal with Random House. Rob Spillman says it is emblematic of all that is wrong with corporate publishing today. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2012-10-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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