Philip Pullman leads writers condemning 'pernicious' book discounts

His Dark Materials novelist says today’s steep price cuts devalue authors’ work and cheapen the experience of readingWith more than two months to go before Philip Pullman’s long-awaited new novel from the world of His Dark Materials is published, pre-orders have sent La Belle Sauvage flying up bestseller lists. But with booksellers already slashing the cover price in half, the award-winning author has spoken out about how cheap books devalue the experience of reading, and called for an end to the “pernicious” doctrine of “market fundamentalism” if literary culture is to survive.Pullman is president of the Society of Authors, which is launching a campaign for publishers to stop damaging authors’ earnings by discounting bulk sales to book clubs and supermarkets, and has slammed the cut-price culture in his trade. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2017-08-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dulwich Books holds its first literary festival

Dulwich Books hosted its first literary festival over half-term, using the money it received as the winner of the Independent Bookshop of the Year award at the Bookseller Industry Awards in May. The south London bookshop won a £5,000 prize sponsored by Gardners for winning the award, and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Falconry book wins £20,000 prize

Author Helen Macdonald wins the Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction for H is for Hawk, a memoir about how becoming a falconer helped her deal with grief. Continue reading at BBC News

[ BBC News | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nosy Crow turns apps into picture books

Nosy Crow will next year turn its fairy tale apps, including recent addition Jack and the Beanstalk, into picture books.   Digital manager Tom Bonnick told The Bookseller the decision was a “no-brainer” because of all the “fantastic artwork” he had from animator and illustrator Ed Bryan. “We... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Unbound seeks to draw in more women writers

Crowdfunding publisher Unbound has launched Women in Print, a campaign to encourage more female writers to submit their ideas for books. Unbound has published 43 books, two magazines and a box set of photos to date, of which 32 were by male authors, 12 by female authors, and two by male and... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PRH Canada Cancels Ghomeshi's Book

Penguin Random House Canada has canceled the forthcoming book by former CBC Radio host Jian Ghomeshi, who is currently embroiled in a sexual harassment scandal. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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VIDEO: Empty nest and elephants inspire book

Jodi Picoult's latest book explores a mother-daughter relationship and was inspired by the author's youngest daughter leaving home Continue reading at BBC World

[ BBC World | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Book People donates £13,000 to RNIB

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has created four talking books for blind and partially sighted children thanks to a £13,000 donation from The Book People. The Book People donated the money to the RNIB Read campaign, which is aimed at making reading more accessible for blind... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Michael Bond: 'I'd hate another writer to use Paddington'

Michael Bond has taken legal advice on how to stop other authors writing about Paddington Bear after his death, according to the Times.   In an interview published in the newspaper on Saturday 1st November , Bond said he has already consulted a lawyer over how to protect his creation and that... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bursaries to bring writers and technologists together

Author support site The Writing Platform is encouraging writers and technologists to work together, with bursaries to fund new collaborative projects. Two bursaries of £4,000 each will be awarded to teams made up of one writer and one technologist, to fund a three month project. Teams can... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Diversion Books Launches Romance Retail App

E-book publisher Diversion Books has launched EverAfter, a bookstore app dedicated to romance titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Oyster Adds Book List Recommendations

E-book subscription service Oyster is adding a Book Lists feature to expand its ability to offer book recommendations to readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Scots back kids’ book centre at Moat Brae

The Scottish book industry has spoken out in support of the creation of a new centre for children’s literature in Dumfries, due to open in 2017. The Peter Pan Moat Brae Trust (PPMBT) is hoping to raise £5.9m to open the centre at Moat Brae—a Georgian townhouse, currently in a state of... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bonnier Publishing acquires Igloo Books

Bonnier Publishing has acquired Igloo Books, saying the acquisition makes the publisher a "dominant force" in children's mass market publishing. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Puffin to publish Novak’s The Book With No Pictures

Puffin has acquired the new children’s book from US actor and comedian B J Novak. The Book With No Pictures begins by suggesting that non-illustrated books seem serious and boring, but goes on to use words read aloud in an original and humorous way, in a shared reading experience illustrated in... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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S&S brings forward Malala picture book

Simon and Schuster Children’s Books is bringing forward the publication of Malala, a Brave Girl from Pakistan/Iqbal, a Brave Boy from Pakistan in light of Malala’s recent win of the Nobel Peace Prize, and will publish it next week.   The picture book tells the stories of Malala Yousafzai, who... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PW Picks: Books of the Week, November 3, 2014

This week: new Richard Ford, how music was captured, and classic children's books get gnarly. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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First Editions, Annotated by Famous Writers, Up for Auction

The PEN American Center is putting 75 one-of-a-kind first editions, annotated by America's most famous authors and poets, on the block. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Doyle, Toibin, Norton, Keane up for Irish Book Awards

Roddy Doyle, Colm Tóibín, Roy Keane, Graham Norton and Cecilia Ahern are among the authors shortlisted for the Bord Gáis Energy Irish Book Awards 2014.   Tóibín’s Nora Webster (Viking) is shortlisted for Eason Novel of the Year, alongside The Thrill of it All by Joseph O’Connor (Harvill... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How Booksellers Can Succeed with Spanish Books: Spanish-Language Publishing 2014

Hispanics are the fastest-growing ethnic group in the U.S., and they are not only growing in terms of numbers but also expanding their presence in regions across the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Check It Out with Peter Brantley: New Standards for E-book Distribution

In a fast-changing industry like publishing, the simple things are often the most useful. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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