People want stories and that means cultivating a publishing ecosystem where big and small can flourishThis week both the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority and the Department of Justice in the US announced investigations into the planned $2.2bn acquisition of the publisher Simon & Schuster by Bertelsmann, which already owns Penguin Random House. The merger, if allowed, would see Bertelsmann have almost one-third of English-language book sales. The move follows a year when a population cocooned at home, reaching for comfort reading, inflated the profits of big publishers. Bloomsbury and Pan Macmillan recently announced that they would be returning furlough payments; HarperCollins did not take them.Many of the UK’s smaller publishers fared rather differently: a Bookseller survey last summer found 60% feared they would cease to exist by autumn. Indies tend not to have the backlists full of household names that, say, a Penguin has; they depend far more on serendipity, on a customer wandering into a shop intending to buy one thing but coming out with something else as well. This happens far less with online shopping; at least one publisher lost up to 90% in sales. Some also found it difficult to qualify for furlough. They took to social media to announce their plight, or to try new selling tactics; some crowdfunded; some received emergency Arts Council England cash. Many were dragged back from the brink, for which we should be grateful. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2021-03-28 17:25:47 UTC ]
Bloomsbury has acquired Irish writer Louise Kennedy’s debut collection of short stories and her first novel in a "fiercely contested" nine-way bidding war, ahead of this month’s Frankfurt Book Fair. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-02 22:07:05 UTC ]
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The British Book Awards and The Bookseller’s working class survey have been shortlisted for prizes at this year’s Professional Publishers Association (PPA) Independent Publisher Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-02 16:52:21 UTC ]
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Bloomsbury Sport has snapped up Croatian footballer Luka Modrić’s “remarkable” memoir, exploring how a child refugee became the holder of the most celebrated player award in world football. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-02 10:06:26 UTC ]
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Pan Macmillan’s Tor imprint has scooped a novel from T L Huchu about an Edinburgh ghost talker in a "super-dope" two-book deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-01 16:29:10 UTC ]
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HarperCollins has begun selling a "limited number" of backlist e-books via Amazon’s £7.99 a month subscription e-book service Kindle Unlimited in the UK and Australia in a major shift from one of the big publishers. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-30 20:49:12 UTC ]
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Susanna Clarke's next two books will be published by Bloomsbury globally, 15 years after her bestselling debut Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-30 07:52:21 UTC ]
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With over 35 years of experience, most recently as founder of the literary management agency D. C. Jacobson and Associates, Don Jacobson has been named senior v-p and books group publisher for HarperCollins Christian Publishing and its affiliate, HarperCollins Focus. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Teen climate activist Greta Thunberg sells her story, Ian McEwan unveils a Brexit novella, Bloomsbury buys the sophomore novel by the author of 'Dr. Strange & Mr. Norrell,' and more in this week's notable book deals. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-27 04:00:00 UTC ]
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With studies showing the general public increasingly favours the censorship of potentially offensive material, one bookseller reveals how it can be a catch-22. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-26 07:13:24 UTC ]
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HarperCollins has signed a two-book deal with spy fiction writer Charles Cumming. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-25 07:41:32 UTC ]
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At The Bookseller Children’s Conference today, Scholastic co-managing director Catherine Bell urged publishing to "reflect all children" and engage parents so they can read to their youngsters. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-23 02:34:03 UTC ]
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HarperCollins will publish a book by the Queen’s personal advisor and in-house designer Angela Kelly, who has worked with the Royal Household for 25 years. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-22 16:34:27 UTC ]
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From cool technology to book clubs to a tricky round of Jeopardy, a bookseller plays librarian for a day. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-20 12:00:45 UTC ]
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Pan Macmillan has landed the first novel in a historical crime fiction series from D V Bishop. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-20 00:24:27 UTC ]
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HarperCollins has teamed with the Ingram Content Group to create a year-round quick reorder program for bookstores in 10 western states. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
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David Cameron marked publication day of his autobiography today with a flurry of high profile interviews as HarperCollins hails the success of his memoir. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-18 16:43:56 UTC ]
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Visiting an author’s book launch at a colleague’s bookstore is a delightful adventure. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-18 12:00:48 UTC ]
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HarperCollins Children's Books has snapped up world rights in a "lightning-strike pre-empt" to A Clock of Stars by children's author Francesca Gibbons in a major three-book deal. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-17 07:34:18 UTC ]
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A bookseller says goodbye to a colleague and reflects on the ways industry relationships come back around. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-09-13 11:00:53 UTC ]
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The Bookseller magazine will now be delivered in fully compostable material for the first time, replacing its previous recyclable polythene wrap. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-09-13 10:39:06 UTC ]
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