The publishers' year: hits and misses of 2013

Publishers choose their books of the year, and the ones that got awayRobin Robertson Deputy publishing director, Jonathan CapeThe book that made my year: Many years ago, I was sitting in Blake's bar in Enniskillen with John McGahern and he recommended an American novel from the 60s, written by John Williams: a book called Stoner. I thought it was astonishing, and I passed it to vintage, who brought it out in 2003 with John's introduction. Like so many great books, it promptly disappeared, again – only to come back this year, miraculously, and succeed.Our book that deserved to do better: Chamber Music by Tom Benn. It's the late 1990s, in the middle of the drug wars on the estates of Manchester, and complicated antihero Bane is pitched against a Yardie called Hagfish, whose weapon of choice is a Komodo dragon. Tom Benn – still only 26 – is writing these amazing dialogue-driven noir literary thrillers that, as the blurb says, "do for low-life Manchester what Trainspotting did for Leith", and no one is paying attention.I wish I'd published: Cormac McCarthy, as usual. Even a screenplay by Cormac McCarthy, like The Counsellor (Picador).Alexandra Pringle Editor-in-chief, BloomsburyThe book that made my year: In a year that included fiction by George Saunders, Aminatta Forna, Colum McCann, Jhumpa Lahiri, Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Gilbert and Khaled Hosseini, how can I choose? But perhaps in the end it will be 21-year-old Samantha Shannon's debut The Bone Season, which hit the... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #annie proulx #eimear mcbride

Other Publishing stories related to: 'The publishers' year: hits and misses of 2013'


No men allowed: publisher accepts novelist's 'year of women' challenge

Small press And Other Stories will produce no books by men in 2018 in answer to Kamila Shamsie’s call for direct action to beat gender bias in publishingSmall press And Other Stories has answered author Kamila Shamsie’s provocative call for a year of publishing women to redress “gender bias” in... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #male authors #small press #kamila shamsie #direct action #literary world #novelist made #booker prize #prize-winning novels


In Europe, VAT Changes Hit Self-Published Authors

Changes in VAT designed to force Amazon to pay higher tax rates is complicating direct sales for self-published authors, potentially strengthening Amazon. The post In Europe, VAT Changes Hit Self-Published Authors appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-06-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #self-published authors


Germany's 'Publisher of the Year' Talks Local Trends

Georg Reuchlein, who was named 2014 Publisher of the Year by Germany's 'BuchMarkt' magazine, talks digitization, discoverability and the German thriller he's publishing this season that he described as "a kind of Berlin 'Chinatown.'" Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #german thriller


Trade has mixed views on Shamsie's Year of Publishing Women

Author Kamila Shamsie is “right to draw attention” to gender inequality in publishing, but her suggestion of a year in which only books by women are published has been greeted with mixed views by the trade. Writing in the latest issue of The Bookseller, Shamsie [pictured] said 2018 – the 100th... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-06-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #draw attention #gender inequality #latest issue #100th anniversary


Kamila Shamsie: let’s have a year of publishing only women – a provocation

It is clear that there is a gender bias in publishing houses and the world of books. Well, enough. Why not try something radical? Make 2018 the Year of Publishing Women, in which no new titles should be by menSeveral years ago, Martin Amis chaired a literary festival panel on “The Crisis of... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2015-06-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #anne tyler #donna tartt #jhumpa lahiri #gender imbalance #top positions #literary prizes #effective system #win prizes


Bologna Prize for the Best Children's Publisher of the Year

The winners for the Best Children's Publisher of the Year were announced in Sala Borsa in Bologna on Monday, March 30. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-03-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


What will be on digital publishers’ minds a year from now?

At Digiday’s Publishing Summit in Vail, Colorado, the big issues crowding publishers’ minds included viewability challenges, mobile and programmatic. So we wondered: What will we be talking about in a year from now that’s not getting much attention now? Publishing execs predicted growing ad... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-03-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #digital publishers #publishing summit


Transworld to publish first travel book from Bryson in 15 years

Bill Bryson’s first travel book in 15 years will be published by Transworld in autumn. The Road to Little Dribbling: More Notes from a Small Island will be a new journey around Britain by the writer. The book was announced today (26th February) at the Penguin Random House sales conference. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bill bryson #travel book #small island


Why book publishers will miss Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart was known for bringing attention to lower-profile, more obscure books. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-02-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book publishers #jon stewart


Self-published Rodgers hits a million in sales

Self-published author Sheila Rodgers has sold a million copies of her ebook Only the Innocent and two sequels, agent Lizzy Kremer has confirmed. Rodgers, who writes under the pen name Rachel Abbott, sold her books through Amazon Kindle after being rejected by literary agents. The first, Only... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #million copies #rachel abbott #amazon kindle #literary agents #reached number #kindle store


How European publishers set their tech priorities for the year

European executives from Mashable, Quartz, Dennis, RTE and Sanoma share their tech priorities for the coming year. The post How European publishers set their tech priorities for the year appeared first on Digiday. Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2015-02-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #coming year #year appeared


DCMS stats: wider publishing industry worth £9.9bn in 2013

The wider publishing industry – including book, journal, newspaper and magazine publishing - was worth more than £9.9bn to the UK economy in 2013, 3.2% up from the year before, according to newly released government statistics. The rise is slightly above the 2013 UK annual inflation rate of 2.5%. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #uk economy


Second Story Press Celebrates 25 Years of Feminist and Social Justice Publishing

When Toronto-based Second Story Press celebrated its 25th anniversary this month, the room at a community center in downtown Toronto was filled with authors and illustrators who have helped the press pursue its goal of publishing important feminist and social justice books for young readers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-12-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #25th anniversary #community center #downtown toronto #young readers


The 10 Premium Publishers Hit Hardest by Fraudulent Ad Sellers

Buyer beware: Ad analytics platform Pixalate says fraudulent ad networks are increasingly joining open, real-time-bidding (RTB) marketplaces and then selling brands fake space on premium sites like YouTube, The Weather Channel and Yahoo. While the victims think their messages will appear on the... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2014-11-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #asian countries #detailed explanation


Donaldson hits £10m for a record-breaking fifth straight year

Julia Donaldson has bested fellow bestsellers J K Rowling, Jamie Oliver and Dan Brown to become the only author to record annual sales of over £10m in five consecutive years. The Gruffalo creator sold almost £239,000 last week through Nielsen BookScan's Total Consumer Market, to bring her tally... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2014-11-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #straight year #julia donaldson #jamie oliver #dan brown #consecutive years #nielsen bookscan


Self-Published Books Topped 450,000 in 2013

Although it comes with a number of caveats, Bowker's newest report on the number of self-published titles rose again in 2013, increasing 16.5%, to 458,564. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Publishing Pay Rose 2.8% in 2013

The average pay raise for publishing employees in 2013 was 2.8%, according to PW’s just-concluded salary survey. The percentage increase last year was the same as in 2012, when the survey also found that pay had risen by 2.8%. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Self-publishing becomes larger focus at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair

The Frankfurt Book Fair will organize a two-day self-publishing and author program at the 2014 fair this year, aimed at an international audience. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2014-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #international audience


Copyright Changes Hit Canadian Publishers Hard

When the Canadian Copyright Modernization Act was passed in 2012, publishing associations were happy with certain aspects of the legislation, including its antipiracy measures. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-08-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |


Elmore Leonard's unpublished stories to be published next year

From small-town New Mexico to a military base in Kuala Lumpur, publisher promises 'razor-sharp dialogue and headlong pacing'A collection of previously unpublished short stories by the late Elmore Leonard will be released next year, his publisher has said. Continue reading... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-07-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #publisher promises #elmore leonard #military base #kuala lumpur