Amazon reported second quarter sales of $4.06 billion, up 41 percent, and net income of $158 million, more than double what they recorded last year. Those results were ahead of the consensus analyst expectations in both sales and earnings. North American media sales of $1.148 billion were up 25 percent, once again exceeded by international media sales of $1.258 billion, which rose 38 percent, helped considerably by foreign exchange. (International media sales were up the same 25 percent increment excluding exchange rates. Media incorporates “books, movies, music, digital downloads, software and video games, including game consoles.”) The company remained true […]
Archives for July 2008
Pre-Pub Hopes for The Gargoyle
USA Today focuses on predictions of success for Andrew Davidson’s novel THE GARGOYLE, which releases on August 5. BN’s Bob Wietrak says, “We feel that after the first week it will be on the best-seller lists, and it will continue to sell well into the holiday season.” Borders’ Jennifer Northcutt adds: “For every 10 people I talk to who love it, there are a few who say they can’t get past the first 100 pages, which is a shame. Because once you hit the love story, it’s absolutely beautiful and breathtaking.” And Sheryl Cotleur of Book Passage in Corte Madera, […]
Google Bids for Author Knols
Google’s Squidoo knockoff product Knol is now open to public use after a less-than-spectacular introductory phase, so they’re making a particular appeal to authors to take advantage of the service: “Knols are articles about specific topics written by authoritative sources, so if you’re an author, writing a knol is a great way to raise the profile of a topic you care about. “Let’s say you’re an author who’s a gardening expert. You could write a knol on how to tend roses, which could introduce a few general principles of gardening and then explain how to care for a rose bush. […]
Corporate Report Cards Due
It’s time for a run of earnings reports from publicly-held companies again. Scholastic leads this wave with their earnings release, set for tomorrow morning. They are followed quickly by: Pearson/Penguin Group, on July 28 (pre-market opening) CBS/Simon & Schuster, on July 31 (pre-market opening) News Corp./HarperCollins, on August 5 (after the close) More follow toward the end of the August, including: Barnes & Noble, on August 18 (after the close) Books-a-Million, on August 18 (after the close) Borders, on Aug 26 (after the close) Bertelsmann, on August 28 (report on the first 6 months) Lagardere, on August 28 (report on […]
More Readings
* China is launching an American Idol-style literary competition, called The Next – A Search for the New Face of Chinese Literature. A judging panel of authors and critics will select the shortlist of 36 works from open submissions, and “Chinese netizens will be invited to comment on and vote for the works under consideration, until a final winner is chosen from four finalists in April 2009.” The winner gets a publishing contract, an advance worth about $14,600, “payment of outstanding college fees, with a guarantee of national media exposure and major marketing,” and other prizes. Established by Changjiang Art […]
Robert Downey Jr. Cancels Memoir
Robert Downey Jr. can’t handle the truth written on paper–or at least he prefers not do so at 2006 prices now that Iron Man was hit. The AP reports that the actor has returned his advance to Harper after having signed to provide a “candid look at the highs and lows of his life and career.” The wire notes that spokeseperson Britney Ross of Rogers & Cowan “declined to say why Downey wouldn’t be writing the book.”AP