Michael D. Miller, who took over as executive publisher a year ago at Christian publisher NavPress, tells the local paper the company is changing its focus: “We drifted too far toward seeking best-sellers,” Miller said. “When you follow the trade model, you have to put a lot of material out to satisfy the needs of customers. We decided that is not in our best interest.”He adds, “I am trying to pull us back to remember that we are distributors of spiritual messages that God has given to people through the body of Christ to share.” They say the company had […]
Archives for September 2008
Sony Reader's Target Rollout
This weekend Target is launching endcaps in the electronics section of all of the chain’s 1,634 stores carrying the Sony Reader and related accessories. Buyers also receive a coupon code redeemable for a free download Philippa Gregory’s The Other Queen, which releases on September 16. CNet
Used Booksellers: Megalisters vs. Hand-Sellers
The NYT looks at how software drives the low-margin business of selling used books online in quantity: “The state of the art in used-book selling these days seems to be less about connoisseurship than about database management. With the help of software tools, so-called megalisters stock millions of books and sell tens of thousands a week through Amazon, AbeBooks and other online marketplaces. Some sellers don’t even own their wares….” Thrift Books–with 180 employees and about 3 million books for sale–“acquires its stock literally by the ton, usually from libraries, secondhand stores and charities.” They log the ISBNs and post […]
Do You XML?
O’Reilly and the Ideal Logical Company have partnered in a new information enterprise that will include conferences, a survey, and research papers “to understand and spread the knowledge publishers need to move forward with XML.” They note: “The StartwithXML project will explore all the issues of moving to a StartwithXML workflow through interviews and case studies with publishers and with the channel partners they will be working with to reach new readers in new ways. We’ll be looking at what benefits can come to a publisher today from working this way, and what important steps to the future are enabled […]
People: Francis to Janklow, Gioia Steps Down, and More
Agent Will Francis has left Greene & Heaton to join Janklow & Nesbit UK, starting September 22. The announcement says that “a number of authors will move with him, including Tim Radford, Jonathan Jones, Jordan Goodman, Ziyad Marar, Sarah Stovell, Mark Ford and Adam Marek.” Senior partner Mort Janklow says in the release, “We have long sought an enterprising and skilled young agent to join Tif Loehnis and Claire Paterson in our London office and we believe strongly that Will is that person. We look forward to his joining us.” National Endowment for the Arts chairman Dana Gioia, “talkative poet […]
Serena's Proposal
Crain’s NY says the bidding for tennis star Serna Williams (through the uncharacteristic representation of Suzanne Gluck at William Morris) “is close to reaching a $1 million deal” for an inspirational memoir. They add, “according to one publishing executive, Ms. Williams and her agent will meet with the top remaining bidders next week.”Crains