In other results, Courier Corporation reported fourth quarter sales of $76.3 million, down 5 percent, with net income falling over 23 percent to $7.2 million. Sales fell 18 percent in their publishing division to $16.4 million and income fell further at $1.1 million, versus $2.6 million earlier. Their Creative Homeowner line, which was hit early by the declining economy, continued to shrink, with sales down 33 percent in the fourth quarter, “reflecting the continuing nationwide housing crisis and resulting reductions in store traffic at home improvement centers.” Among the cutbacks, they will no longer distribute other company’s books through Creative […]
Archives for November 2008
Michael Crichton Dies "Unexpectedly"
Michael Crichton’s family revealed his death at age 66 yesterday, saying that he had been “waging a private battle against cancer.” The family noted in their statement: “While the world knew him as a great storyteller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us — and entertained us all while doing so — his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend who inspired each of us to strive to see the wonders of our world through new eyes. He did this with a wry sense of […]
Crichton's Last Book?
Prior to his death yesterday, Michael Crichton was working hard on completing what would be his final manuscript. Originally the book was scheduled for publication this December. “He didn’t deliver the manuscript as expected,” ceo Brian Murray told us during an earnings telephone interview, and “we postponed it.” Harper publisher Jonathan Burnham indicates that they do not know the exact status of the manuscript right now. Crichton had been working on the manuscript for some time and hoped to complete the book before the end of the year. Though his illness was known, his final deterioration was apparently both quick […]
Godin Advises Publishers
Author and marketing guru Seth Godin is asked for advice by Harper Studio on their blog: “The huge opportunity for book publishers is to get unstuck. You’re not in the printing business. The life and death of trees is not your concern. You’re in the business of leveraging the big ideas authors have. There are a hundred ways to do that, yet book publishers obsess about just one or two of them. Here’s the news flash: that’s not what authors care about. Authors don’t care about units sold. They care about ideas spread. If you can help them do that, […]
A Bush Memoir? Best to Wait
The consensus of publishers interviewed by the AP’s Hillel Italie is the President Bush should not be in any hurry to look for a book deal after leaving office. Knopf’s Paul Bogaards says, “Given how the public feels about him right now, I think patience would probably be something that I would encourage.” Jon Karp at Twelve points out that, even if there is a hardy domestic market for a Bush book, foreign publishers will not rush to buy rights the way they did for Bill Clinton’s memoir. “I don’t think Bush can get the kind of money Clinton did […]
Miami Book Fair's 25th Anniversary
The 25th Miami Book Fair International begins on November 9 and organizers “expect some of the world’s most acclaimed writers to attend, including Salman Rushdie, Nathan Englander and Joyce Carol Oates, as well as some locally based talent.” Co-founder and bookseller Mitchell Kaplan tells the AP, “I think there is still room for lots of growth. I think Miami will continue to grow and diversify as a literary community.”AP