The Secret author Rhonda Byrne’s new book THE POWER may be more important for Simon & Schsuter than the so-called “besieged book world,” but with 924,000 pre-orders for this Tuesday’s release strong sales would certainly be welcomed by retailers. As the WSJ reports, Atria has delayed the ebook release, supposedly for some “fine tuning.” Unfortunately Byrne will not be doing television interviews in support of the book–so Atria has prepared a campaign of TV ad spots instead.
The article also mentions what may be August’s most-anticipated release, the laydown of Suzanne Collins’ MOCKINGJAY on the 24th.
WSJ
Crain’s offers a sweeping-if-not-particularly-specific look at the publishing business as well. Hachette Book Group ceo David Young points out that “the book is a much more robust and institutional object than the CD” and observes that “we are not an endangered species, though I’m completely aware we need to evolve further.”
On the shrinking number of actual bookstores, Young says, “It would be foolish to think that every publisher can deliver the same bottom line when the physical bookstore shrinks. I very much hope that won’t happen fast, and I don’t think it will, but it’s part of our job to figure out how to continue to be a commercial enterprise.”
The article plugs Open Road (where the conference room furniture “could have been lifted from an American Legion hall”) and “acclaimed novelist” Dale Peck’s group imprint Mischief and Mayhem, launching not-in-bookstores publisher OR Books.
Crain’s