As part of its announcement that it has secured more than £220 million in fresh financing, HMV has formally asked shareholders to approve the Waterstone’s sale to Alexander Mamut at the company’s next meeting on June 23. Newsagency franchise group SupaNews is reportedly about to bid on the Angus & Robertson franchise network and some shops owned by the administrators of REDGRoup Retail in a deal that would capitalize on “synergies” between the two entities. Interestingly, SupaNews is also owned by REDGroup, but that side of the business did not declare bankruptcy. The deal is contingent on SupaNews acquiring more […]
Archives for June 2011
Finally, iBookstore Is Integrated Into iTunes
Though a minor piece of Monday’s Apple news through most lenses, the company has finally gotten serious about making the iBookstore easily accessible to the tens of millions of users on the iOS platform. The iBookstore is now incorporated directly into iTunes, alongside music, movies, TV shows, apps and other major elements. And Apple is promoting the inclusion on the iTunes home page. At Monday’s WWDC presentation, Apple also updated their tabulation of ebooks downloaded worldwide through the iBookstore. In March they were still saying 100 million downloads; now they are saying 130 million.
People: McCullough to Start Imprint at RH Canada, Conville & Walsh Launch Speakers’ Bureau; And More
Publisher of Whitecap Books since 2001, Robert McCullough will join Random House Canada on July 11 as publisher of a new imprint. The line will focus on “the type of lifestyle and food titles for Canada and the North American marketplace that he has published” in the past. The unit will draw on all of RH Canada’s shared services. It’s designed to grow to publish 15 to 20 titles a year. McCullough will remain based in Vancouver, and reports to president Brad Martin. UK literary agents Patrick Walsh and Clare Conville of Conville & Walsh are launching a speakers’ agency […]
Passings: Zev Birger, Lilian Jackson Braun, and Harriette Dorsen
Chairman of the Jerusalem Book Fair Zev Birger died Monday morning after being struck by a motorcycle while crossing the street in Jersualem on Saturday, May 28. His funeral will take place Tuesday. Mystery author Lilian Jackson Braun, 97, died Saturday in a hospice facility. Her longtime editor Natalee Rosenstein at Berkley comments: “She ultimately created a whole new chapter in the American Mystery, and our wonderful working relationship spanned more than two decades. But most of all, it is Lilian the person I will remember–a strong, dedicated, feisty woman who would always speak her mind and not be intimidated […]
iBookstore Up to 130 Million Downloads
Apple still hasn’t said a word about sales of ebooks, but they have revised their tabulation of ebooks downloaded worldwide. In March they were still saying 100 million downloads; now they are saying 130 million.
Lunch Weekly for Monday, June 6
The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up FICTION Debut PEN Discovery Award winner Rosie Sultan’s HELEN KELLER IN LOVE, exploring a documented but little-known episode in Keller’s life when, at the height of her international fame in 1916, she fell in love with […]