With confirmation expected to this afternoon’s Apple presentation (which starts at 1:00 Eastern), there are reports on various blogs and websites that 18 more countries are listed as “pending” to sell iBooks–including New Zealand, Brazil, and Mexico, along with 16 other countries in Latin America, South America. After 10 months of posturing, French newspapers Les Echos reports that the European Commission has issued a stern warning to France over their lowered 7 percent VAT on ebooks. If the rate isn’t lifted in a month, the EC might go to the European Court of Justice. As the Bookseller points out, the […]
Archives for October 2012
Canada’s D&M Publishers Will Seek Bankruptcy Protection; Looks for Investor or Sale
Independent Canadian publisher D&M–which owns Douglas & McIntrye and Greystone Books–announced Monday evening it intends to file for bankruptcy protection. The company said in a short statement “it has filed a Notice of Intention to make a proposal under the provisions of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.” As part of that process, “D&M management will be working with the Bowra Group to locate an investor or purchaser for its assets.” Current ownership purchased a majority interest in D&M in 2007, with former investment banker Mark Scott leading an investor group that included “two of the founders of one of Canada’s largest and […]
People: Pinsker Named President of Scholastic’s Klutz
Jeff Pinsker has been named president of Scholastic’s “books plus” imprint Klutz, effective December 3 (and vp of Scholastic, Inc.). Pinsker, who will report to Scholastic president of trade publishing Ellie Berger and was most recently ceo of educational toy company Infinitoy, will lead the creative, sales, and marketing direction of the Klutz business and will manage the strategic development of the Klutz brand. Pinsker is also the author of 13 books for children, including the QUIZMO Series and entries in Spinner Books’ Armchair Puzzlers Series. He fills the slot that has been vacant all year, since the departure of […]
Judge Cote Resists Efforts to Postpone June 3 Trial Date
In an order issued late last week Judge Cote reaffirmed the June 3, 2013 trial date for the DOJ’s ebook lawsuit against Apple, Penguin, and Macmillan, after Justice had asked for a three-month extension for “fact and expert discovery” and requested that “other deadlines to be extended accordingly.” Judge Cote asked all parties to submit a new joint scheduling order by noon on Thursday, October 25 that would enable the trial date to stay put, with a telephone conference to follow the following day at 11 AM.
People, Etc.
Jane Harris will join Quercus as executive director, sales and marketing, on January 3, 2013. Previously she was sales and trade marketing director at Walker Books. The FT reaffirms previous reports that Bertelsmann is considering buying back into Springer Science as the current private equity owners evaluate options for reducing their stake or selling entirely. Bertelsmann is said to have “said to have signaled firm intent earlier this year.” THE BURGESS BOYS, Elizabeth Strout‘s first novel since winning the Pulitzer Prize for OLIVE KITTERIDGE, has quietly sat on bookselling sites since at least August, and now it has been “announced” […]
eNews: Guardian Highlights Harsh Amazon UK Kindle Contracts; Bertrams Partners on Online Bookseller Wordery; and More
The Guardian reports on a UK Amazon contract they have seen that seeks to account for 20 percent VAT before calculating the publisher’s share of digital list price–even though Amazon sells ebooks via their Luxembourg subsidiary and only pays 3 percent VAT at the moment. (That said, by 2015 EU law will change and the loophole will be closed–VAT will be applied based on where the purchaser resides, rather than the country pretending to sell the goods.) Former IT director of the Book Depository Will Jones is launching another independent online bookseller, Wordery, with titles supplied by Bertrams. The platform […]