The Los Angeles Times Book Prize announced finalists in ten categories, with winners to be awarded at a ceremony at USC campus on Friday, April 19. Margaret Atwood will receive the Innovator’s Award while Kevin Starr will receive the Kirsch Award. Finalists, who share a fair amount overlap with our Best of the Best of 2012 lists for fiction and nonfiction, include: Fiction Jami Attenberg, The Middlesteins: A Novel (Grand Central) Michael Chabon, Telegraph Avenue (Harper) Ben Fountain, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (Ecco) Lauren Groff, Arcadia (Voice/Hyperion) Lydia Millet, Magnificence (Norton) The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction David […]
Archives for February 2013
As Slowly As Possible, EU Takes Luxembourg and France to Court Over Low eBook VAT
It has been obvious since France and Luxembourg first lowered their VAT on sales on ebooks as of the beginning of 2012 (to 7 percent and 3 percent respectively) that they were doing so in violation–and intentional defiance–of European Union law. After a stern letter, a “reasoned opinion,” and some more waiting, 14 months after the tax changes began the European Commission is finally saying it will take the two nations to the European Court of Justice. No trial date was disclosed, so we expect it will be more months still before any proceedings begin. And even after the two […]
People, Etc.
Grand Central’s romance imprint Forever and their companion digital imprint Forever Yours will expand to publish 120 titles in 2013 and more than 190 titles in 2013 — up from 64 titles in 2012 — as part of a “major initiative” celebrating the imprint’s 10th anniversary. Forever will also add editorial and marketing staff. Founding editor of the imprint and vp, digital and paperback publisher Beth de Guzman said of the expansion: “From the beginning, Forever has always been dedicated to publishing the highest quality romance books. With the romance audience more robust and diverse than at any other time, […]
Three Independent Bookstores File Class Action Suit Against Amazon and Big Six, Seeking Removal of eBook DRM
Apparently the book business and litigation will be increasingly intertwined, with the latest unexpected lawsuit coming from three independent booksellers. Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany; Posman Books of NYC; and Fiction Addition of South Carolina filed a suit in New York Federal Court on February 15 seeking class action status on behalf of hundreds “independent brick-and-mortar bookstores who sell e-books.” They are suing Amazon and the six largest trade publishers, claiming “unreasonable restraint of trade and commerce in the market for e-books,” and also charge Amazon with attempted monopolization of the ebook market and violations of sections 1 […]
Judge Cote Sets Schedule For Reviewing Macmillan Settlement; Where Are the Discounts?
In a order issued Tuesday afternoon, Judge Cote set out a proposed schedule for reviewing Macmillan’s settlements with the DOJ, 49 states, and the civil class-action group, announced earlier this month. Per the schedule, the government must file all public comments by May 30, with additional motions on the settlement due from the DOJ by June 13. Responses to the motion are due June 27, and the government’s reply due July 8. A final hearing date before approving the settlements was not indicated in the papers, however. In a separate order, the DOJ ordered a teleconference hearing for Friday, February […]
Pearson and Kaplan Both Launch Incubators for Hot Ed-Tech Startups
Two companies in publishing and education announced incubator programs this week to help vet and mentor ed-tech startups. Pearson’s program is called Catalyst and is designed to “identify the most promising education startup companies that share Pearson’s commitment to improving people’s lives through learning, and help enable them to break through on a global scale.” The will “match startups with Pearson brands to deliver pilot programmes and offer access to Pearson resources and product experts, including the opportunity to work closely with a Pearson brand over the course of the program.” Pearson release Separately, Kaplan has announced a three-month incubation […]