As we tried the explain, the year-end sales numbers from the AAP are a work-in-progress rather than the final word, subject to revision over the coming year. Our understanding of the 2014’s trade sales just changed, dropping by one percent. So we have compiled some numbers that provide a broader historical overview — adapted from a presentation we made last month at Digital Book World. Total trade sales have performed well since the Borders bankruptcy, with a four-year average of $6.535 billion: eBook sales declines received a lot of attention over the past year, but there, too, the historical data […]
Archives for April 2016
AAP Statistics Show Flat December, Slight Gains for 2015 — With eBook Falloff Continuing
The AAP released sales statistics for December and full-year 2015. For the final month of the year, trade sales were just below flat — down less than $1 million, to $585.5 million. Adult sales fell $11 million, while children’s and YA sales grew by the same amount. Among adult book formats, trade paperbacks rose by $32 million and mass market paperbacks rose by $16 million, but ebook sales fell $38.5 million and the usually insignificant “other” category was down $22 million. “Other” sales for December 2014 look to have been unusually high, however. There are additional revisions as well, so […]
People, Etc.
Mark Krotov will join n+1 as publisher, the magazine announced on Twitter. Previously he was senior editor at Melville House. Laura Dawson, recently of Bowker/Proquest, has founded Numerical Gurus, a consultancy to the book, library and information industries. Numerical Gurus has also been approved to serve as an ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier) registration agency. Jaime Green has joined Google Play Books as managing editor. Previously she was a consultant in Columbia University’s Writing Center, and also produced The Catapult’s podcast. Awards The Wellcome Book prize was given to Suzanne O’Sullivan’s It’s All in Your Head: True Stories of Imaginary Illness. […]
People
In the UK, Louisa Joyner will leave Canongate to become editorial director at Faber. At Quercus, Stef Bierwerth is moving to an at-large role as she has “decided to relocate her family to Frankfurt.” Succeeding Biewerth as publisher, fiction is Cassie Browne, currently editorial director at Borough Press. Browne will start her new role on August 1. The NYT style section looked at author Cassandra Clare and her fandom: “The place Ms. Clare occupies in publishing — and the work she does to keep herself there — is emblematic of the burdens and boons fan culture bestows on so many […]
BEA Your Way
For those who are making the journey to Chicago, BEA is early this year — running May 11 through May 13 — and as usual, navigating the schedule of events can be a challenge. Back by popular demand, we have prepared our handy day-by-day, hour-by-hour spreadsheet that puts all of the various BEA events, sessions and key signings in one place. Go to publun.ch/BEA16sched to view our master schedule (which we will continue to update with any last-minute announcement).
Bookselling: Chester County Book Company Closes for Good; Support for Murder by the Book Post-Flooding; and More
Chester County Book Company in West Chester, PA will close for good on July 31, three years after re-opening in a smaller location. Store owner Kathy Simoneaux Fortney said in an email to publishers and customers, “After crunching the numbers, the best option is for me to retire & close the store.” She called it “a difficult decision” and wrote, “We had a good 34-year run!” Murder By the Book, which suffered damage to its carpeting and other parts of the store after significant flooding in Houston, is asking for support through the sale of gift cards, books, and other […]