As noted last Friday, we launched our two big new free Buzz Books 2017: Spring/Summer samplers just in time to prepare for Winter Institute and the packed new publishing season. Between author and publisher tweets, press coverage, deals newsletters and our own paid digital marketing, downloads — and user reviews — are off to a strong start. The consumer edition is featured on the iBooks home screen right now (and the trade edition is featured on NetGalley’s home page). For the record, here is the complete list of the terrific authors and excerpts featured in our new edition. The 10 […]
Archives for January 2017
Bookselling: Interabang Books to Open in Dallas; Lorelei Books for Sale; and More
Dallas will see a new independent bookstore, Interabang Books, open in May. The new 5000-square foot store will be located in the vicinity of a nearby Barnes & Noble store (though approximately a third of the size). Manager Jeremy Ellis, previously store manager for Brazos Bookstore in Houston, told the Dallas Morning News his story promises to be “different” from the chain stores because, “successful independent bookstores are successful because you have staff that is passionate about sharing their love of books all the time. To do that you have to carry books they are passionate about …. We’re not […]
As Expected, Pearson Ready to Sell Penguin Random House Stake; Profit Warning Sinks Shares
Pearson issued a “trading update” on their results Wednesday morning, telling investors they are ready to sell (or recapitalize) their 47 percent stake in Penguin Random House: “With the integration of Penguin Random House complete, and with greater industry-wide stability on digital terms, we intend to issue an exit notice regarding our 47 percent stake in Penguin Random House to our JV partner Bertelsmann in the contractual window, with a view to selling our stake or recapitalizing the business and extracting a dividend.” While those reasons are valid and Pearson was expected to use the window available to them starting […]
Nielsen Estimates 16 Percent Decline in 2016 eBook Sales
In a set of very fast-moving overview slides, Nielsen Book global managing director Jonathan Stolper said the company is estimating that ebook unit sales for 2016 for the twenty plus companies that provide their data will show a decline of 16 percent, with unit sales of 177 million. (So far PubTrack Digital has compiled and published data only through September 2016.) That estimate for 2016 compares to 210 million units in 2015, 234 million units in 2014, 242 million units in 2013, closer to the 165 million units recorded in 2012. eBook volumes have fallen enough that hardcovers regained their place as […]
Sargent: Even As eBooks Shrink, Data Will Drive Better Publishing, with Big Change for Education
Macmillan ceo John Sargent told you all you need to know about the state of digital publishing and the evolution of the Digital Book World conference when he opened the show in New York on Tuesday by answering pre-submitted audience questions. “Why isn’t he speaking about digital?” Sargent said at the top. “Because you didn’t want me to,” with submitted questions addressing broader and cultural issues. In fact “we’ll see that business [digital] shrink this year,” Sargent noted, even as the market for reading continues to grow. Self publishing and Kindle Unlimited are “very big and growing” and general trade […]
People: Onder to Lead HMH Children’s
Catherine Onder will join Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s as svp and publisher on February 6, based in New York. Onder fills the position vacated when Betsy Groban left HMH last summer. Most recently she was editorial director at Bloomsbury Children’s. HMH trade president Ellen Archer says in the announcement, “She has a wealth of experience and a tremendous track record in middle reader and young adult publishing. Working with our gifted editors, she will direct and grow both our front and backlist business to new levels of excellence.” Onder comments, “I’m proud to join HMH with its rich tradition of children’s publishing of the […]