Amazon announced its list of the Best Books of 2019 So Far, with the recently-published City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert (Riverhead) as its overall top pick. Also on the list are several titles excerpted in our Buzz Books 2019 Spring/Summer sampler: The Silent Patient, by Alex Michaelides (Celadon); Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb (HMH); On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, by Ocean Vuong; and The Guest Book, by Sarah Blake (Flatiron). Usually fewer than half of Amazon’s top 20 So Far make it to the top of their end-of-year Best Books list; last year 7 of […]
Archives for June 2019
Hachette Book Group Introduces Metered Model for Digital Sales to Libraries
Hachette Book Group announced it is changing its model for digital product sales to libraries. Starting July 1, the publisher will shift from perpetual ownership of e-books and digital audiobooks to “a two-year metered model.” In their version, those materials can be lent, an unlimited number of times, on a one-user-per-copy basis, for two years before the access expires. (Some publishers limit the total checkouts as well.) HBG says the change “will result in lower prices for the vast majority of our titles to the library market,” though as with other publishers the library pricing will still be significantly higher […]
People, Etc.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt announced that evp and chief learning officer Rosamund Else-Mitchell will leave effective June 28. She will receive a year’s salary, among other benefits. An agreement between the parties “also provides for a release of certain claims by Ms. Else-Mitchell against the company, mutual non-disparagement obligations, certain confidentiality requirements, and non-competition and non-solicitation restrictions for a period of 12 months.” Shannon Donnelly has joined Diversion Books as marketing manager. Kandi Rich has joined Sourcebooks as graphic designer. Molly Koecher will join Longleaf Services as operations manager. She was previously vice president and general manager of Sunrise River Press, […]
First Quarter AAP Sales Are Ahead of Recent Average, Clouded By Continuing Restatements
The AAP reported monthly StatShot statistics for March and, as with the first two reports of 2019, the news is not what you will read elsewhere. The remarkable finding continues to be a significant restatement of adult sales for the previous year, with early 2018 weaker than previously shown. Once again, the tabulation of adult sales for March 2018 fell $30 million in the AAP’s final count — following a $33.5 million reduction for February, and a $36 million downward revision in for January. (The AAP has told us to expect another reduce restatement for April as well.) This matters […]
People, Etc.
At the Random House publishing group vp, deputy publisher, Del Rey Keith Clayton takes the additional role of vp, director of licensing, for the Random House Group, working across Random House imprints to identify and grow the licensed publishing programs. In the new role, he reports to Scott Shannon and Aaron Wehner. Michelle Giuseffi has been named publishing manager for Crown and Tim Duggan Books, reporting to Annsley Rosner. Christine Johnston is promoted to publicist, and Stacey Stein moves up to associate publicist. At NetGalley, Katie Versluis has been promoted to sales associate, expanding her role to include new client […]
Waxman’s The Bookish Life of Nina Hill Tops July Library Reads
The Top Pick for July’s Library Reads list is The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman. Also on the list is J. Ryan Stradal’s The Lager Queen of Minnesota, excerpted and available for download in our Buzz Books 2019 Spring/Summer sampler. The other picks: The Book Charmer, by Karen Hawkins The Escape Room, by Megan Goldin Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia How to Hack a Heartbreak, by Kristin Rockaway Layover, by David Bell Lock Every Door, by Riley Sager The Nickel Boys, by Colson Whitehead Wanderers, by Chuck Wendig