Scholastic reported earnings for their fiscal Q1 2020, ending August 31, with sales of $232.6 million, up from to $218.4 million in the first quarter of 2019. “The big story in the quarter was our strong trade frontlist worldwide,” said cfo Ken Cleary on the analyst call. Trade publishing sales were $74.1 million, up from $61.4 million last year. In overall Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution, which includes book clubs and fairs as well as trade, first quarter revenues rose to $109.6 million, from $95.7 million. “Most impressive was our strength in series publishing — Dog Man, Captain Underpants, Harry […]
Archives for September 2019
Why Audible’s Legal Arguments Fail
Ahead of the formal response from the seven publishers suing Audible for copyright infringement due to their Caption feature, assistant director at the Center for the Protection of Intellectual Property and assistant professor of Law at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University Devlin Hartline provides a preview of the likely arguments. It’s plainly a copyright case and not a contract dispute, as Audible had argued, because “the publishers only claim infringement of the underlying works, that is, the literary works from which the sound recordings of the audiobooks are derived.” It’s the same as if Audible had produced a […]
The NBA Nonfiction Longlist
The National Book Foundation announced its ten title nonfiction longlist. The list includes three debuts and only one previous finalist, Greg Grandin (2009). Two of the nominees, Hanif Abdurraqib and Patrick Radden Keefe, also appear on the Kirkus nonfiction longlist. The full list: Go Ahead in the Rain, by Hanif Abdurraqib (University of Texas Press) The Yellow House, by Sarah M. Broom (Grove Press) Thick, by Tressie McMillan Cottom (The New Press) What You Have Heard is True, by Carolyn Forché (Penguin Press) The End of the Myth, by Greg Grandin (Metropolitan) Say Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe (Doubleday) Burn […]
People, Etc.
Luana Horry has been promoted to editor at HarperCollins Children’s. Jennifer Udden joins New Leaf Literary & Media as literary agent; she was previously agent at Barry Goldblatt Literary. Kate Sullivan joins as senior content development manager; she was senior editor at Delacorte. Meredith Barnes joins as business development manager; she was publicity manager at Harper Collins. Monica Odom has founded Odom Media Management, a literary agency focused on “voices and stories that have been historically hushed.” She will continue to represent nonfiction, literary fiction and illustrated titles for both children and adults, including her existing client list. She was […]
Next, the NBA Poetry Longlist
The National Book Foundation announced nominees for its Poetry Award, with the shortlist to be revealed on October 8: Variations on Dawn and Dusk, by Dan Beachy-Quick (Omnidawn Publishing) The Tradition, by Jericho Brown (Copper Canyon Press) “I”: New and Selected Poems, by Toi Derricotte (University of Pittsburgh Press) Build Yourself a Boat, by Camonghne Felix (Haymarket Books) Deaf Republic, by Ilya Kaminsky (Graywolf Press) A Sand Book, by Ariana Reines (Tin House Books) Dunce, by Mary Ruefle (Wave Books) Be Recorder, by Carmen Giménez Smith (Graywolf Press) Sight Lines, by Arthur Sze (Copper Canyon Press) Doomstead Days, by Brian […]
In Denmark, Gyldendal Absorbs Rosinante and Fires 25 to 30 People
Gyldendal announced that the Rosinante publishing group, which had run independently, will be consolidated into Glydendal going forward, and all remaining employees will move into the main Klareboderne office in Copenhagen. Rosinante ceo Jakob Malling Lambert resigned or was fired, depending upon which account you prefer, and 25 to 30 Rosinante employees are being fired this month as part of the consolidation. Gyldendal ceo Morten Hesseldahl said, “We are not set in the world to run dual households.” He noted, “In order for us to continue to maintain the strong publishing lines in a changing market, it is necessary that we consolidate […]