The AAP released February StatShot data for participating publishers, reporting trade sales of $630.8 million, down 1.5 percent from last year, or $10 million lower. Sales for adult books were $428 million, down 2.1 percent from February 2022. Adult hardcovers fell 13.1 percent to $113 million, paperbacks were down 3.2 percent to $147 million, and ebooks were down 7.6 percent to $71.6 million. Some of those losses were made up for by a 33.5 percent increase in digital audio sales, which amounted to $73.3 million—surpassing ebook sales for the month. Though they aren’t the biggest driver of kids sales, digital […]
Archives for May 2023
Calling Attention to Banned Books Lifts Them Up
Open Road has found that highlighting banned and challenged books in targeted promotions significantly drives awareness and sales. In their initial marketing efforts to “highly targeted segments of power readers” identified by the company’s data science and machine learning technology, “The initial response from readers has been extraordinary, with unheard-of open rates above 75 percent on segmented email sends.” As a result, the company is rolling out a Free Voices marketing initiative, open to all publishers, that can promote ebook editions (which require “limited time, consumer-friendly ebook pricing”), print and audio editions, or both. Chief marketing officer Peter McCarthy says […]
People: Glusman Steps Down As Norton Editor-In-Chief, with Gerstle to Take Over
Vice president, editor-in-chief of Norton John A. Glusman will step back from managerial duties in July, becoming vice president, executive editor, and continuing to acquire. Glusman has been editor in chief since 2011. Dan Gerstle is promoted to editor in chief. Chairman and president Julia A. Reidhead said, “This change, coming at a time when Norton is celebrating its centenary year, underscores the shift that is essential to the continuity and well-being of our independent, employee-owned firm. Under John’s leadership, Norton Trade has thrived, collectively achieving record sales in 2020 and 2021 and enjoying a bounty of awards… We are […]
Buzz Books Fall/Winter Season Preview
Earlier this week we launched our Buzz Book 2023: Fall/Winter sampler, with excerpts from an array of great forthcoming literary and debut fiction. If you haven’t downloaded your copy yet, the “trade edition” is available now from NetGalley and Edelweiss. or find the consumer editions all linked at our main Buzz Books website. As usual, we begin our free ebook with a broad overview of the upcoming publishing season, featuring hundreds of notable titles on the way. We’ll be presenting extracts from that season preview in the coming days, beginning here with our full list of literary fiction for the fall/winter season, alphabetically by author. Titles […]
Forthcoming: A New Title By Oprah Winfrey and Arthur C. Brooks
Portfolio Books will publish BUILD THE LIFE YOU WANT: The Art and Science of Getting Happier by Oprah Winfrey and Harvard Business School professor Arthur C. Brooks on September 12. Previously announced to the trade, the publisher describes the book as “a research-based work plan that shows readers how to make greater happiness a choice.” Portfolio executive editor Bria Sandford acquired the book in the US. Winfrey said, “I started reading Arthur Brooks’ column ‘How to Build a Life’ during the early days of the pandemic. I found myself happily anticipating each week’s lesson, which turned out to be a […]
Next Big Idea Tries Original Short Audiobooks
Next Big Idea Club is “pivoting” with the launch of Next Big Idea Originals, an imprint offering short, nonfiction audiobooks. Founder and ceo Rufus Griscom calls it, “A critical inflection point in the expansion of our business model.” He says the new audios, “Mark a key moment in our evolution into a next generation publisher. We intend to build a two-sided marketplace between authors and readers/learners, with an emphasis on shorter formats and audio delivery.” The first audio shorts, averaging 60 minutes in length, are IMMORTALITY: A Users Guide by Steven Johnson, and a forthcoming work by Nir Eyal, author […]