Hachette Will Widget Hachette Book Group USA is developing an OpenBook program to provide browsable and searchable online access to their titles, accompanied by book widgets. In keeping with model of other such publishers as Random House and HarperCollins, individuals will be able to search books in their entirety, and view a percentage of the text. The are working with LibreDigital as their technology partner, using their digital warehouse product. The company’s vp of digital media Maja Thomas says it’s “one initiative in our ongoing digital strategy, which includes planned upgrades to our Digital Asset Management system and the state-of-the-art […]
Lunch for Monday, October 8
Literature Nobel Timed for Frankfurt The Swedish Academy announced on Friday that the 2007 Nobel Laureate for Literature will be named this Thursday, October 11, at 1 PM Stockholm time. “Odds-makers [are] tipping well-tried names to take a prize that often goes to the obscure or controversial.” One British bookmaker ranks the favorites in this order: Italian novelist and essayist Claudio Magris; Australian “bush” poet Les Murray; Philip Roth; Swedish poet Thomas Transtromer; and perennial contender Syrian-Lebanese poet Adonis. Reuters says Ladbrokes has “called it right for three years running with the leader in its wagering winning the Nobel, including […]
Lunch Weekly for Monday, October 8
A Big Batch With Frankfurt coming, our weekly round-up is at record strength, with 180 deals in all. Keep reporting your transactions and we’ll keep sharing them, throughout the Fair week and beyond. Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice […]
Lunch for Friday, October 5
Hot Blair and Frankfurt Dreams The selling of former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s memoir is just one of the many deals in progress making news as the industry readies itself for next week’s Frankfurt Book Fair. Though Blair is said to have met with some publishers and discussions are actively underway with the major publishing groups that have strong US and UK divisions (and other US/UK alliances), participants in the process do not expect a deal to close any time soon, and certainly not until after the book fair. A world English sale is considered a given at this point, […]
Lunch for Wednesday, October 3
Doubleday Forms Single Religious Group Doubleday is bringing together their own longstanding religious publishing line with the WaterBrook Multnomah division to form a single division known as the Doubleday Religious Publshing Group. WaterBrook’s Steve Cobb will run the division as president and publisher, still based in Colorado Springs, reporting to Doubleday Broadway deputy publisher Michael Palgon. Doubleday Broadway director of business operations Kevin Tobin will add responsibilities as director, Doubleday Religion, also reporting to Palgon. Doubleday Religion will remain as an imprint of the new division, and its editor-in-chief Trace Murphy will report to Tobin, along with editor Andrew Corbin. […]
Lunch for Tuesday, October 2
Harper Gets Film Partner HarperCollins announced a “multi-year” strategic partnership with Jeff Sharper’s NY film production company Sharp Independent “to collaborate on the development and production of motion pictures” based on Harper titles. Called Sharp Independent at HarperCollins, the venture will based in Harper’s offices, under the direction of Michael Morrison. They will seek to acquire film rights for select books “from future, current and existing backlist adult titles.” Morrison comments, “Jeff is a talented and experienced producer with an excellent track record of adapting literature to film. His presence is sure to give our authors additional exposure in an […]