Independent booksellers BookPeople in Austin, TX and Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston have joined with the American Booksellers Association, the Association of American Publishers, the Authors Guild, and the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund to sue the state of Texas over their pending new law severely restricting the availability of books in school libraries. The so-called Reader Act, aka The Book Ban in the plaintiffs’ legal papers, is due to go into effect September 1. Filing in suit in the US District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, the plaintiffs seek both preliminary and permanent injunctions blocking […]
November’s National Book Awards Ceremony to Feature Drew Barrymore, Oprah Winfrey
The National Book Foundation announced that Drew Barrymore will host the National Book Awards Ceremony on November 15. Additionally, “special guest” Oprah Winfrey “will deliver remarks” at the event.
Draft2Digital Acquires Pre-Made Book Cover Site
Draft2Digital has announced the acquisition of SelfPubBookCovers.com, a marketplace for pre-made book covers from professional designers. D2D will run the cover site from a new Author Success division, headed by Nick Thacker. He says in the release, “Our mission at Author Success, as it is with SPBC, is to help authors efficiently procure the highest-quality essential publishing services for the least cost and effort.” SPBC co-founder Rob Sturtz will remain with the company during a transition period. D2D says it “plans to introduce a major refresh to the [SPBC] marketplace in late 2024 or early 2025 that will enable improved […]
Sandstone Press Sold in Liquidation to Vertebrate
Scottish publisher Sandstone Press went into bankruptcy liquidation earlier this week, with its assets offered for sale by Hilco Valuation Services. The assets of the fiction-focused publisher have been acquired by Vertebrate, an adventure publisher, the Bookseller reports. Vertebrate hopes to retain ongoing rights to the list of about 230 titles, though at least one agent indicates to the Bookseller she has asked for a reversion of her author’s rights.
Harper to Close Inkyard Press
Amidst a steadily declining market for children’s books, particularly in hardcover, Harlequin Trade Publishing said it “has made the difficult, strategic decision to close the Inkyard Press imprint and transition the titles to Harper Collins Children’s Books.” They note: “Current market conditions have posed a variety of challenges for the business, which has been acutely felt in the YA/middle grade space with a shifting retail landscape, reduced distribution, and higher production costs in a price-sensitive segment.” Inkyard Press employees will be leaving the company August 1, including at least 5 people named in an internal memo. With the move, they […]