Vivendi and Lagardere confirmed in separate releases that approximately 11 million shares in Lagardere were tendered during the first round of Vivendi’s buyout offer, giving it 55.43 percent of the share capital in Lagardere. A second round of the main tender offer opens May 27 and closes on June 9, still at the offer price of 25 euros a share. Thereafter, during a subsidiary period until the end of 2023, shareholders can tender their stock for the lower price of 24.10 euros a share. (They will still receive dividends during that time until shares are tendered; the higher, early offer […]
Literary Agent Mort Janklow Dies at 91
Chairman and co-founder of Janklow & Nesbit Associates, Morton L. Janklow died Wednesday morning at home in Water Mill, NY from heart failure. An attorney, he launched his career as a literary agent in 1972 when his friend and client, William Safire, asked him to handle a book he was writing about Richard Nixon. As the agency adds in a release, “When the Watergate scandal broke and the book’s publisher, William Morrow, tried to back out of the contract, Janklow sued, ushering in a new era of authors’ rights; he later sold the book to Doubleday. ‘We took the publisher […]
When Down Might Still be Up
It’s hard for a lot people — sometimes especially in the media — to keep in their heads different and nuanced ideas about statistics at the same time. But following the state of the trade market this year likely involves juggling a few different measures that do not necessarily align neatly. Our simplest, clearest weekly read on the market only tells us so much: NPD Bookscan has reported that US print book sales have been quite stable for the past five weeks, consistently running at 6 percent below the levels reached this time a year ago — and still 16 […]
Media Coverage Drives Sales for Challenged and Banned Books
NPD BookScan looked at sales data for books that have been removed from shelves or publicly challenged, finding that media attention converts into sales spikes — though the absolute numbers range widely. “When a book finds itself at the top of a national news story because it has received a challenge, sales go up,” said Kristen McLean, books industry analyst for NPD. “But that doesn’t translate into an overall sales boost for other banned books. It’s the immediacy of the story, and viewers’ reaction to it, that drives increased sales. It is also likely that many consumers don’t know what […]
Last Reminder: Buzz Editors Panel This Wednesday
It’s only natural: There is an abundance of virtual events and panels through May, and many of us wait until the last minute to enroll. So this will be our last call for our Buzz Books Editors Panel, this Wednesday, May 18 at 7 PM Eastern. It’s not from a single publisher and it’s not days and days of sessions: It’s one lively session, featuring six curated potential breakout titles, presented in conversations between the authors and their editors. The extra twist this time is Who? Weekly podcaster and forthcoming author Bobby Finger joins us as emcee — and once again we […]
ILP Acquires Estates of Marsh, Rule and Thirkell
International Literary Properties (ILP) announced the acquisition of three more literary estates, in whole or in part: A majority interest in the literary estate of New Zealand crime novelist Dame Ngaio Marsh; a majority interest in the literary estate of American true crime author Ann Rule; and full ownership of the literary works of British author Angela Thirkell. CEO of ILP UK and Europe Hilary Strong said in the release: “I have been lucky enough to work closely with a number of crime estates, amongst them Agatha Christie and Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh is undoubtedly one of the masters […]