The New York Times released their list of 100 notable books of 2022.
New Books Publishing November 22
This week’s fiction releases include novels by Nora Roberts and Danielle Steel, while nonfiction includes books by Jerry Seinfeld and Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. 4 works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-november-22 3 nonfiction titles https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-november-22 We consult a number of sources in compiling our weekly lists and PM members can see our lists for the coming three months through this reference page. But if you want to make sure your key titles are on our radar, now you can use this form to submit brief details as well: publun.ch/submitNotable. Please submit your notable titles at least 3 months prior to pub date.
Paramount Expected to Let Penguin Random House Deal for Simon & Schuster Expire, Rather Than Await Appeal
Paramount will not extend the deadline for Penguin Random House’s purchase of Simon & Schuster to wait for a judicial appeal, sources first told Reuters (quickly followed by the NYT and the WSJ). The purchase agreement is thought to expire on or about November 21 (it was executed on November 24, 2020). Under the reported terms of that agreement, Bertelsmann must pay Paramount a $200 million termination fee. (As we noted earlier, the fee will cost Bertelsmann more than originally planned, given the rising dollar. In late 2020 it would have taken 169 million euros to pay out $200 million; […]
Amazon Announces Layoffs in Books, Devices
Amazon ceo Andy Jassy told employees on Thursday that the company would “eliminate a number of positions” in the Devices and Books divisions. In a memo to staff, he said that this year’s operating planning review “is more difficult due to the fact that the economy remains in a challenging spot and we’ve hired rapidly the last several years.” They have not yet announced which roles have been cut or how many, or how the changes will affect the functioning of the Books division. (Unlike Books, Devices has been a drag on the company, reportedly losing over $5 billion a […]
People 11/17
Trial Takeaways: Author and Agent Compensation
Since the Penguin Random House antitrust trial hinged on author advances, witnesses explained publishing contracts, advances, royalties—and when the author sees that money. Agents also broke down how they’re paid. Author Compensation Hachette Book Group ceo Michael Pietsch explained that an author’s contract “includes a grant of rights of the ability to sell it in a particular territory, often North America, sometimes around the world, including translation rights,” plus a royalty to the author for every copy sold. There are also royalty rates for licensing or translating the book, or for excerpts being published in magazines (called “first serial” rights). […]