The phazelFOZ Company’s print titles are now distributed by Independent Publishers Group in the US and Canada. Momentum Press is now distributed in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania by Independent Publishers Group’s academic and professional division, Eurospan. Starting on January 1, Hummingbird Press will be distributed by IPG worldwide. Also on January 1, Eurospan will distribute Zophorus Books worldwide and Manohar Books worldwide, excluding South Asia.
The Year in Finance
Publishing financial results were a mixed bag in 2023, with some publishers “flying high” (Simon & Schuster, Bloomsbury) and some falling (Hachette, Scholastic), while others saw a bit of both (Harper Collins). According to the AAP, trade book sales faltered slightly in the first three quarters, and while some publishers have reported lower overall book sales and continued supply chain pressures, others are reaping the benefits of increased interest in commercial and genre fiction. Penguin Random House Bertelsmann expects full-year sales to be “moderately” over last year, with a flat operating profit and a slight decline in EBITDA. As yet, […]
HBG Reports on Sustainability Initiatives
Hachette Book Group shared their environmental progress report for 2022-2023. “HBG’s environmental initiatives span many different areas, including paper sourcing, office recycling, energy usage, product transportation, and packaging,” they write. The company notes that in the past two years, all of their paper came from Forest Stewardship Certified and Sustainable Forestry Initiative fiber. In 2022 8.6 percent of their paper was recycled fiber, with 5.2 percent in 2023. (The company notes that there was a decline in the availability of recycled paper this year.) They also avoid using paper from endangered forests. “We remain committed to purchasing recycled papers when they […]
People 12/19
Merry Sun will join Norton Trade as senior editor in January. She was most recently editor at Portfolio.
Lerner Acquires Gecko Press
Lerner Publishing Group has acquired New Zealand children’s book publisher Gecko Press, for an undisclosed sum. Gecko has been distributed by Lerner in the US for the past 13 years, and will operate as an international imprint. Starting January 1, Lerner will handle fulfillment, customer service, and general publishing and business management for Gecko worldwide. The company will continue to acquire from New Zealand, and it will keep its distribution partnerships with Bounce in the UK and Walker Books in ANZ. Under the new organization, Gecko plans to launch 18-20 new titles in 2024. Gecko associate publisher Rachel Lawson will “oversee […]
Obituary: David Burr Gerrard
Author of Short Century and The Epiphany Machine David Burr Gerrard died on December 8. He taught writing at the New School, Manhattanville College, and elsewhere. A GoFundMe has been set up to support his wife, Grace Bello, and his daughter, Amelia Bello-Gerrard.