The Justice Department dropped its unusual lawsuit against Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, author of Melania and Me: The Rise and Fall of My Friendship with the First Lady. The lawsuit, filed during the final months of Donald Trump’s administration in October 2020, claimed the book violated the author’s White House nondisclosure agreement. A Justice Department official told the Washington Post, “The Department evaluated the case and concluded that dismissal without prejudice was in the best interests of the United States based on the facts and the law.” Bookselling The Boston Globe ran a profile on Bookshop.org and founder Andy Hunter, celebrating […]
New Books Publishing February 9
This week’s haul of new fiction includes thrillers from Alex Berenson and CJ Tudor, Cate Quinn’s polygamous twist on the whodoneit, as well as Buzz books selection WE RUN THE TIDES, by Vendela Vida. The nonfiction offering includes the memoir of Kareem Rosser, captain of the first all-black squad to win the National Interscholastic Polo championship. 13 new works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-february-9 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Fiction_Publishing_February_/218752 8 new nonfiction titles https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-february-9 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Nonfiction_Publishing_February_/218753 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 […]
Indigo’s Holiday Quarter Challenged by Store Closures
On Friday, Indigo announced results for the third quarter ended December 26, 2020, with sales of CA$365 million, a decrease of $18 million or 5 percent. The company said the quarter started off showing real growth, but “revenues were challenged by a significant wave of mandated COVID-19 store closures in Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec during the second part of November and December, a critical period of sales.” Print sales for the quarter were $192 million, down $2 million. They represented 52.6 percent of sales, compared to 50.6 percent last year. E-commerce, a small portion of sales, grew 92 percent in […]
Welbeck Reports First Financial Results
Welbeck Publishing Group reported financial results for the first time since its launch, following operations since the acquisition of Carlton Books and Andre Deutsch on April 1, 2019. For nine months of operations, they recorded sales of £13 million and operating profit of £1.3 million, which they call “solid… despite the vagaries of the pandemic.” The company reports, “The illustrated business continued its historical robustness, and the combined business delivered a well-balanced result for the year.” Executive directors Mark Smith and Marcus Leaver commented: “We have seen a successful integration of Carlton Books into WPG and we’re both pleased with […]
Reese’s Book Club Is Now An App, Adds “Pay It Forward” Platform
Reese Witherspoon’s book club launched an app and a dedicated site, which serves up her monthly recommendations alongside merchandise, community features, contests and more. With it comes a pledge, through an initiative called The Readership, to “champion diverse writers” and “support book retailers, especially our favorite indie bookstores.” That marks a significant and welcome change, since much of the club’s market-moving impact had flowed to Audible, which Witherspoon’s company Hello Sunshine prominently partnered with in 2018. Though no formal announcement was made, Reese’s Book Club vp Cynthia Rupeka told PL that “our partnership with Audible has ended.” For the first […]
New Books Publishing February 2
February kicks off with more new fiction than there are days in the month. The stellar mix includes Fake Accounts by Lauren Oyler, My Year Abroad by Chang-Rae Lee, Amy Gentry’s Bad Habits, and so many more. A broad nonfiction selection includes new titles from Adam Grant and Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain, and Amelia Pang’s intriguing expose, Made in China: A Prisoner, an SOS Letter, and the Hidden Cost of America’s Cheap Goods. 29 new works of fiction https://bookshop.org/lists/new-fiction-publishing-february-2 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Fiction_Publishing_February_/218727 16 new nonfiction titles https://bookshop.org/lists/new-nonfiction-publishing-february-2 https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Nonfiction_Publishing_February_/218728 New children’s and YA titles publishing in February https://bookshop.org/lists/new-children-s-titles-publishing-in-february https://shop.aer.io/publishers_lunch/cl/New_Childrens_Titles_Publishing_in_February/218725