The tangled web of what the Department of Justice, the states, and the class-action plaintiffs now want from Apple was plainly evident at Friday afternoon’s court hearing, in which Judge Cote heard a number of thorny and complicated issues. Except for a swift dismissal of Apple’s conditional request to stay proceedings (she of course “didn’t believe Apple is likely to succeed on appeal”), Cote deferred the biggest decisions for later in the month. She did not decide on the DOJ’s proposed injunctive relief, contentiously and vociferously objected to by Apple and book publishers, and she did not commit to a trial […]
Sales and Profits Decline for Indigo As Fifty Shades & Hunger Games Effect Wanes
Earlier this week Canada’s dominant bookseller Indigo reported a 8.1 percent decrease in sales of C$171.5 million for the fiscal first quarter ending June 29, with a net loss of C$15 million (far greater than the $5.5 million loss for the same period a year ago.) Indigo attributed the revenue drop to “declining book and eReader sales,” as compared to the last year’s “strong sales of the Fifty Shades and Hunger Games trilogies.” They also closed 8 stores in the intervening year. Superstore sales comps were down 7.1 percent, small-format store comps fell 13.1 percent, and even online sales remained […]
People, Etc.
Amulet has revealed details on Jeff Kinney‘s forthcoming eighth Wimpy Kid book, HARD LUCK, sporting a lime green cover for its November 5 release. Kinney says, “As a writer, there’s something wickedly satisfying about putting Greg Heffley under duress, and in the eighth book, Greg suffers a multitude of indignities. But this time around he has a secret weapon against the slings and arrows of middle school.” Meryl Streep will narrate the audio version of Colm Toibin’s THE TESTAMENT OF MARY, for September release. Some day soon, now that HarperCollins comprises a more meaningful portion of the new foxless News Corp., […]
People, Etc.
Abrams announced a number of promotions in its marketing and publicity departments. Veronica Wasserman has been promoted to brand director, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, a new position. In the adult trade department, Jennifer Brunn has been promoted to senior director of publicity and Claire Bamundo moves up to director, publicity and brand strategy. In addition, Marisa Dobson has been promoted to senior publicist and Merle Brown adds the responsibilities of manager, corporate events to her role as executive assistant to the ceo. Former Abrams executive director of publicity Katrina Weidknecht recently left the company after six years to move […]
People: Expanding S&S Canada, and More
Now that the Canadian government has officially signed off on Simon & Schuster Canada’s expansion of its editorial and publishing activities, the company announced that president Kevin Hanson is taking the additional job of publisher, continuing to report to Michael Selleck. S&S ceo Carolyn Reidy said in a statement that Hanson “is perfectly suited to lead Simon & Schuster Canada in this exciting endeavor, which will increase our ability to publish authors from the entire English-speaking world on a global scale.” In addition, director of sales operations Alison Clarke has been promoted to associate publisher, while Phyllis Bruce will oversee […]
Hannah Kent’s Debut BURIAL RITES Leads September Indie Next List
Hannah Kent’s debut novel BURIAL RITES is the #1 pick for the September Indie Next List, which also features two BEA Buzz Book selections — THE AFFAIRS OF OTHERS by Amy Grace Loyd and KNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR by Katy Butler — as well as ALEX by Pierre Lemaitre, the first of the 40 titles featured in our own Fall/Winter Buzz Book sampler that you can enjoy right now. The full list: #1 Pick: Burial Rites: A Novel, by Hannah Kent Night Film: A Novel, by Marisha Pessl Alex, by Pierre Lemaitre (translated by Frank Wynne) Enon: A Novel, by […]