As reported widely on Thursday–with a full deal report at PublishersMarketplace–the lengthy auction for former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s book has concluded with Crown winning rights and aiming for a 2014 publication. How much Geithner reveals and how book buyers feel about his record will certainly weigh heavily on the book’s performance when released. In anticipation of the sale, analyst Peter Hildick-Smith at book audience research firm The Codex Group queried a survey panel of just over 5,000 recent book buyers on Geithner’s “Author Equity” for us. (We’ll be featuring some other custom Codex Group research here in the days to come.) […]
Authors
Bookselling: Porter Square Books Seeks New Owner; Michael Vick Signings Cancelled After Threats of Violence
Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA has been put up for sale after more than nine years in business, as its owners are looking to retire. “We’ve really been able to establish Porter Square Books as a vital community institution,” bookstore president Carol Stoltz told WickedLocal. “We have embraced e-books, author events, sidelines and even a café — all things a successful book store needs to have in the 21st century.” Porter Square added they have allocated “a significant timeframe to find just the right next owner of the store.” At least three scheduled appearances at Barnes & Noble stores […]
People, Awards, Etc.
Edward Necarsulmer IV and Eleanor Jackson have joined Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. Necarsulmer was previously an agent at MacIntosh & Otis, and will focus on representing middle grade, YA, and adult literary fiction. Jackson was most recently an agent at Markson Thoma, which last week saw partner Geri Thoma move to Writers House. The UK’s Carnegie Medal for children’s literature features a powerhouse shortlist that includes Costa winner Sally Gardner, Printz winner Nick Lake and medalist Elizabeth Wein: THE WEIGHT OF WATER, Sarah Crossan A GREYHOUND OF A GIRL, Roddy Doyle MAGGOT MOON, Sally Gardner IN DARKNESS, Nick Lake WONDER, […]
Vintage Will Publish EL James’ INNER GODDESS Journal on May 1
EL James will publish a new book in 2013 after all, as Vintage announces a May 1 publication date for FIFTY SHADES OF GREY: INNER GODDESS (A Journal). The “collaboration between James and her US publisher” will be released as a “bonded-leather softcover journal” that will “offer readers and aspiring writers a place where they can record their innermost thoughts.” The book, which will have a 125,000-copy first printing, includes a foreword by James, excerpts from her FIFTY SHADES novels, writing tips, a writing playlist, and lined pages for writing.
Direct Publishing: Random Defends Hydra; McGuire Mystery Solved; Lulu Pairs with ASI
Laments over the contractual terms offered by Random House’s digital-only imprint Hydra escalated to Boing Boing, naturally, as Random House digital publishing director Allison Dobson e-mailed the SWFA Wednesday afternoon and invited them to meet with her to discuss their concerns. “While we respect your position, you’ll not be surprised to learn that we strongly disagree with it, and wish you had contacted us before you published your posts,” Dobson writes. She explains: “Hydra offers a different– but potentially lucrative–publishing model for authors: a profit share…. As with every business partnership, there are specific costs associated with bringing a book successfully […]
Awards: PEN/Faulkner Finalists; BN Discover Winners
The finalists for the 2013 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction were announced Wednesday. The winner will be announced on March 19, and the 33rd Annual PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Ceremony & Dinner will be held on Saturday, May 4 at the Folger Shakespeare Library. The finalists are: Amelia Gray, Threats (Farrar, Straus) Laird Hunt, Kind One (Coffee House Press) T. Geronimo Johnson, Hold it ‘Til It Hurts (Coffee House Press) Thomas Mallon, Watergate (Pantheon) Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Everything Begins & Ends at the Kentucky Club (Cinco Puntos Press) Barnes & Noble also announced the winners of their annual Discover Awards: Fiction: […]