What’s going to happen when authors analyze the terms being offered by Perseus’s new Argo Navis? It has been positioned as sounding like Amazon’s KDP program (“Argo Navis offers these authors a 70/30 revenue split”) and the NYT obligingly declares it “a favorable revenue split that is unusual in the industry,” comparing the proceeds to royalties rather than other sef-publishing and distribution arrangements. But for ebooks that qualify for the highest rates from KDP and PubIt, it looks as if Argo Navis will yield gross proceeds that are just half of what authors would get when they participate in those […]
Distribution
Bloomsbury Readies Digital Distribution Service
As Perseus expands their digital distribution to agents and authors, Bloomsbury is preparing a direct competitor to Constellation, Faber Factory and other ebook distribution platforms for publishers. Launching soon, the new service, called Bloomsbury Connect, has been in development for months under the direction of managing director, group sales and marketing Evan Schnittman. It’s a companion to the Bloomsbury Reader program, announced in April, which launched last week with almost 600 titles. As Schnittman explains, Bloomsbury Connect is a “service solution,” focused on publishers, while Bloomsbury Reader is a full “publishing solution” for out-of-print titles, focused on agencies and estates. Bloomsbury Connect […]
Perseus Adds Digital Distribution for Authors and Agents, Argo Navis
The Perseus Books Group’s digital distribution platform Constellation is adding a service offering targeted at the many literary agencies helping their authors epublish, called Argo Navis Author Services. After presentations to a small set agencies, Perseus is announcing that Janklow & Nesbit and Curtis Brown “are planning to make [the service] available to their clients.” Separately, co-head of publications at ICM Sloan Harris confirmed to Publishers Lunch that the agency is close to finalizing a deal to participate in Perseus’s initiative. “They are not going to be an exclusive destination for us,” Harris said, “but I expect that they will […]
People, Etc.
Hector Sierra has been promoted to general manager and svp for National Geographic’s book publishing group, responsible for overseeing business operations and global sales for all categories of National Geographic’s trade and digital books. He was chief operating officer for the division, having joined National Geographic in 2000. F+W Media group marketing director Kate Rados was one of two people honored as MinOnline’s marketers of the year. Robert Wheaton will join Random House Canada in the newly created position of vp, director, strategic business development, reporting to ceo Brad Martin. Wheaton was previously director of inventory management for Indigo Books […]
Constellation Pairs With Faber Factory In UK Joint Venture
The UK’s Faber and Faber has joined with the Perseus Books Group’s Constellation to form a UK joint venture focused on digital distribution for independent publishers. The new entity combines Faber’s e-distribution initiative Faber Factory–with 70 client publishers–with Constellation’s platform, to form Faber Factory Powered By Constellation. Faber ceo Stephen Page says in the announcement, “Faber Factory was conceived as an ambitious response to the enormous and liberating opportunity for independent publishers in the digital age. The power of Faber partnering with Perseus makes this ambition immediately achievable, globally and long term as together we can offer market-leading tools, service […]
Gail Kump Sues Eric Kampmann, Charging “Self-Dealing” And Seeking Dissolution of Midpoint Trade Books
Midpoint Trade Books co-founder Gail Kump filed suit on Wednesday against Midpoint ceo Eric Kampmann and Midpoint director and minority shareholder Christopher Bell in New York Supreme Court, alleging breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and other corporation law violations. Kump’s corporation Lily K. Inc. owns 24 percent of Midpoint’s shares, as does Bell. Kampmann & Co., also named in the suit, own 52 percent of the company. The suit charges that Kampmann “has engaged in a pattern of self-dealing, impropriety and malfeasance during the last six years that has damaged Midpoint.” It charges the Kampmann “stopped signing new […]