The NYT has broken the embargo on former vice president Dick Cheney‘s memoir IN MY TIME, which is set for release next Tuesday. Though Cheney tells NBC in the first televised interview, which will air next Monday, that “there are going to be heads exploding all over Washington” over the book, it’s hard to see why from the Times’ read. Cheney is Cheney, as he “expresses little regret about many of the most controversial decisions of the Bush administration” and “is often pugnacious in tone.” He thinks former CIA director George Tenet was a quitter, and even though many would […]
New Business Models
Librarians Hopeful As HBG Considers Resuming Frontlist eBook Sales
Library Journal updates the state of negotiations on new models for selling ebooks to libraries. While some librarians have apparently convinced themselves that Hachette Book Group has a plan to start selling them frontlist ebooks again, Hachette executives make it clear their internal debate is still underway. SVP for Hachette Digital Maja Thomas has been meeting with the relevant parties, but the HBG team has not made any decisions. “It’s an extremely sensitive issue and there is a lot of passion on both sides, and we’ve been working diligently here for months on it,” she says. “I will present [her […]
Another Digital Imprint, This Time In Australia
First Pan Macmillan announced a digital imprint for the UK focused on backlist books, Compass, and now Pan Macmillan Australia has announced their own digital imprint, Momentum, launching in February 2012. Pan Macmillan director Tom Gilliatt will run moment, with publisher Joel Naoum “managing” the list. They will both bring back to market out-of-print titles as well publish “new works from established and emerging authors.” And, as we have been exploring via our Publishers Launch Conferences, the line intends to “embrace the international potential of the digital market by making its ebooks available globally.” The launch list includes four traditional […]
Rosetta Launches New Line of eBook Originals
Rosetta Books is launching a Crimescape digital imprint, featuring short-form true crime writing from established authors. They are starting with six titles, adding at least two new titles a month. All titles will be Kindle exclusives for one year. Running 10,000 to 20,000 words, the initial selections are all priced at $2.99. Founder of CrimeLibrary.com Marilyn Bardsley is overseeing the line for Rosetta, “focusing on writers she has worked with over the years” but also open to submissions. Rosetta founder Arthur Klebanoff sees it as “example of how an original ebook line can be established in an area of traditional […]
More eNews, Off the Beaten Path: Muhammed Ali Sues Kobo; An Author’s eFirst Serial; Chinese Authors Complain to Apple; and More
Muhammad Ali Enterprises has sued Kobo in a New York Federal Court, saying the company used the apparently-trademarked “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” phrase in an ereader ad without permission. Bloomberg Author Keith Devlin has self-published electronically a section that had been cut from his just-released book THE MAN OF NUMBERS, under the title Leonardo & Steve: The Young Genius Who Beat Apple to Market by 800 Years. Priced at $2.99, the self-published ebook was issued more or less simultaneously with the full title from Bloomsbury, packaged with the first chapter from the book itself. Agent Ted […]
eNews: Macmillan to Sell MPS Stake; Apps Are Adjusting to New iOS Rules; Another Subscription Offer
Macmillan is putting their controlling 61 percent stake in the publishing solutions and services unit MPS up for sale. The Times of India says the Bangalore-based company employs about 1,000 people, but the company’s site says they have 2,500 employees worldwide. Standalone 2009 sales were approximately $30 million. The Times says “MPS has attracted interests from IT services players as well as financial investors. Macmillan’s divestment could help the company scale up operations winning more third-party businesses.” They say the sector has been active for M&A lately, adding that “there is also speculation that Aptara Solutions may launch a stake […]