Nearly a year ago ebook publisher Samhain Publishing had told authors via email that it was “beginning the process of winding down due to our market share’s continuing decline” and “approaching the point where we cannot sustain our business.” Christina Brashear had written, “I won’t drag this out any longer than I have to, but it isn’t going to be something that will be wrapped up in the next six months.” Then in mid-2016 Brashear sent another notice claiming that after layoffs and adjustments it was “not liquidating its business or winding up its affairs” and would “stay fully operational” — but the original dispatch was […]
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Soumeya Bendimerad Roberts has joined Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency as agent and rights director. She will be focusing on her literary fiction, narrative non-fiction list, and young adult list. Roberts was most recently an agent at Writers House. In addition, Leigh Eisenman and Tanusri Prasanna have both been promoted to agent. Eisenman will be growing her practical non-fiction and literary/upmarket fiction list, and Prasanna will focus on picture books, middle grade, and young adult titles. At Holloway Literary, Kortney Price has been promoted to associate agent. Susan Rella recently joined Melville House as managing editor. Previously she was managing editor at Gallery. […]
Barnes & Noble Officially Recalls 147,000 Nook Tablet 7-Inch Chargers
Working the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Barnes & Noble has formally recalled the power adapter sold with their recently-introduced Nook Tablet 7-inch model. The bookseller stopped selling the tablet in early January after a few (now four) reports of “the adapter casing breaking apart while still in the socket” and recommended informally that customers stop using the charger while they investigated further. Under the recall, BN will replace the potentially fault units and provide customers with a $5 BN gift certificate (along with a prepaid shipping label to return the chargers). The company says the recall affects “about 147,000” units — the first […]
Digital: Shelfie Shutters, Radish Raises
Shelfie, the ebook bundling app that provided users with ebooks to go along with some of the print books they already own, told users with almost no notice that the service will close today. Founded as BitLit, the Vancouver-based company had received seed funding former Kobo ceo Michael Serbinis among others. In contrast, mobile app-based short-form serialized fiction platform Radish formally announced having raised $3 million in seed financing from funders including UTA, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments, and Amy Tan, among others. Larry Kirshbaum is serving as a senior adviser.
Competition Comes to Digital Audiobooks As European Investigations Lead to End of Audible/Apple Exclusivity
Both Apple and Audible have agreed to end their worldwide digital audiobook exclusivity agreements following an investigation by the European Commission and the German federal cartel office. The investigations began in November 2015 and were sparked by a complaint from the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, which asserted in their filing that approximately 90 percent of the digital audiobook market was controlled by Audible and iBooks. With the agreement in effect as of January 5, Apple can offer digital audiobooks from other suppliers for sale in their iTunes stores and Audible is free to sell their product through other digital music platforms. […]
Leak Indicates Microsoft Will Try Again At Selling eBooks
Leaks from this spring’s Creators Update to the Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system suggest that Microsoft is yet again trying to establish a presence in the ebook market. In this first look on MSPowerUser, which contains screenshots of the new feature, we learn that a “new e-book store will be integrated into the Windows Store as a dedicated section where users will be able to buy books from a range of different publishers and authors. Buying a book from the Windows Store works just like how you would buy an app, game or a music album — simply find a […]