In a bulletin posted this morning, the Authors Guild tells members their “understanding” is that Andrew Wylie and his recently-announced Odyssey Editions “as agent and publisher is taking no more than it would as an agent. That is, Wylie/Odyssey is limiting its total compensation to its rate for commissions.” The Guild tells us they are “confident” about the accuracy of this understanding. Of course that raises again the question of what makes Odyssey a publisher instead of an agency making e-only deals, but the publisher himself remains on vacation. Many other elements of the deal remain opaque, including how Odyssey’s […]
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Dark Data Update: AT&T Added More iPads than eReaders
In discussing quarterly results last week, AT&T revealed that they activated “roughly 900,000 connected devices” on their network in the past three months. That category includes 3G eReaders from Amazon and Barnes & Noble–along with netbooks, personal navigation devices, digital photo frames and all kinds of other gizmos. And would seem to include iPads as well. In answering an analyst’s question, the company said in just two months they activated 400,000 to 500,000 iPads alone. You can do the math on ereaders from there… Separately, Apple reported shipping 3.27 million iPads so far.
Odyssey Editions Fallout: Random House Puts Business Dealings with Wylie Agency On Hold, Macmillan CEO “Appalled”, and More
The fallout over Andrew Wylie’s entry into the e-book business with the help of an exclusive deal with Amazon continues, with publishers and independent booksellers expressing their displeasure – and in one Big Six house’s instance, some forceful action. In a statement released yesterday afternoon, Random House has indicated that The Wylie Agency’s decision to sell e-books exclusively to Amazon through its new Odyssey Books company “undermines [Random House’s] longstanding commitments to and investments in our authors, and it establishes this Agency as our direct competitor.” As a result, “Random House on a worldwide basis will not be entering into […]
Briefs: Quick Ruling Possible in Burkle/B&N Trial; Figuring Out E-Book Bestseller Lists; and More
After final arguments in the trial stemming from Ron Burkle’s complaint about B&N’s poison pill measures, a Delaware court judge said B&N “may have responded in a reasonable manner last year”, and that he would try to issue a ruling quickly. He didn’t say how soon that would be and acknowledged his ruling may be appealed to the Delaware Supreme Court.AP The New York Times Book Review is now available as a standalone subscription for the Kindle. In related news, TIME’s Andrea Sachs wonders when e-books will be incorporated into the NYT and other bestseller lists, the way it now […]
Macmillan CEO Is “Appalled” by Wylie Publishing Deal with Amazon
In a blog post on Macmillan’s website, CEO John Sargent has issued his response to Andrew Wylie’s move to distribute select backlist titles exclusively via Amazon. First, Sargent “welcomes” Wylie to the fold as a publisher, joking that he’ll be knocking on the agent’s door to ask for AAP dues: “In today’s world job functions, channels of distribution, and age-old relationships are constantly shifting. Combining the functions of agent and publisher raises serious issues that I feel strongly about, but if Andrew wants to attempt to disintermediate publishers, that is his right.” But Sargent is “appalled” that Wylie has chosen […]
Wylie Agency Launches eBook Company, Gives Amazon Exclusive on First Titles
Andrew Wylie has made good on threats to create his own company to distribute ebooks by making deals directly with etailers rather than traditional publishers, announcing the launch of Odyssey Editions. In the first announcement, Odyssey will issue ebook versions of select titles from some of the key authors and literary estates The Wylie Agency represents, including John Updike, Salman Rushdie, Martin Amis and Hunter Thompson–and has given Amazon a two-year exclusive. The 20 titles announced so far including the Rabbit tetralogy from John Updike, MIDNIGHT’S CHILDREN and LOLITA by Vladimir Nabokov. Many of these titles are appearing in digital […]