In the UK, Profile Books founder and managing director Andrew Franklin will step back from running the company as of July 1, when current nonfiction publisher Rebecca Gray will take over as managing director. Franklin will “return to his first love – acquiring, editing and publishing books.” As part of the “wider plan to ensure the company’s future as a thriving independent,” sales director Claire Beaumont will become commercial director, leading the marketing and publicity teams as well. They join finance director Frances Ford and pre-press and production director Jack Murphy on the executive team, with Franklin remaining on that […]
International News
WH Smith Celebrates Only Small Declines at Their Bookstores
With WH Smith’s High Street bookstores in a long, steady decline, the parent company’s earnings report for the first six months shows only light falloff from last year’s comps. Sales of £266 million were down just £4 million from the same period a year ago, with trading profit of £24 million down £2 million. The company noted a “good performance in books, supported by Prince Harry’s autobiography Spare” and “a good performance from Mother’s Day across our stores and digital channels.” There is no expectation of growth; the company has consistently focused on wringing cash out of the bookstore business: […]
French Publishing Professional Freed After London Arrest
Foreign rights manager at Éditions La Fabrique Ernest Moret, who was arrested ahead of the London Book Fair for his role in protesting the raised pension age in France, was released after about 24 hours of detainment. Verso editor Sebastian Budgen told PL that Moret’s phone and work computer remain confiscated, with no guarantee when he will get them back, and that he must return to London in mid-May at the request of England’s anti-terrorism unit. Budgen said Moret’s lawyer expects that date to be pushed back and potentially “abandoned, as there’s no real case.” (Moret was released on “police […]
French Rights Manager Arrested Before LBF
Foreign rights manager for the French publisher Editions La Fabrique Ernest Moret, 29, was arrested on Monday at St Pancras Station in London on his way to the London Book Fair. When Moret arrived at the train station from Paris, two plainclothes London police officers stopped him on suspicion of terrorism, related to his participation in protests in Paris over Emmanuel Macron’s change to the pension age. The officers confiscated Moret’s phone and computer and he was arrested when he refused to give them the passcodes, the Guardian reports. Moret remains in custody. In a joint press release, Editions La Fabrique […]
Forthcoming: A Bond In Honor of King Charles
Ian Fleming Publications announced a newly-commissioned short novel, reusing the title ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE from 60 years ago, to be published in the UK on May 4. It is billed in celebration of the coronation of King Charles on May 6. “Young Bond” author Charlie Higson wrote the new 144-page book, though he didn’t have much time: “When Ian Fleming Publications came to me with the idea of writing an adult Bond story a little more than a month ago I was thrilled – until I realised it had to be ready for the coronation in May. Getting […]
London Book Fair May Move 2024 Dates to Avoid Bologna
The London Book Fair is “investigating” moving their 2024 dates, after the Bologna Children’s Book Fair announced it would hold its fair less than a week before, the Bookseller reports. LBF announced in October that the next fair would be April 16 – 18, 2024. BCBF announced this month that it would hold its 2024 fair April 8 – 11. A change to the LBF dates would be contingent on availability of the venue, the Olympia London. “In any event, we will strive to ensure minimal disruption to our visitors,” LBF director Gareth Rapley told The Bookseller. “It is a shame that […]