Spanish newspaper El País reports that Amazon will launch its dedicated Spanish site Amazon.es on September 15. As in Italy, the launch will feature Amazon’s usual mix of products, but only paper books. A Spanish Kindle store is said to be coming by the end of the year. As in Germany, Kindle’s first launch in continental Europe, Spain maintains fixed pricing for books and this is expected to apply to ebook prices as well. According to the paper, the pricing and timing of ebook releases will be determined by the publishers, though Amazon recommends that prices be set between 9 and 11 […]
International News
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 […]
Bookselling: Atlantic Books To Close Seven More Stores; New Stores In LA and Danville; and More
Conshocken, PA- based Atlantic Books will close seven stores in shore towns in New Jersey and Delaware. Co-owner Mark Simon tells the Press of Atlantic City, “They’re no longer profitable, and have not been for the last year or so,” adding that “it becomes more and more difficult to afford the rent.” In New Jersey they are closing shops in Beach Haven, Cape May, Stone Harbor, and two in Ocean City (plus their Somers Point store closed earlier this summer), and in Delaware stores in Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island will close permanently this fall. That will leave the chain with only […]
Triumph Exits Random House; Bloomsbury Buys Absolute Press
Following the buyback earlier this summer of The Monacelli Press from Random House, sports-focused publisher Triumph Books is also exiting the trade conglomerate to reestablish itself as an independent publisher. President and publisher Mitch Rogatz is buying the company back with the help of an unidentified investor, effective September 1. Random House purchased the unit, which was founded in 1989, in 2006. The newly independent Triumph will be distributed by Independent Publishers Group (IPG). In acquisitions, Bloomsbury has acquired cooking publisher Absolute Press. Specialist publisher Janet Murphy will manage the unit at Bloomsbury, along with the nautical, sports and natural […]
Saatchi UK Suit Aims At Non-Compete Clauses
Charles Saatchi has brought a lawsuit in London against Phaidon Press, which published his 2009 book My Name is Charles Saatchi and I Am An Artoholic and contracted that year for two additional books. He appears to aim at what many would recognize as standard non-compete language. According to the Telegraph, the suit cites “a section of the agreement [that] prevents him from preparing, editing or licensing any work which forms part of the two books, or which might compete with the titles, for the life of the agreement. A judge is due to decide whether this amounts to an […]
Google Settles with La Martiniere; Will Launch Google eBooks In France
Google has settled its differences with another French publisher, La Martiniere. Perhaps more importantly, they acknowledge that Google eBooks is coming to France. (Now we just need to know when.) The companies will work together to put the publisher’s out-of-print, in-copyright books online, which “effectively ends the legal dispute” between the two. In 2009 a French court ordered Google to pay La Martiniere a small fine for scanning their books without permission. (They sought 15 million euros in damages, and were awarded 300,000 euros.) AFP says Google has now withdrawn their legal appeal–but indicates the company has not settled yet […]