Publisher of Whitecap Books since 2001, Robert McCullough will join Random House Canada on July 11 as publisher of a new imprint. The line will focus on “the type of lifestyle and food titles for Canada and the North American marketplace that he has published” in the past. The unit will draw on all of RH Canada’s shared services. It’s designed to grow to publish 15 to 20 titles a year. McCullough will remain based in Vancouver, and reports to president Brad Martin. UK literary agents Patrick Walsh and Clare Conville of Conville & Walsh are launching a speakers’ agency […]
International News
UK Site Tries to Combine Kickstarter and Byliner Models
At the Hay literary festival over the weekend, writer Justin Pollard, publishing veteran John Mitchinson and Crap Towns author Dan Kieran launched Unbound.co.uk, a site that aims to serve as a mash-up of Kickstarter and Byliner for books. The Kickstarter part is a fan-sourced funding mechanism that solicits pledges to finance proposed, with a roster of benefits for contributions form £10 up to £250 (or the opportunity to bankroll an entire project). The Byliner part is that, once financed, the site also serves as the publishing platform–like it or not, as far as we can tell, and takes 50 percent […]
Digital Accelerates At Bloomsbury, Which Announces Digital Drama Library with Faber
Bloomsbury, which is readjusting its fiscal year, reported results for the 14 months ending February 28. Since the publisher already disclosed 12-month results recently, we’ll only delve into the highlights and what’s new. Their ebook sales continue to accelerate. They were £1.5 million for all of 2010, and have now registered £1.1 million for the first two months of 2011. Chief executive Nigel Newton says in the release, “This is an exciting time for Bloomsbury: demand for digital delivery, including e-books, is increasing significantly; it will change the publishing business model creating one worldwide market. The recent organisation change is […]
More News from Publishers Launch: ABA to Test Bundling; HC Building App Studio; Amazon Readies for Brazil
ABA coo Len Vlahos revealed that they have arranged a bundling test for the fall with one publisher (and are talking to another). “When you buy the print book instore or online, you’ll get the ebook free for a fixed time,” and that ebook will be DRM-free “for this limited time period” to facilitate the bundle. On a separate Google-run panel yesterday, however, the company’s Scott Dougall said “consumers love bundling” and “we’d love to get there” to offier it. “But it’s up to the publishing industry to be more open-minded” about the pricing of bundles. Back at Publishers Launch […]
Current Developments in the Spanish-Language Digital Market
At the “Why eBooks in Spanish in the US and How to Make them Available to Readers” panel this morning, CEO Arantza Larrauri announced that Libranda, Spain’s major ebook distribution platform, will be launching in Latin America next week, starting with Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, with plans to expand to other countries by the end of the year. To begin with they will partner with local affiliates of the big houses that back Libranda – Planeta, Santillana and Random House Mondadori – but they are in negotiations to partner with local houses in each country as well. At launch they […]
Bookspan Owner Najafi Buys French DirectGroup Book Clubs, and More
Phoenix-based investment firm Najafi Companies, which bought the ailing North American Direct Group assets (including book club giant Bookspan, along with Columbia House) from Bertelsmann in 2008, has gone back for a second helping. Najafi is also buying DirectGroup France, Belgium, Switzerland and Quebec. Called “a billion-dollar, top-line” business, terms were not disclosed for the deal, expected to close by the end of May. Najafi will continue to operate the Paris-based unit separately, under current management, and intends to “invest significant capital into growing DirectGroup over the next several years, including strengthening its book club model, travel and financial services, […]