Amazon is apparently not going to resort to buy-button-backlash over the agency model in the UK, but they do still believe it’s a good strategy to get their customers riled. They write in a site note: “It is indeed correct that this group of publishers will require Amazon and other UK booksellers to accept an agency model for e-books. We believe they will raise prices on e-books for consumers almost across the board. For a number of reasons, we think this is a damaging approach for readers, authors, booksellers and publishers alike.” They disingenuously tell their UK customers “most publishers […]
International News
People, Etc.: Janklow Hires NYT’s Julie Just, Phaidon’s New CEO, and More
Children’s book editor of the New York Times Book Review Julie Just will join Janklow & Nesbit as an agent in November. Mort Janklow says in the announcement, “It has been our intention for some time to expand the range of agency services we offer to include in a major way children’s and young adult literature.” Lynn Nesbit calls Just “the ideal person to spearhead this new effort.” Phaidon Press, which recently hired Amanda Ridout as managing director, has now appointed David Davies as chief executive officer, starting November 29 and based in London. He is currently managing director at […]
Plus, The Governor General Awards Nominees
Also just announced this morning was the shortlist for Canada’s Governor General’s Literary Awards. Booker-shortlisted Emma Donoghue is a repeat nominee, and Kathleen Winter is also nominated for Canada’s Giller Prize. (Grove/Atlantic has Winter’s Annabel scheduled for a January trade paperback release through Black Cat; the other three novels do not currently has US pub dates or deals listed.) In the biggest categories, the nominees are: FictionSandra Birdsell, Waiting for JoeEmma Donoghue, RoomDrew Hayden Taylor, Motorcycles and SweetgrassDianne Warren, Cool WaterKathleen Winter, Annabel Non-fictionElizabeth Abbot, A History of MarriageIan Brown, The Boy in the MoonAllan Casey, LakelandKaren Connelly, Burmese LessonsJohn […]
Amazon Does Indeed Acquire BuyVIP
As predicted in reports earlier this week, Amazon announced a deal to acquire Spain-based BuyVIP.com, which claims over six million members in countries including Spain, Italy and Germany. Reported previously as selling for $96.5 million (though not confirmed, among BuyVIP.com’s owners is Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments. In the mode of Gilt Groupe, BuyVIP sells well-known fashion and lifestyle products through limited-time offers at deep discount. Amazon’s vp of European retail Greg Greeley says, “BuyVIP.com is an excellent complement to Amazon’s European business and will provide another unique way for Amazon customers to find and discover unique and compelling products.”Announcement
Frankfurt Exhibitor and Agent Numbers Rise
When Book Fair officials indicated in September that the total number of exhibitors for this year’s convention was likely to fall by about 5 percent a European wire started played up the “decline” as a digital casualty. But at today’s opening press conference, the Fair said that total exhibitors are actually up, at 7,533, a three percent increase over last year. But that number isn’t particularly meaningful since, as in previous years, the full fair will comprise the exact same amount of exhibition space. “Strong demand” for tables in the Literary Agents Center (and the volcanically-quiet London Book Fair this […]
After Further Apologies, Franzen Misprint Still Doesn’t Make Sense
With each additional story the misprinting of FREEDOM only gets fuzzier. Harper UK ceo Victoria Barnsley told the Telegraph over the weekend, “I’d like to apologise profusely to Jonathan, his readers and our customers that our first edition of Freedom does not reflect the author’s final corrected version of the novel…. We are hugely appreciative of Jonathan’s patience and utter professionalism over this.” Yet the publisher continues to blame the typesetter, Palimpsest, for sending the wrong file to the printer–implying that the publisher didn’t send final files, or review proofs before going to press. The same pesky file problem also […]