Severn House is being sold to Joffe Books by current owner Canongate Books. The sale is expected to be completed early next year. Canongate acquired Severn House in 2017. Joffe Books and Canongate have co-publishing ebooks together for the past five years. Canongate ceo Jamie Byng said: “Our close partnership with Joffe Books has enabled us to see first hand how successfully they publish. So when Jasper asked whether we would be interested in selling Severn House, it felt like something we should explore. “That Joffe is a like-minded independent publisher, one who cares as passionately about its authors and […]
International News
Books May Be Excluded from EU Deforestation Regulations
The European Parliament has voted to remove books and other printed materials from the EU Deforestation Regulations (EUDR), which would have forced publishers and distributors to show that products had not been produced on deforested land. The measure now must be agreed to by the EU Parliament, Council and Commission next month. The regulations would have particular impact on British and Irish publishers, as well as US publishers exporting into Europe. Additionally, the Booksellers Association called it an “existential threat” for Irish booksellers who sell books from British, US, and other publishers around the world. “This common sense support by the […]
Sarah Ferguson, Former Duchess of York, Children’s Book Pulled
Sarah Ferguson’s forthcoming children’s book, Flora and Fern: Kindness Along the Way, has been withdrawn from publication. The picture book was first slated to come out from UK publisher New Frontier Publishing on October 9, then was rescheduled to November 20, the BBC reports. The book does not appear to have had a US publisher. No reason was given from the publisher or author for the withdrawal. Ferguson was previously married to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who recently lost his title as Prince Andrew, Duke of York, due to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Ferguson was also dropped from various philanthropic endeavors after […]
Harper UK Confirms Elton As CEO
Named interim CEO of Harper UK two weeks ago following the abrupt and unexplained disappearance of Charlie Redmayne, Kate Elton has now been confirmed as CEO of the division going forward. Harper CEO Brian Murray says in the announcement: “I have had the pleasure of working closely with Kate on our global publishing projects and have seen personally her thoughtful approach and steady hand. Under her leadership, the UK Adult Commercial divisions have achieved tremendous success, transforming Harper Fiction into a powerhouse of bestsellers and driving significant revenue growth. A passionate advocate for our authors and books, Kate combines exceptional […]
Fiction Still Leads In Pre-Frankfurt Deal Period
As we noted earlier in the month, third-quarter dealmaking in the US remained fairly strong even as the consumer marketplace wobbled, with total deal reports gaining slightly, despite a modest pullback from record spending a year ago. In the more concentrated five-week-plus pre-Frankfurt dealmaking, we see similar trends, with publisher spending a little stronger than during the third quarter, though still backing down just a bit from last year’s FBF period. As has been the case for some time, adult fiction continues to lead the market — particularly among publishers’ largest investments — while adult nonfiction and children’s books continue […]
At Harper UK, Redmayne Resigns and Elton Is Named Interim CEO
Harper UK ceo since 2013 Charlie Redmayne has resigned his position. No further details were provided about his abrupt departure. Group managing director for the Adult Commercial Divisions Kate Elton has been named interim ceo, with responsibility for the UK and Ireland. She reports to Brian Murray and will sit on the global executive committee. Harper India and Harper Australia/New Zealand will now report to Murray. The company says, “An announcement will be made in due course about a permanent appointment.” Murray says in the announcement, “Kate is an inspiring publisher who has a deep understanding of the industry and […]