Hallmark Publishing formally confirmed the forthcoming closure that we reported on Wednesday. A spokesperson for Hallmark Media wrote to PL, “We are exiting the Hallmark Publishing business to focus our resources on other areas of the company that we believe will drive our future growth.” The closure follows the departure of executive editor Stacey Donovan in late September, who founded the publishing division.
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Webtoon and Wattpad Team Launch Yonder
The team behind Webtoon and Wattpad has launched Yonder, a new serialized fiction app. They write in a release that Yonder “elevates serialized fiction, with a focus on curation, stories from influential authors and publishers, and an enhanced experience that rewards readers with more to read.” Publishing partners with content on the app include Blackstone Publishing, Aethon, Sterling and Stone, Portal Books, and Wraithmarked. The app is currently available on Android and the company says it’s coming soon on iOS. Yonder does not have ads, but every story on the platform allows readers several chapters for free before requesting that […]
Hallmark Publishing to Close
Hallmark Publishing is closing, following the departure of executive editor Stacey Donovan at the end of September. The company has not made a public announcement, but multiple authors tell PL that they were informed by email of the development. Hallmark vp, consumer products Natalie Vandergast wrote: “We are writing to inform you that Hallmark Publishing is closing its business. This decision is based on the best business interests of Hallmark Media. This means we will not take on any new titles. We understand this may come as frustrating news, but our business focus dictated this decision.” One author suggests that not all […]
AI Proofreading Platform Receives Funding
AI Proofreading app Proofcheck has received venture capital funding from Plug and Play. Proofcheck searches for errors in multiple languages and in a variety of file formats, including PDF, ePUB, and MOBI. According to the Plug and Play website, “The software automates the most common manual QA checks such as typo detection, widow and orphan lines, stacks and ladders, version comparison (PDF-PDF and DOCX-PDF differences), stylesheet generation, footer irregularity detection, hyperlink validation, and more.” The app has initially been tested by “production departments from Big Five trade publishers in the US and UK, as well as Anglophone academic and university […]
Hachette Employees to Return to Office on Nov. 1 (For Two Days A Week)
Hachette Book Group will end its return-to-office pilot program, which allowed staff to defer in-person work, on October 31. November 1 will be the start of the Hachette Hybrid program, in which staff is required to be in the office two set days per week, ceo Michael Pietsch announced in a memo to employees. “In doing this, we are following updated guidance from the CDC and state and local authorities in our locations,” ceo Michael Pietsch wrote. “The CDC acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but there is significantly less risk of severe illness compared to earlier in the […]
Congress Said to Prepare Resolutions Opposing School Book Bans
Following the alarming rise of selective local banning of books in various school systems, both the House and Senate are reported to be preparing resolutions “to protect the rights of students to learn.” Resolutions are expression of sentiment, however, and are not laws. From coverage in Politico, which has seen a draft, the resolution “expresses concern about the spreading problem of book banning and proliferating threats to freedom of expression in the United States” and “reaffirms the United States’ commitment to supporting writers’ freedom of expression, and the freedom of all Americans to read books without government censorship.” It also […]