Deborah Feldman’s memoir UNORTHODOX, detailing her Satmar Hasidic upbringing and how she eventually broke from it a few years ago, was no stranger to controversy even before its February 14 publication date. Close-knit communities are almost never happy about having their customs aired to a larger public, especially by someone, like Feldman, whose book details many grievances she had with her onetime way of life. Prominent appearances on “The View” and a feature article in the New York Post likely exacerbated matters. But post-publication a number of serious charges have emerged as to whether UNORTHODOX stretched the truth on multiple […]
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Figment To Acquire Teen Writing Site Inkpop From HarperCollins; OverDrive Will Distribute Harry Potter eBooks to Schools and Libraries
HarperCollins is selling off teen writing website Inkpop, which it created in 2009, to Figment for an undisclosed sum. The move, the WSJ reports, reflects HarperCollins’ conclusion that “the benefits of marketing its titles to a significantly larger combined audience outweigh the advantages of controlling its own teen writing website.” In three years of operation Inkpop built up a base of approximately 95,000 users, while Figment has more than 115,000 teens using its site, with “non-existent overlap” between the two groups, according to Figment co-founder Jacob Lewis. Figment will assume control of inkpop’s operations, activity, and website as of March […]
Corporate: Book Printers Edwards Brothers & Malloy Merge; CodeMantra Buys Preparé Inc
Ann Arbor, MI-based book manufacturers Edwards Brothers and Malloy have merged to form the US’s sixth-largest book printer. The new company, now called Edwards Brothers Malloy, has combined sales of $115 million and will have three offset facilities—Edwards Brothers’ plants in Ann Arbor, MI, and Lillington, NC, and Malloy’s operation in Ann Arbor—along with 11 digital print plants in the United States, Canada, and the UK. Edwards Brothers president and ceo John Edwards will be ceo of the merged company, with Malloy president Bill Upton continuing as vp operations and Joe Upton remaining as vp sales and marketing. Edwards said […]
ITC Attorney Says BN Did Not Infringe On Microsoft Patents
The International Trade Commission trial in Microsoft’s patent infringement action against Barnes & Noble began in Washington on Monday, with BN scoring a prominent opinion in their favor. ITC attorney Jeffrey Hsu told Bloomberg that “he is recommending that ITC Judge Theodore Essex find there was no violation by Barnes & Noble of three Microsoft patents” in testimony given before evidence was presented at trial. Microsoft, however, believes Hsu’s opinion will be swayed once the trial is underway. The software company said in its original complaint that Amazon has licensed at least one of their patents for the Kindle. If the […]
Keeslar’s Departure Leaves Dorchester With No Editorial Staff, But Publisher Says “Business Is Usual”
The long-running saga of Dorchester’s financial troubles continued this week with the departure of editorial director Chris Keeslar, the last remaining editorial staffer at the house, on January 31. In a letter to colleagues obtained by author Brian Keene, Keeslar said he was “no longer employed by Dorchester or collecting mail from this address” and directed queries to the five remaining employees at Dorchester, none of whom hold editorial positions. Dorchester marketing and publicity coordinator Hannah Wolfson confirmed Keeslar’s departure but said “nothing material has changed” at the publisher and “everything is business as usual.” The future of the company’s […]
No, Barnes & Noble Won’t Stock Amazon Publishing Titles in Their Stores
With Amazon indicating that their New York publishing division intends to make its titles available to other ebookstores alongside their print licensing deal with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Barnes & Noble has provided a quick answer on whether they will revise their position and carry those books. According to a statement issued Tuesday afternoon by BN chief merchandising officer Jamie Carey, “Barnes & Noble has made a decision not to stock Amazon published titles in our store showrooms.” He added: “Our decision is based on Amazon’s continued push for exclusivity with publishers, agents and the authors they represent. These exclusives have […]