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Harlequin Slightly Up Down Sales at Harlequin were down 2.5 percent to $115.7 million (CA) due to the weakened dollar, though “underlying” sales were up $.7 million absent currency fluctuations. North American retail was up slightly while direct-to-consumer was down slightly, and overseas sales were up slightly. Even with the currency issues, profits rebounded 12.5 percent, to $16.3 million. Torstar Release Indigo Keeps Rolling Indigo continues its strong performance, with second quarter sales up 14.8 percent, to $209 million (CA). Same-store sales were up more than 10 percent throughout the chain, and their online store grew 50 percent, to $26 […]

Noted — Junot Diaz won the John Sargent, Sr. First Novel Prize for THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO. — At Abebooks.com coo Boris Wertz is “transitioning” to a new job with majority shareholder Burda Digital Ventures, creating a Vancouver-based venture capital business that will target consumer Internet investment opportunities in the Pacific Northwest. Wertz will remain on the AbeBooks board and continue to advise the company. The senior management team is being revised as a result, with Laura-Lea Berna promoted to vp of operations; Shaun Jamieson promoted to director of sales and account management, and president of subsidiary […]

Paolini to Expand Bestselling Series The third book in Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance series will be published on September 23, 2008, Knopf Children’s announced this morning. Originally envisioned as a trilogy, Paolini is expanding the story into a fourth book. He says in the announcement: “I plotted out the Inheritance series as a trilogy nine years ago, when I was fifteen. At that time, I never imagined I’d write all three books, much less that they would be published. When I finally delved into Book Three, it soon became obvious that the remainder of the story was far too big to […]

Newsmaking Releases Revelations have started to surface from this week’s release WRITE IT WHEN I’M GONE: Remarkable Off-The-Record Conversations with Gerald R. Ford, by journalist Thomas DeFrank. Among them: “He said at one point that if the Republicans wanted to win and stop Hillary Clinton, Giuliani would be their best bet.” But much of the focus is on conversations with Clinton during his impeachment. As USA Today reports, Clinton sought Ford’s support — “Ford did not think Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky rose to the level of impeachment. Ford told Clinton he would not work on his […]

The Key As usual, the handy key to our Lunch deal categories. While all reports are always welcome, those that include a category will generally receive a higher listing when it comes time to put them all together. “nice deal” $1 – $49,000 “very nice deal” $50,000 – $99,000 “good deal” $100,000 – $250,000 “significant deal” $251,000 – $499,000 “major deal” $500,000 and up Deal Reports Just e-mail to deals@PublishersMarketplace.com if you aren’t using the online form linked below. Report a deal using the online form   FICTION Debut London Observer’s New York correspondent Paul Harris’s FREETOWN, about a journalist […]

Blair: One Done, Thirty to Go? As widely reported following yesterday afternoon’s press release, the auction for former British prime minister Tony Blair’s memoirs, originally including bids from 5 pairs of US and UK publishers, has ended with Random House putting Blair on their shelf alongside Bill Clinton. Knopf will publish the book in the US and Canada, and Hutchinson will publish in the UK. The deal, represented by attorney Robert Barnett at Williams & Connolly, is for world rights, and no publication has been set, though it’s “at least a couple of years away.” (In the meantime, there’s Robert […]