Following the buyback earlier this summer of The Monacelli Press from Random House, sports-focused publisher Triumph Books is also exiting the trade conglomerate to reestablish itself as an independent publisher. President and publisher Mitch Rogatz is buying the company back with the help of an unidentified investor, effective September 1. Random House purchased the unit, which was founded in 1989, in 2006. The newly independent Triumph will be distributed by Independent Publishers Group (IPG). In acquisitions, Bloomsbury has acquired cooking publisher Absolute Press. Specialist publisher Janet Murphy will manage the unit at Bloomsbury, along with the nautical, sports and natural […]
Briefs: JK Rowling Anthology Intro; USA Today Fall Books Preview; and More
JK Rowling will write the foreword to Dear Me: A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self, edited by Joseph Galliano (Atria) which will be released on October 25. In the foreword Rowling writes that she was touched by the letters’ “commonality … Nearly everyone who wrote, whether their letter is jolly or poignant, seems to have looked back on their younger selves with compassion.” A portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to Doctors Without Borders. USA Today Speaking of USA Today, their Fall Books Preview highlights 31 titles, with special emphasis on upcoming, much-covered titles by Susan Orlean, Colson […]
Hachette Results Fall On Meyer Comps, As eBooks Reach 20 Percent
Lagardere reported sales for the first half of the year, with Lagardere Publishing recording declines in both sales and profits. Sales of 900 million euros were down 7.7 percent on a reported basis, and 6 percent on a like-for-like basis, compared to 975 million euros a year ago. Similarly, EBIT declined to 71 million euros, down from 101 million euros a year ago. But the company says that “when stripping out the Stephenie Meyer phenomenon, net sales were stable in the US and in the UK” and they “anticipate that the division will resume growth and profitability” in the second […]
Sony’s First Potter Offer Is Mild; Reader Store Will Expand Internationally
Sony has finally announced the newest iteration in their never-in-the-lead ereader line. Of more interest is the “first offer” in their collaboration with JK Rowling’s Pottermore. It’s not the blockbuster exclusive that has been rumored, but rather a voucher that lets Sony Reader purchasers get a free download of the first Harry Potter book from Pottermore. In the announcement, Sony indicates that their Reader estore will finally expand, “coming first to the UK, Germany and Australia in 2011.” The biggest claim for the new model of their ereader, finally a mainstream wi-fi model coming in October, is that it will […]
People, Etc.
Jessica Tribble has been promoted to publisher of Poisoned Pen Press. Tribble has been with the company since 2004 and replaces Robert Rosenwald, who will continue as president, while Barbara Peters will remain editor-in-chief. Melanee Winder has been named sales and marketing director of Hachette New Zealand, effective October 31. She is currently deputy group sales director at Little Brown UK. At Red Sofa Literary, Jennie Goloboy has been promoted to associate literary agent. She will represent paranormal and science fiction/fantasy, children’s middle grade, young adult and some nonfiction (history and biography). Diesel Books has secured a lease for a new […]
Profits Up Sharply On Random House On Slight Sales Decline
Bertelsmann reported sales for the first half of the year, and Random House’s results followed the pattern of other big houses in recent months: sales were basically flat (down 4 million euros) but profits rebounded significantly, up over 70 percent. Sales for the period were 787 million euros, with operating EBIT of 69 million euros. The sales slide was blamed on “unfavorable exchange-rate effects.” While sales are still below levels reached in 2007 (832 million euros) and 2006 (859 million euros), this year’s operating EBIT is the best first-half result in years. The company “benefited from a strong U.S. performance […]