It was a funny (as in odd) day in publishing-related market rumors Thursday. Boy Genius Report “received a tip from an unproven source claiming to have knowledge of discussions within Apple to possibly purchase Barnes & Noble…. It also almost makes too much sense for Apple to do this, said another source of ours, mentioning that Apple doesn’t make moves that appear logical to most outside observers at the time.” Barnes & Noble’s stock jumped 3 percent immediately and then settled back during the day. Funnier (as in ha ha) was the sharp as a truck analyst Brian Marshall at […]
UK’s World Book Night Comes to US Under Carl Lennertz
A US division of the UK’s World Book Night program is being formed under the direction of HarperCollins vp, retail marketing Carl Lennertz, who starts there September 1. The second annual World Book Night will take place April 23 in the US and the UK. Twenty-five titles for the UK will be announced at the Frankfurt Book Fair on October 12, chosen by an editorial selection committee chaired by author Tracy Chevalier. In the US, a “cross-industry steering committee” is in formation. Lennertz says in the announcement, “I have loved everything about my time at Harper. The books, the people, […]
McDermid Agency Launches Separate Digital Publishing Consulting Service
Anne McDermid and Associates is launching dropCapLiterary, which will consult with authors to provide “advice and instruction on marketing, promoting and selling their work in the new digital age.” Run by technology host, journalist, and strategist Amber Mac and McDermid agent Chris Bucci, dropCapLiterary will operate independently of the literary agency, open to all authors, “regardless of representation,” charging fees for negotiated services. That menu of optional services includes: “building and enhancing an author’s online platform; developing an online marketing strategy tailored for each book; managing available ebook and enhanced ebook rights; determining marketing strategies for ebooks; and collaborating with […]
People: Morgan to Become It Books Publisher, and More
Answering the question of who would run HarperCollins’ It Books as Carrie Kania departs, the publisher said Thursday that Cal Morgan is being promoted to svp, publisher of the line, reporting to Michael Morrison. Morgan has been editorial director since It Books launched in 2009. He will also assume Kania’s role of overseeing the Harper Design, still led by vp, publisher Marta Schooler. Morgan will take on these new responsibilities while continuing to serve as editorial director of Harper Perennial, as announced earlier in the week. At HarperCollins Speakers Bureau, Caitlin McCaskey has been promoted to manager and Wade Lucas has been […]
AP Questions Iraq Veteran and Author’s Account of His Injuries
The AP has an extensive piece on decorated Iraq war veteran Luis Carlos Montalvan, whose story is told in the book Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior and the Golden Retriever Who Saved Him, published in May by Hyperion. The story challenges Montalvan’s account of how he received the injuries in 2003 that produced post-traumatic stress disorder (which is helped by his psychiatric service dog Tuesday) and some physical disability. The AP “first heard of Montalvan’s case in late 2009 while researching a story on people who misrepresent their service to obtain PTSD disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs,” […]
Sales and Profits Grow at Oxford University Press
The Oxford University Press issued their annual report for the fiscal year ending in March 2011. Sales of £649 million were up £37 million from the prior year, a 6 percent gain. Margin gained as well, as “a successful sales year combined with effective cost management led to an exceptional surplus of £125 million.” Pre-tax profit for the year was £122.6 million, compared to £98.5 million a year go. They were helped in part by the weak British pound as well, since OUP makes 85 percent of their sales outside the UK. That makes their UK revenues £97.35 million, and […]