According to a sign in the window of the Barnes & Noble at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, the location is closing December 31. The company did not respond to the SF Chronicle, but an employee told the paper, “As far as we know, the rent got raised a little too much for us to deal with.”
eNews Shorts: Amazon Starts New Periodicals On Android; Sourcebooks Learns from Giveaway Problems; Diesel Adds Customer Bundles; HBG UK Already at 5 Percent
Amazon has updated their Kindle for Android app first with the capability to buy optimized full-color versions of magazines and newspapers on a single-copy and subscription basis. (Like others in the field, they offer a 14-day free trial on all publications.) They launch with over 100 publications.Release Giving away ebooks is harder than you might think–particularly if you are trying a one-day-only promotion, as Sourcebooks did yesterday to celebrate Jane Austen’s birthday. CEO Dominique Raccah refreshingly turns it into a important community teaching moment, candidly sharing the mistakes they made, the things they learned, the help etailers provided, and even […]
More Lists
Now John Freeman picks his 5 favorite debuts for NPR. LAT critic David Ulin names his 10 favorites reads of the year. Critic and reporter Sarah Weinman tallies her favorites crime novels of the year, along with other favorite reads. The UK’s Telegraph posts their top 10 list.
People, Etc.
Bruce Tracy will join Workman as a senior editor. With over twenty years experience in adult trade publishing, he was executive editor and editorial director at Villard and most recently has been freelancing as a writer and editor. At HarperCollins, Ben Bruton has been promoted to senior director of publicity for the Morrow/Avon division, and Brianne Halverson has been promoted to director of publicity. At Harper Children’s, Amy Ryan has been promoted to art director. She has been with the company since 2000. Jonathan Franzen will deliver the address at Kenyon College’s commencement next May. BEA has officially anounced Italy […]
Curtis Brown UK Responds to School Controversy
Managing director of the books department at Curtis Brown UK Jonny Geller has a piece in the Bookseller that tries to respond to criticism of the agency’s recently-announced Creative Writing School. He claims the program isn’t “paying for access” to having unsolicited manuscripts read–but if that’s the case, they should make that clear on the “school’s” solicitation page, instead of offering such review as a benefit of the program. On the fee for participating, he rightly indicates that “it will cover our tutorial costs” and “this is not a money making venture.” Though Geller acknowledges critics have raised the issue […]
Sales Up Slightly As Scholastic Underdelivers
Sales at Scholastic rose 2 percent in their second quarter, at $675.7 million, up 2% from $660.1 million a year ago. Earnings from continuing operations before taxes were $124.3 million, up 22 percent–except that the company took a large writedown this time last year. Trade publishing sales of $53.4 million rose 8 percent compared to a year ago. Overall, “results were below our plan, reflecting lower spending by school districts and lower than expected revenue in clubs.” The company said they had “lower sales of educational technology relative to a year ago, as well as higher promotion spending in School […]