Bloomsbury has been removing printed prices from backlist titles in the UK starting “over a year” ago, Richard Charkin tells the Bookseller. He adds, “When something drops into the backlist, you may wish to increase the price, in which case this enables us to do it [more easily]. It’s a sensible thing to do because I think this government is going to have to introduce high levels of inflation, and we want to make sure we have a way of dealing with it.” But all retailers surveyed by the magazine have been taken by surprise by the move. Borders UK […]
Borders Drops Stock Split for Now; Will Clean Out Board
With its shares trading at over $1 per share for almost two weeks now, Borders has decided not to ask shareholders to approve a reverse stock split at the company’s annual meeting on May 21. (The NY Stock Exchange has also decided to temporarily suspend the dollar-per-share minimum for all companies.) Borders also announced a sweeping change in the composition of its board. Two positions will be eliminated as it shrinks to eight members–and five directors who will still stand for re-election intend to “step down over the coming months as suitable replacements are found.” They have so many openings […]
ABA Says It "could be illegal for ABA to organize, support or condone an economic boycott of Amazon"
After a legal review, the American Booksellers Association offers cautionary legal advice to members, saying that businesses joining together to boycott, or advocate a boycott of, Amazon could be illegal since “antitrust laws forbid combinations or conspiracies in restraint of trade.” They note that “As individuals, you are free to express your opinion about Amazon’s activities. And, our country’s history is replete with stories of how individuals have combined to effect political and social change…. As an organization, however, we believe that it could be illegal for ABA to organize, support or condone an economic boycott of Amazon. Accordingly, it […]
Another Agents Roundtable
Editor Jofie Ferrari-Adler’s latest industry interview session for Poets & Writers is with agents Anna Stein, Jim Rutman, Maria Massie, and Peter Steinberg. Q: Do you guys think the industry is healthy? Just give me a yes or no around the table. STEINBERG: No.MASSIE: No.RUTMAN: I don’t think so.STEIN: No.RUTMAN: But I do wonder if there’s ever been a point when you could get four people to say yes.STEIN: But here’s the silver lining: It’s unhealthy enough that it’s an exciting time. It’s broken enough that publishers and agents and everyone has to change. Everyone has to rethink what they’re […]
People, and Other News Briefs
Joy Dallanegra-Sanger will join Macmillan’s recently-formed Children’s Publising Group in the new position of svp, director of marketing, reporting directly to president Dan Farley. The heads of Advertising/Promo, Consumer/Retail, Educational/Institutional, Internet, and Publicity will all report to Dallanegra-Sanger. Most recently, she was vp, director of field sales at Random House Children’s. Penguin Group keeps hiring editors who were laid off by other houses, as Plume announces that former longtime Simon & Schuster editor Denise Roy starts there this week as senior editor. She will also acquire hardcovers for Dutton and Hudson Street Press. Steven Sussman has joined Dover as director […]
Small Press Highlights
Author Naren Aryal and illustrator by Danny Moore were already at work on a picture book about the First Dog and now that the Obama family has made their selection, with a few adjustments BO: America’s Commander in Leash will be released by Virginia publisher Mascot Books on April 23. Separately, in the Daily Beast Sara Nelson looks at initial success for survivalist John Wesley, Rawles’ previously-self-published novel PATRIOTS from Ulysses Press. (Nielsen Bookscan is said to show sales of over 1,500 units in the first three weeks.) A longtime editor at Defense Electronics magazine, Rawles is now represented by […]