On the List: The Busy Body by Kemper Donovan
Kemper Donovan is a full-time writer and host of the podcast All About Agatha, dedicated to all things Agatha Christie.
Premium Content
New science imprint at Farrar, Straus and Giroux
The mission: “publish books that illuminate and elucidate the central questions and fundamental ideas of modern science for readers.”
New crime imprint at Grove Atlantic
Independent publisher Grove Atlantic has launched Atlantic Crime, a new imprint that will release 18–24 titles per year.
Sekai: AI storytelling platform
Sekai is an emerging platform that allows storytellers to co-create alongside other people using generative AI.
SXSW launches hybrid book publishing arm
SXSW has partnered with Advantage Media, a hybrid publishing company, to establish SXSW Books. Distribution is through Ingram’s Two River.
New agent at Jane Rotrosen agency
Danielle Marshall was formerly editorial director at Lake Union Publishing (Amazon), among other roles in traditional publishing and bookselling.
New literary publishing event for Southern writers, publishers, and others
The Deep South Convening on the Future Success of American Writers will take place on May 24 at the University of Alabama in Birmingham.
Links of Interest: February 12, 2025
The latest in traditional publishing, bookselling, the children’s market, audio, book marketing, AI, and culture & politics.
Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros: fastest-selling adult title in history of BookScan
The publisher, Entangled, reports total sales of 2.7 million copies for Onyx Storm during the first week.
IngramSpark increases printing prices, including its “global distribution fee”
Anyone with an IngramSpark account has likely seen the news: The distributor will increase POD pricing in April of this year.
Cool tool alert: ISBN visualizer
This online tool allows anyone to see all of the books published by a single publisher in a specific reserved block of ISBNs.
Book sales update: dystopian novels enjoy sales boost
Books by Ray Bradbury, Margaret Atwood, and George Orwell enjoyed increased sales after President Trump was inaugurated for the second time.
Reader Asks: Is BookTok really responsible for selling one in 12 print books?
Why is the industry attributing sales so directly to BookTok when it has never done so with other social media?
Another record-breaking year for digital checkouts at libraries
OverDrive recently announced that digital borrowing through their system increased by 17 percent in 2024 compared to 2023.
UK hybrid publisher Unbound faces financial uncertainty
Launched in 2010, Unbound is one of the very few publishers that uses a crowdfunding model for every title published.
Cozy fantasy: There’s a BISAC code for that
The Book Industry Study Group has introduced a FICTION/Fantasy/Cozy code in a recent update.
Not Here for the Plot: Romance Readers Who Seek Vibes
Some readers are looking for all the feels without any of the stress of high-stakes fiction.
Once a Stalwart, the Historical Romance Market Goes Soft
While some historical fiction authors are pivoting to other subgenres, others may move toward self-publishing.
On the List: Didion & Babitz by Lili Anolik
Lili Anolik is a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and a writer at large for Air Mail.
FairyLoot partners with PRH UK on new imprint
Subscription box company FairyLoot will launch a fantasy publishing imprint in partnership with a division of Penguin Random House UK.
New agent at Massie & McQuilken
Michael Taeckens has joined as a literary agent; he will continue as publicist at Broadside PR, which he co-founded in 2015.
New agent at George Borchardt
Pronoy Sarkar has joined as a literary agent; most recently he was an editor at Little, Brown. He is focused on nonfiction.
New UK publisher: The River Light Press
They will publish “heavyweight” nonfiction books written by academics, journalists, or writers who have developed a strong brand identity.
Links of Interest: January 29, 2025
The latest in bookselling, trends, traditional publishing, Amazon, legal concerns, media & the creator economy, AI, and culture & politics.
Bookshop begins selling ebooks, with all authors welcome
Currently ebooks purchased through Bookshop can be read in a browser or in the Bookshop app on your smartphone.
TikTok remains available for now, pending some kind of sale
As soon as President Trump took office, he issued an executive order giving TikTok a 75-day extension to sell or be banned in the U.S.
Circana BookScan releases a brief 2024 sales analysis
Adult fiction was the strongest segment of the book market in 2024, with BookTok continuing to be a key factor in discovery.
Publishers Marketplace deal reports saw growth in 2024
2024 set a record for the most deal reports logged at the site, with six-figure deals up by 17 percent over 2023.
The US government drops complaints related to book bans
The Dept. of Education has dropped complaints filed during the Biden administration related to the removal of books from school libraries.
Who receives NEA writing fellowships?
A team has compiled a dataset of every recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts’ fellowship for creative writing from 1965 to 2024.
Fractured Publicity: Navigating Book Promotion in the Influencer Age
Relationship-building remains a constant in book publicity.
Cozy Fantasy: It’s All about the Vibes
This feel-good fantasy subgenre offers an escape from the stress and conflicts of daily life.
On the List: This Girl’s a Killer by Emma C. Wells
Emma C. Wells loves anti-heroes, dark humor, witty banter, and ride-or-die friendships. This Girl’s a Killer is her debut novel.
New audio-first imprint at Simon & Schuster seeks self-publishing authors
Simon Maverick will mostly work with self-published authors to produce original audiobooks and is planning 50 titles in its first year.
Book influencer Jenna Bush Hager launches new imprint with Random House
Jenna Bush Hager’s media company, Thousand Voices, has partnered with Random House to publish emerging authors across the group’s imprints.
New imprint at Crown (PRH): Storehouse Voices
Developed in partnership with Tamira Chapman, Storehouse Voices is committed to elevating Black voices in fiction and nonfiction.
New publisher: Bluestone Books
Independent publisher Ulysses Press and book packager Spot Gloss Media have joined to launch a new publishing company.
New novella publishing effort: Joyland Publishing
The new independent nonprofit publisher, Joyland, will publish two novellas annually in addition to its existing magazine.
Filmore Projects: new consulting firm and book packager
Former Abrams CEO Michael Jacobs and author Sheridan Hay have opened up a consulting/coaching firm.
Links of Interest: January 15, 2025
The latest in trends, the TikTok ban, copyright, AI, marketing & publicity, comics, and culture & politics.
Where book sales ended up for 2024
According to Circana BookScan, 2024 US print book sales ended up 0.56 percent ahead of 2023.
Created by Humans officially launches
It pays 80 percent of proceeds to the author, although it’s yet to be seen what kind of money might be earned on a title-by-title basis.
Using AI to colorize, smooth, and retouch photos in books: Is this normal?
A recent Woodrow Wilson biography features AI-enhanced century-old photos. What do readers think about the practice?
2024 book sales update
With a late surge in book sales at year end, it’s possible that 2024 print sales will outperform 2023.
What to Watch for in 2025
Several topics I’m keeping an eye on this year with long-term ramifications.
On the List: Five Brothers by Penelope Douglas
Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.
Links of Interest: January 1, 2025
The latest in traditional publishing, self-publishing, media, and culture & politics.
On the List: A Dark and Secret Magic by Wallis Kinney
Wallis Kinney studied planetary science and molecular biology at the University of Colorado and has a master’s degree in economics from Purdue University.