New nonfiction imprint: Amber Lotus
Andrews McMeel has announced it will publish inspirational books under the brand.
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New literary agency: Heirloom Literary & Media
Agent Elena Giovinazzo and author Jason Reynolds have launched Heirloom Literary, a new literary agency for writers of all genres and ages.
MediaScout: new book-to-screen rights database from Ingram
The database helps film- and TV-industry professionals find books available for screen adaptation.
Sourcebooks operates new Cosmo Reads imprint
In collaboration with Cosmopolitan magazine and Hearst Books, Sourcebooks plans to launch Cosmo Reads in summer 2025, with four to six titles a year.
OverDrive launches Heights Press, a children’s publishing imprint
Heights Press will debut with Hickory Hollow, a six-book series for middle-grade readers, along with a series of video shorts.
TikTok’s book imprint, 8th Note Press, partners with Zando
Genres include romance, romantasy, and YA titles, with a focus on Millennial and Gen Z readers.
Links of Interest: October 23, 2024
The latest in traditional publishing, culture & politics, and AI.
The Authors Guild offers FAQ on AI licensing
Earlier this month, the Authors Guild announced a partnership with AI licensing agency Created by Humans.
Book sales update: October 23, 2024
According to Circana BookScan, US print book sales are up just slightly this year compared to 2023, driven by sales of romance and romantasy.
New Author Earnings Survey Focuses on Business Books
Authors are happy with profits even when sales are lower than expected.
Readers Respond: Counterfeits, Copies, and Fakes
Tips, caveats, and a look at how counterfeit authors skirt the rules to get ahead.
Government says 40 percent of book publishing jobs are gone. Really?
Publishers Weekly looked at government statistics that show the number of publishing jobs has declined significantly over the last 30 years
Book Counterfeits and Piracy: What Are the Remedies?
Definitively proving counterfeiting and piracy to the platforms that may benefit from it is neither straightforward nor easy.
Book sales update: October 9, 2024
The latest figures from the AAP (through July 2024) show book sales revenue is up 7.6 percent this year compared to last year.
Book Publishers and AI Licensing Deals: The Value Remains Unclear for Everyone
The vast availability of training material for AI models leaves little leverage for individual authors.
On the List: Chaos by Tom O’Neill with Dan Piepenbring
While reporting a magazine piece about the Manson Family murders, O’Neill unearthed shocking evidence of a coverup behind the “official” story.
Macmillan launches public domain imprint
Macmillan has launched Fablelistik Editions, a new imprint that “creates bespoke renditions of contemporary and classic stories.”
The State of the Publishing Industry Today
Substack authors, publicists, and agents talk about current issues in publishing.
A new community for Booktokers, authors, and publishers
Sam Missingham has launched MeetTheBooktokers.com, a platform that showcases the work of Booktokers.
New agent at East/West Literary Agency
Author and illustrator Jim Averbeck has joined East/West as a literary agent representing children’s authors and illustrators.
Draft2Digital surveys authors about AI training and releases results
When D2D surveyed its authors, some were worried a licensing deal with an AI company was imminent.
Book sales update: Traditional publishers post gains in first half of 2024
Total revenue for publishers increased by 5.6 percent in the first half of the year versus 2023.
Amazon and OverDrive now limit book summaries and workbooks
Publishers Lunch reported that Amazon and ebook distributor OverDrive are limiting summary titles in their online catalogs.
NaNoWriMo really steps in it with AI statement
Ultimately, the statement spent far more time addressing anti-AI sentiment in the writing community, rather than expressing neutrality.
ACX/Audible rolls out new AI narration program
Narrators who work with clients through ACX can have their voices replicated by AI to audition for jobs or to narrate entire audiobooks.
The Black List expands to include fiction manuscripts
To draw interest, the Black List will organize an annual award—the Unpublished Novel Award—in seven fiction genres, open to paying members.
It’s time for the Written Word Media annual author survey
Written Word Media surveys authors to understand what works, what doesn’t, and how we can share best business practices.
Book sales update: Big Five do well on profits
HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, and Lagardère have all seen increased profits in the first half of 2024, partly due to job cuts.
IMHO: The Self-Publishing Scene Includes Agents All Around
Agents have become ever more involved in indie author careers, especially as traditional publishers increasingly accept print-only deals.
Debut Novelists Who Land Book Deals: Where Do They Come From?
You don’t need an online presence to sell your first novel. Period.
On the List: Left Behind by Sharon Sala
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala has over 140 books in print across seven genres.
New agent at ArtHouse Literary
Hailey Stephens accepts both fiction and nonfiction as well as select middle-grade works.
New publisher: Two Shores Press
Two Shores Press focuses on South Asian literature and is founded by Aananth Daksnamurthy, a graduate of NYU’s Center for Publishing.
Links of Interest: September 11, 2024
The latest in bookselling, book marketing, trends, culture & politics, legal issues, and AI.
New imprint at Mango Publishing
Mango, a Florida-based independent publisher known for nonfiction, is launching an imprint called Books Save Lives.
Links of Interest: August 28, 2024
The latest in traditional publishing, bookselling, Hollywood, marketing & promotion, culture & politics, and AI.
Something is happening at SFWA, but what?
Writers started getting anxious when the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association started losing paid staff and board members.
Half of Australians use Spotify for audiobooks
One in two Australian audiobook consumers uses Spotify as of 2024, heavily learning toward younger and female audiobook consumers.
Penguin Random House reports sales increase
The biggest of the Big Five, Penguin Random House, has reported that sales were up by 8.5 percent during the first half of 2024.
Traditional publishing book sales in 2023: updated totals
The Association of American Publishers recently released its final sales estimates for 2023 and also improved its data from prior years.
Barnes & Noble to Restrict Certain Types of Content from Online Store
The retailer is removing low-quality books as well as some erotica it finds unacceptable.
The Romance Boom: What’s Selling on Amazon Kindle?
The hottest subcategory is still romantasy. Markets that are growing: later-in-life romance and small-town romance.
On the List: Youth Group by Jordan Morris, illustrated by Bowen McCurdy
Jordan Morris is the creator and co-writer of the two-time Eisner-nominated graphic novel Bubble.
Entangled CEO launches production company
The company will license Entangled’s backlist to develop titles for TV, film, and video games.
New Canadian publisher of short science fiction and fantasy
It seeks books that are “anti-monarchist, post-capitalist, decolonized, and anti-authoritarian in general.”
New romance publishing effort: 831 Stories
The founders don’t describe 831 Stories as a publisher. Rather, it’s “an entertainment company with books at the foundation.”
New publisher: Compass Rose
Compass Rose is a new publisher that seeks to work closely with independent bookstores to acquire, publish, and market books.