New imprint at Simon & Schuster, led by former CEO
Simon & Schuster’s CEO Jonathan Karp is stepping down to run his own imprint, Simon Six, as soon as a replacement can be found.
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What Authors Need to Know about the Return of Findaway as INaudio
As of August 1, Findaway has been carved off from Spotify and is independent once again, this time under the name INaudio.
Scribner UK (Simon & Schuster) launches new imprint
Scribner Editions will publish literary fiction and narrative nonfiction that plays with genre, form, and style.
New agent: WLA Books
Barry Harbaugh has joined (formerly known as Waxman Literary Agency). He was previously an editor at Spiegel & Grau.
New literary roleplaying platform: Hidden Door
Tech studio Hidden Door is building immersive environments with choose-your-own-adventure stories based on famous public-domain works.
Links of Interest: August 20, 2025
The latest in traditional publishing, trends, AI, and culture & politics.
Florida’s book banning law found to be overbroad and unconstitutional
A federal judge said that the law’s prohibition on books describing sexual conduct was overbroad and violates the First Amendment.
Readers respond: Substack’s future
A reader responded to last week’s suggestions that a deep-pocketed party might buy Substack, and possible traffic suppression.
GlobeScribe: Promising Startup for AI Translation
With a focus on quality over quantity, the UK company offers “publish ready” translations in five languages at an affordable price.
What happens if the Anthropic AI training lawsuit proceeds as class action?
AI advocates argue that class certification could potentially force a settlement that could cripple both the company and the broader AI sector.
Bloomsbury notifies authors about AI licensing deal
Authors can decide if they wish to opt in; if they agree, they’ll be paid a 20 percent royalty rate.
Survey: AI and the Writing Profession
Your responses will help educate writers and everyone in the profession about prevailing attitudes toward AI.
Book sales indicators via HarperCollins
HarperCollins grew profits by 10 percent in fiscal year 2025 but saw disappointing results in the fourth quarter, when earnings dropped 12 percent.
New organization: National Association of Black Bookstores
The member-based nonprofit will be dedicated to “promoting literacy, amplifying Black voices, and preserving Black culture.”
OtherPpl’s Brad Listi launches DeepDive
The new company currently offers a class, via web and app, on How to Write a Novel, with 50 hours of conversations with contemporary authors.
Links of Interest: August 13, 2025
The latest in traditional publishing, Substack, AI, and culture & politics.
Amazon KDP now asks about ebook accessibility
Amazon KDP now asks author-publishers to answer questions about ebook accessibility, mainly for the benefit of visually impaired readers.
No surprise: Boundless fails
When crowdfunding publisher Unbound went bankrupt the former CEO purchased the assets for a new venture, which has also gone belly up.
On the list: The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt
Bestselling, award-winning romance author Carol Ericson has written over 65 books, mostly romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue.
Macmillan UK launches children’s nonfiction imprint
Rocket Fox will publish activity books and commercial nonfiction “from experts on topics that really matter to children and their families.”
New literacy nonprofit launched by author Kwame Alexander
One Word at a Time will provide educational resources to school libraries and help connect children’s readers and authors.
Links of Interest: August 6, 2025
The latest in marketing & promotion, trends, culture & politics, and AI.
Are We Nearing the End of Rapid Release? Q&A with Johnny B. Truant
The self-publishing veteran and I spoke about how things have changed since he began and how he succeeds on his own terms today, without Amazon.
Agents and Publishers Confront AI Use in Submissions
I spoke to agents and publishers to ask how much evidence of AI use they’re seeing in submitted materials and why they ask about AI use at the query stage.
Authors Guild wins ruling to block termination of NEH grants
The Authors Guild won a victory when a New York federal court blocked the government’s termination of 1,400 grants to scholars and authors.
Senators introduce AI legislation bills that don’t align with President Trump’s recent plan or comments
Following a Congressional hearing on AI, Senators Josh Hawley and Richard Blumenthal proposed the AI Accountability and Personal Data Protection Act.
New imprint at Simon & Schuster UK: Solstice
Solstice Books will publish sci-fi/fantasy, romantasy, and horror starting in spring 2026.
New children’s publisher: Dream Jar Publishing
Author-illustrator Angela Quezada Padron has launched Dream Jar Publishing, which will focus on diverse children’s books.
Storysnap: AI that outlines your book
Storysnap generates a reverse outline of your book, as well a story bible, based on the manuscript you upload.
Goodreads has a new logo after nearly 20 years
A statement from the company says, “Our new logo is … fun, friendly, and focused on books—just like Goodreads.”
Book sales update: First half of 2025
Compared to last year, print book sales are down about 1 percent with adult nonfiction declining more than fiction.
On the list: The Farmhouse by Chelsea Conradt
The author attributes the book’s success to support from physical bookstores and painstaking care with the cover design.
New agent at Ampersand (UK)
Abigail Fenton will join Ampersand as an agent in September; she was previously editorial director at HQ Digital and a freelance editor.
Romance book event directory
Romancing the Data has launched an event directory to help authors and readers find events in the US, Canada, and online.
Aethon Books and Vault Comics partner on a new imprint
Together, they will bring Aethon’s biggest ebook and audiobook titles into print.
Another publisher collective: United Publishing Group
United Publishing Group brings together Forefront Books, Histria Books, and Unicorn Publishing Group in the UK.
University Presses: A Viable Path for Literary Fiction Careers
Authors and agents have long turned to university presses for nonfiction projects. They’re increasingly doing the same for literary fiction.
The authors of 7 million works used to train AI are now part of the Anthropic case
The judge has now ruled that the case can move forward as a class action, with a trial scheduled for December to determine damages.
If you’re on Substack, pay attention
With millions of writers and readers that Substack doesn’t monetize at all and that cost money to support, advertising is the next obvious step.
Romantasy’s Dominance of the Bestseller Lists Has Only Just Begun
In the Kindle Top 100 bestsellers year to date, 61 percent of titles are romance—and everything else is likely to include romantic elements.
Anthropic files for appeal in the AI copyright case
The appeal cites the other AI case, the one against Meta, where a judge ruled that training on pirated works might be considered fair.
A high-profile scandal involving a bestselling memoir
Every so often, the public is reminded that memoirs are not journalistic works and aren’t fact-checked by their publishers.
New agency: Jackson Literary
Michelle Jackson (formerly at LCS Literary Services) has launched her own agency, with Sobi-Dee Burbano joining.
New imprint at Penguin: Berkeley XO
The adult-YA crossover imprint will publish fiction only, combining talent from Penguin’s Berkley and Penguin Young Readers imprints.
New imprint: Bite Books
HarperCollins has partnered with Fox Entertainment on a food imprint, Bite Books, an extension of Fox’s brand Bite.
New imprint: Medill Books
Agate Publishing has partnered with Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism to publish reported, short-length nonfiction books.
Google launches Offerwall
The feature allows websites to give readers a variety of ways to access content—such as watching ads, making a micropayment, and more.
Links of Interest: July 16, 2025
The latest in traditional publishing, trends, the creator economy, culture & politics, and AI.