Click here! Just click here! It’s so simple it’s brilliant!
Thank you, Hachette Book Group / Little, Brown!
Click here! Just click here! It’s so simple it’s brilliant!
Thank you, Hachette Book Group / Little, Brown!
Indie Publishers Back Agency Model, Criticize DoJ Deal – Publisher’s Weekly
Nine independent publishers have combined to file joint comments objecting to the pending settlements of the Department of Justice’s lawsuit with Hachette, HarperCollins, and Simon & Schuster related to e-book pricing. The publishers noted that while they continue to sell e-books under the wholesale model, they have “benefitted significantly”–along with authors, booksellers and consumers,– from the ability of the Big Six publishers to adopt the agency pricing model with Amazon, since those arrangements, “contributed dramatically to increased competition and diversification in the distribution of e-books.”
It is suggested that the ruling could ban the agency model, which then defeats all purpose of bookseller/publisher competition.
Monopolies are never good, folks.
The nine publishers backed their statement with statistical reports previously conducted in March. Data always helps in arguments!
The publishers, who noted that they were never contacted by the DoJ to get their views on industry issues, concluded by stating that if the defendant publishers did indeed collude, competition should be restored in a way that does not ban the use of the agency model, something that would “harm innocent third parties such as the Independent Book Publishers, other trade book publishers, authors, booksellers and consumers.”
Jeez.
Books-A-Million Adds Voice in Opposing DoJ Deal – Publisher’s Weekly – Jim Milliot
Books-A-Million has joined the growing number of parties objecting to the Department of Justice’s agreement with Simon & Schuster, Hachette and HarperCollins to settle the department’s e-book price fixing lawsuit. BAM’s letter, signed by president and CEO Terry Finley, strikes especially hard at the provisions in the settlement that would impose restrictions on how the publishers can do business with all third parties (including BAM) that were not involved in the lawsuit.
The agency model is a good thing. The bad thing is having everything at the same price. It’s terrible for competition purposes and for consumers: how are we going to find the best prices if we cannot search for them?
Great London Fire: Waterstones to Sell Kindles – Shelf Awareness
Although Kindles are sold in a variety of bricks-and-mortar retailers, this is the first time that the e-readers are available in traditional bookstores. The deal is all the more striking because there were long-running rumors that Barnes & Noble was seeking to make a deal with Waterstones to sell its Nook in the company’s stores and because James Daunt, who was appointed managing director of Waterstones last July, has been highly critical of Amazon (Shelf Awareness, June 6, 2011).
Daunt told the Bookseller that the deal is a “no brainer” because the Kindle is the e-reader that most British consumers want. He added that Waterstones had waited too long to develop its own device and that negotiations with Amazon started only recently.
I was a little stunned when I read this article, simply because of the previous news of a B&N arrangement. However, Daunt makes a great point: UK buyers have had access to Kindles for years now – it’s only logical that the final brick-and-mortar chain sell Kindles as well.
Apologies once again for the lack of posts. I’ve accepted a job and have either been busy at work, busy sleeping, or busy looking for apartments near my grad school I’ll attend in August. Big things are heading my way, so other obligations fell through a bit.
And now, for the news!
For something entertaining…”celebrate” the 10 million copies of the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by watching this Funny or Die video starring Selena Gomez!
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Files for Bankruptcy – Publisher’s Weekly
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt officially filed for pre-packaged bankruptcy Monday morning, citing debts and liabilities of over $1 billion. The filing is part of a restructuring of its finances that will cut its debt by $3.1 billion largely by having its lenders exchange debt for equity.
This is big news. Heavy. Loaded. Shocking.
The package plan allows for smooth transitions and continues the current relationships with authors, agents, employees and customers.
San Francisco & Sacramento Book Reviews Start Monthly Children’s Sections – Publisher’s Weekly – Wendy Werris
Because of the success of their recent Children’s Book Week supplement, previously just an annual event, the San Francisco Book Review and Sacramento Book Review have announced they will regularly include the popular child-reviewed feature every month, beginning with the next issue in June.
The publications attempted children’s reviews before, but it was difficult to round up teachers and children to turn in book reviews. Since their special issue, they’ve decided to try this once more. Instead of receiving reviews from children while they’re in schools, the children’s parents and grandparents will encourage them and help them participate in this project. The response so far is fantastic! The books will feature a child’s opinion and an adult’s opinion – everything will be perfectly balanced.
Get those kids reading!
As 17 more states join class action against book publishers and Apple, new details revealed – paidContent – Laura Hazard Owen
Remember all the confusion surrounding the DoJ business? Even more has been added on.
The states’ class action suit, which was filed the same day as the Department of Justice’s lawsuit, alleges that Apple and book publishers conspired to set e-book prices. Unlike the DOJ, the states seek monetary restitution for consumers. (They have already reached a settlement with Hachette, Simon & Schuster and HarperCollins.)
The states’ amended complaint makes public information that was redacted from the version filed in April. (It’s not clear why the information was originally redacted.) Much of the now-public information is duplicated in the Department of Justice filing against Apple and publishers, but some of it is new, including an e-mail from Steve Jobs.
The new information reveals a lot of negotiations and behind-the-scenes work between corporations. Think TV teen soap drama with lots of backstabbing, only with organizations.
I hope something is figured out soon. This lawsuit is becoming a headache to wrap my mind around. Set the ebook prices!
Fan fiction promises to be a rich vein for publishers – The Guardian – James Bridle
The transformation of EL James’s Fifty Shades of Grey from free ebook to paperback bestseller shows that fan fiction communities are a potentially lucrative source of material…
As publishers hunger for popular content while cutting promotional budgets, such ready-formed, literate and ebook-reading groups are likely to become the engine rooms of fiction.
*low whistle* Hmm…what do you guys think about this?
I remember reading Cassandra Clare’s (at the time, Cassandra Claire) Harry Potter fan fiction – she was the Queen Bee with her Draco Trilogy. It’s been off the internet for almost 10 years now, because she wanted to pursue a “real” writing career and started her own Mortal Instruments series. In this case, I think fan fiction is beneficial! Writers receive feedback from readers, it’s a chapter-by-chapter series that becomes a learning experience for writers and readers alike. But as for making money off of fan fiction? A place for publishers to scour instead of looking at the manuscripts sent in daily?
I’m just not sure how I feel about this. Thoughts?
2012 Hans Christian Anderson Illustrator Award Winner: Peter Sis! This award is considered the most prestigious in international children’s literature, given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People. Congratulations!
Barnes & Noble Partners with Microsoft (Publisher’s Weekly). The new unit is called Newco, and it will hold B&N’s digital assets, college stores, and will be backed by a $300 million investment from Microsoft. Read on for the full story and more details.
Target Will Stop Carrying Amazon Kindle (The Verge). Apparently there is a conflict of interest. According to an inside source, the Kindle Touch will be on sale the week of May 6. If you’d like a Kindle, I suggest getting it then.
The Atlantic Attempts to Clear Up Confusion on the eBook Lawsuit. Remember the issues with the Department of Justice and the massive confusion with big five publishers and who prices what for ebooks? Well, even though The Wall Street Journal tried to clear things up, people were still left befuddled. The Atlantic attempts to clear the air. Buckle down: it’s going to be a long ride.
B&N Teams with HMH for Student Reading Program (Shelf Awareness). “Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Barnes & Noble have partnered for a program in which schools can acquire HMH digital titles, categorized for students at each grade level, on preloaded Nook e-readers. Many of the titles are age-appropriate, International Reading Association-recommended selections.” Well isn’t that nifty!
Scribbles & Wanderlust 