Industry News

By Megan DiMaria

Welcome to the March edition of Novel Rocket’s industry news—the good, the bad, and the thought provoking.

• Publishers Weekly has announced the finalists for their 22nd annual PW Bookstore of the year award. For more info . . .
• Audible, the Amazon-owned audiobook retailer, announced it’s lowering royalty rates for authors who self-publish their audiobooks through the website. For more info . . . 
• Barnes & Noble’s Nook division expected to continue to shrink. For more info . . .
• Also, Barnes & Noble’s third-quarter revenue decreased 10.3%. For more info . . .  
• In more B&N news, a private investment firm has made a proposal to acquire controlling interest in the bookseller. For more info . . . 
• Apple’s appeal in its (ongoing!) e-book price-fixing case contends the federal judge relied on too much circumstantial evidence. For more info . . . 
• Indies First, a movement to encourage authors to support local independent booksellers by handselling books, is celebrating Storytelling Day on May 17th. For more info . . . 
• Vook, a digital publisher/distributor, has purchased Booklr, a data and analytics service for for authors and publishers. For more info . . .
• Pelican Book Group has launched Pure Amore, a new sweet romance line.
• Yay for continued freedom of the press. The FCC has pulled the plug on the Obama Administrations efforts to monitor America’s newsrooms. For more info . . . 
• Who knew Amtrak was a patron of the arts? They’re now offering writers’ residency programs to writers on long roundtrip rides. For more info . . . 
• The American Booksellers Association added 44 stores in 2013. For more info . . . 
• Capstone Publishing adds new YA imprint, Switch Press. For more info . . . 
• True to his word, James Patterson makes good on his intention to donate $1 million to independent bookstores. For more info . . . 
• “To further integrate the self-publishing community into the publishing mainstream,” BookExpo America introduces Author Hub to attract independent authors to the trade show. For more info . . . 
• LA Times Book Prizes Finalists Announced. 
• The Carla Furstenberg Cohen Literary Prize winners announced.
• Entering the self-publishing market, Thomson-Shore has acquired PublishNex. For more info . . .
• Graphic Arts Books has acquired the trade books and publishing rights of Companion Press. For more info . . . 
• MacGregor Literary Inc. hires Holly Lorincz as their newest literary agent. For more info . . . 
• Love Inspired Suspense editors offer pitch opportunity for writers. Don’t delay, the deadline’s March 14th. For more info . . . 
• Christian Writers’ Guild awards Operation First Novel prize, $20,000 and pub contract with Worthy Press, to Brandy Cole-Vallance. 
• Hanover Publisher Services, a small press distribution unit saw revenues rise 50% in 2013. For more info . . . 
• Bad news and good news—bookstore sales dropped 1.6% in 2013, but that was the smallest drop in the past five years. For more info . . . 
• Bad news for readers flying out of Oregon. Powell’s Books to close two stores at the Portland Airport. For more info . . . 
• Simon & Schuster profits rose 32% in 2013. For more info . . . 
• Profits again rise for Worthy Publishing Group. They finished 2013 with an impressive 84% growth in sales. For more info . . . 
• Hachette Book Group enjoyed a 6% rise in revenue for 2013. For more info . . . 
• Independent press Skyhorse Publishing reports record sales for 2013 as well. Their profits rose 14%. For more info . . . 
• HarperCollins profits rose 33% in the 2nd quarter at end of year. For more info . . . 
• Indigo Books & Music saw profits rise 3% in the third quarter ending December, 2013. For more info . . . 
• Digital press Open Road Integrated Media has agreed to purchase E-Reads. For more info . . . 
• The Canadian government and four multinational publishers reach agreement on e-book pricing. For more info . . . 
• The Association of American Publishers contends The Canadian government's protection of intellectual property right for U.S. content creators is insufficient. For more info . . . 
• DreamWorks Animation launches DreamWorks Press, an inhouse book imprint for both digital and print books. For more info . . . 
• E-book pioneer Sony to throw in the towel and will close its e-bookstore. Their North American customers may migrate to Kobo. For more info . . .
• And Kobo gets new leader. For more info . . . 
• Simon & Schuster has revealed the name and logo for its new imprint science fiction, fantasy and horror imprint, Saga Press. For more info . . . 
• And another bookstore bites the dust. Mendham Books in Mendham, N.J. has ended their 17-year-run. For more info . . . 

Megan DiMaria is Novel Rocket’s industry news columnist. An author and speaker, she enjoys cheering on writers and loves to encourage others as they journey through life’s demands and delights. Megan is the author of two women’s fiction novels, Searching for Spice and Out of Her Hands.