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Shortlist for 2016 UK YA Book Prize announced

Friday, 11 March 2016
In the UK, the shortlist for the Bookseller’s second annual YA Book Prize has been announced. The 10 books on the shortlist are: Concentr8 (William Sutcliffe, Bloomsbury), One (Sarah Crossan,...

Man Booker International Prize 2016 longlist announced

Thursday, 10 March 2016
The longlist for the 2016 Man Booker International Prize has been announced. The longlisted titles are: A General Theory of Oblivion (José Eduardo Agualusa, trans by Daniel Hahn, Harvill Secker)...

BBC to screen Zadie Smith, Evelyn Waugh adaptations

Thursday, 10 March 2016
In the UK, the BBC has announced it will screen adaptations of Zadie Smith’s NW (Penguin) and Evelyn Waugh’s Decline and Fall (various imprints) later this year, reports the Bookseller....

Amazon to open second bookstore in San Diego

Wednesday, 9 March 2016
In the US, Amazon will open its second bricks-and-mortar bookstore in San Diego, California in mid-2016, reports Publisher’s Weekly. The San Diego store will be located in an ‘upscale mall’...

US Supreme Court rejects Apple ebook price-fixing appeal

Tuesday, 8 March 2016
The US Supreme Court has rejected Apple’s appeal in its ebook price-fixing case, reports Publisher’s Weekly. The denial effectively ends the case and upholds Judge Denise Cote’s 2013 finding that...

Ingram acquires Perseus’ distribution business

Monday, 7 March 2016
In the US, Ingram has acquired the distribution arm of Perseus Book Group for an undisclosed sum, reports Publishers Weekly. The deal, which is expected to close at the end...

Nook closes UK operations 

Friday, 4 March 2016
From 15 March, Barnes & Noble’s (B&N) Nook ereading platform will no longer sell ebooks in the UK. In a notice to readers, Nook said its store on Nook devices,...

Guinness launches pop-culture annual

Friday, 4 March 2016
Guinness World Records is launching a new pop-culture annual in March. Blockbusters!, aimed at children aged eight to 12, will focus on ‘the year’s biggest smash hits from the world...

WH Smith to launch book club with Zoella

Thursday, 3 March 2016
In the UK, WH Smith is launching an ‘exclusive book club’ with YouTube star and Girl Online author Zoella, reports the Bookseller. The club, which will launch in mid-2016, will...

Fiction Uncovered prize seeking new sponsorship

Wednesday, 2 March 2016
In the UK, the Fiction Uncovered prize, which awards British mid-list writers, will not run in 2016 as it is seeking new sponsorship, reports the Bookseller. The prize is administered...

Hachette buys Perseus Book Group’s publishing division

Wednesday, 2 March 2016
In the US, Hachette has entered into a binding agreement to buy Perseus Books Group’s (PBG) publishing division, reports Publishers Weekly. PBG, which comprises nine imprints and has partnerships with...

Kinokuniya to sell graphic novels with exclusive covers

Tuesday, 1 March 2016
In the US, bookstore chain Books Kinokuniya will collaborate with publishers to bring out variant covers for a selection of English-language graphic novels, reports Publishers Weekly. The titles include the...

Book adaptations honoured at Academy Awards

Tuesday, 1 March 2016
A number of book-to-film adaptations were winners at this year’s Academy Awards, reports the Guardian. The Revenant, which won awards in the categories of best director, best actor (Leonardo DiCaprio),...

S&S creates Muslim-themed children’s imprint

Thursday, 25 February 2016
In the US, Simon & Schuster has created a new children’s book imprint dedicated to publishing books that feature Muslim characters and stories, reports the New York Times. Salaam Reads...

Nebula Awards 2015 nominees announced

Tuesday, 23 February 2016
In the US, the 2015 Nebula Awards nominees have been announced. Seven books are nominated in the fiction category: Raising Caine (Charles E Gannon, Baen Books); The Fifth Season (N...

IRS reportedly seeking $2.1b from Amazon

Monday, 22 February 2016
In the US, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking to recover more than US$1.5b (A$2.1b) in back taxes, reports the Guardian. The report reveals details of Amazon’s ‘elaborate avoidance...

Scribd drops unlimited ebooks model

Friday, 19 February 2016
In the US, ebook subscription service Scribd has refined its subscription model by moving from an unlimited model to a two-tiered service, reports Publishers Weekly. Customers will have unlimited access...

PEN Pinter Prize opens to Commonwealth writers

Thursday, 18 February 2016
The PEN Pinter Prize, awarded annually to a writer of ‘outstanding literary merit’, has extended its eligibility to include Commonwealth and Irish writers, after previously being open only to British...

Rakuten writes off $96m from Kobo

Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Kobo parent company Rakuten has revealed a ¥7.8bn (A$96m) write-down on Kobo in its 2015 financial report, reports the Digital Reader. The A$96m ‘goodwill impairment’ on Kobo, which the company...

S&S sales up slightly in 2015

Monday, 15 February 2016
Simon & Schuster has recorded global sales of US$780m (A$1,098m) in 2015, up 0.25% from US$778m (A$1,095m) the previous year, report Publishers Weekly and the Bookseller. Parent company CBS released...

Hachette US and UK sales drop in 2015

Friday, 12 February 2016
Hachette parent company Lagardere Publishing has reported a rise in sales for 2015, despite a drop in sales at Hachette US and UK that was attributed to declining ebook sales. Overall,...

Cassandra Clare sued for copyright infringement

Friday, 12 February 2016
US fantasy author Sherrilyn Kenyon is suing Cassandra Clare, author of the ‘Mortal Instruments’ and ‘Shadowhunters’ series (Walker Books), for alleged copyright infringement, reports the Guardian. In a lawsuit filed...

Harry Potter play to be published in July

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Thursday, 11 February 2016
The script of J K Rowling’s forthcoming play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be published on 31 July following the play’s opening in London on 30 July. Harry...

Ferrante’s ‘Neapolitan Novels’ to be adapted for TV

Wednesday, 10 February 2016
Elena Ferrante’s bestselling ‘Neapolitan Novels’ are being adapted for television, reports the Hollywood Reporter. Italian TV production company Wildside and US-based Fandango Productions will co-develop and co-produce the adaptation, which...