This has certainly been a big month for space exploration and advancements, with NASA's Perseverance rover, China's Tianwen-1, and the United Arab Emirates' Hope all reaching Mars this month. and , but a new piece of space news will have bookworms rejoicing: ebooks are going where no books have gone before... and so are some book reviews! It all started when Astrobotic and … [Read more...] about Books, Book Reviews Are Headed to the Moon
Digital Publishing News
Books in the Time of COVID: The Panorama Project Report
Last year was a difficult one for retailers and consumers alike. Lockdowns, vital restrictions on the public, job loss and business closures, and more--coupled with the ever-present fears for health and safety in the face of a deadly global pandemic--led to a lot of financial anxiety in every industry. But a new report not only unearthed some positive news about books and … [Read more...] about Books in the Time of COVID: The Panorama Project Report
B&N May Reinvent Itself… and It Could Save Bookstores
Barnes and Noble has been outrunning the Grim Reaper's shadow for quite some time, and it has put a valiant effort into new tactics and new approaches in order to keep the doors open. While it hasn't yet taken the advice from many authors, publishers, experts, and readers--namely, get the candles and coffee mugs off the shelves and fill the place with books--a new approach is … [Read more...] about B&N May Reinvent Itself… and It Could Save Bookstores
NetGalley Bought by Japanese Company Media Do
This month, a significant publishing acquisition occurred which turns all of the shares of Quality Solutions/Firebrand Technologies over to a Japanese company's US operations, Media Do International. Firebrand is the parent company of popular ARC distributor and potential review source, NetGalley. Launched in 2008 shortly before BookExpo America by Rosetta Solutions, the … [Read more...] about NetGalley Bought by Japanese Company Media Do
Audiobooks and ebooks are 18% of HarperCollins Revenue
Harpercollins Revenues generated $504 million dollars, which was a 23% increase, in the last three months of 2020. Revenues basically soared due to the Christmas season and everyone buying them as gifts. The bulk of the sales were placed online, at retailers such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble and thousands of other bookstores all over the world. The revenue growth was … [Read more...] about Audiobooks and ebooks are 18% of HarperCollins Revenue
B&N Press Just Sweetened Its Deal for Indie Authors
One of the most important things about self-publishing has always been that authors were finally in control. Without gatekeepers blocking the way, authors could sell where they wanted to, price their books how they wanted, write whatever genre and crossovers they wanted. Choice is a glorious thing when it comes to buying and selling, but that choice diminished somewhat with the … [Read more...] about B&N Press Just Sweetened Its Deal for Indie Authors
Authors to Dept of Justice: Stop the Penguin Random House Buy of Simon & Schuster
Once upon a time, the publishing world involved a vast, gatekeeping entity called the Big Six. Shortly after a devastating anti-trust lawsuit involving five of those publishers, Penguin and Random House merged to become the current largest trade publisher in the US. But a new deal to buy Simon & Schuster--amounting to what the Washington Post has called "the Big Bad Wolf … [Read more...] about Authors to Dept of Justice: Stop the Penguin Random House Buy of Simon & Schuster
Google is thinking of pulling search out of Australia over paid News Links
Google has told the government of Australia that it will pull search if the country went ahead to make tech giants pay for news content. This is due to a new piece of legislation to create the News Media Bargaining Code. This would force Google and Facebook to pay for news that appears in search or is shared on their platforms. The proposed law would mandate that Google has … [Read more...] about Google is thinking of pulling search out of Australia over paid News Links
Wattpad is being sold to the Korean company NAVER
Toronto-based online storytelling company Wattpad has confirmed with Good e-Reader that they are being sold to NAVER, for $600 million in cash. The South Korean company is best known for their digital comics platform, Webtoons. Webtoon is behind some of the biggest names in webcomics, including Lore Olympus, and has worked with the Jim Henson Company and producers behind hit … [Read more...] about Wattpad is being sold to the Korean company NAVER
Medium has just purchased ebook company Glose
Glose has been in operation since 2014 and they sell digital audiobooks and ebooks. They carry content from all of the major publishers, including Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster. The books can be edited and the notes and highlights can be shared with friends. More than 1 million people have used Glose and 25 universities have … [Read more...] about Medium has just purchased ebook company Glose