Ah, the good old Amazon review saga... no, it's not authors buying mass blocks of five-star reviews. Oh wait, no, it's not authors bullying reviewers for leaving bad reviews, either. Nope, it's not authors buying one-star reviews for a rival author's book. Nuh uh, it's not Amazon removing any and all reviews that seem shady, purchased, left by an acquaintance of the author, or … [Read more...] about Amazon Employees Accepting Bribes to Take Down Bad Reviews
Digital Publishing News
Ebook sales fall 4.8% in the first six months of 2018
Digital book sales have decreased 4.8% in the first six months of 2018 according to the American Publishers Association. The format has generated $504 million dollars and will likely crack over a billion when it's all said and done by the end of the year. Audiobooks continue to be the fastest growing segment in publishing and they grew 35% and brought in over $213 million … [Read more...] about Ebook sales fall 4.8% in the first six months of 2018
Seven-Figure Advance for Biz Book by Netflix CEO
"Netflix and chill" just took on a new--and clean--meaning thanks to a book deal for its CEO Reed Hastings. Anticipated to be the biggest business book of the year, this deal is sure to put Hastings in a very "chillaxed" state of mind. In the US, Penguin picked up Hasting's unnamed title for a reported seven-figure advance, and UK's Ebury imprint got it for another … [Read more...] about Seven-Figure Advance for Biz Book by Netflix CEO
Is Digital Reading Changing Our Brains?
If you launch a debate between a die-hard ebook fan and a staunch print bibliophile, grab your popcorn and be prepared for a hearty argument. Like almost any other issue, the more ardent the viewpoint, the more logical reasons both sides can find to support their cause. Digital readers often cite the portability, anywhere-access, and instant availability of downloadable titles, … [Read more...] about Is Digital Reading Changing Our Brains?
Kids These Days… Have They Stopped Reading?
For years, critics have bemoaned the decline of reading among both children and adults, but new data actually presents hard numbers on how this behavior has actually declined. According to analysis conducted by Jean M. Twenge, PhD, of the recent Monitoring the Future report, kids these days have all but stopped reading. "Wait, we've heard this before," you might think, and … [Read more...] about Kids These Days… Have They Stopped Reading?
Keanu Reeves Launches Book Imprint but It’s Not Erotic Lit
Is anyone else still recovering from the tidal wave of actors-turned-singers that ruined a little bit of the '80s for us? Big names like Don Johnson, Bruce Willis, Eddie Murphy, and Patrick Swayze made us all cringe a little by releasing albums, which is somehow not the same thing as a singer like Harry Connick, Jr. or Madonna turning to acting. In reality, entertainers have … [Read more...] about Keanu Reeves Launches Book Imprint but It’s Not Erotic Lit
Crown Publishing Recalls Cookbook Due to Poisonous Recipes
Never trust a skinny cook, as the old saying goes, and at the risk of body shaming anyone, Instagram "influencer" Johnna Holmgren is--to be honest--not the best source of information on how to live a healthy, robust life. Along with her chalk artist husband, the blogger's fondness for eating poisonous berries and wild mushrooms that induce vomiting and diarrhea, and it's not … [Read more...] about Crown Publishing Recalls Cookbook Due to Poisonous Recipes
Audiobook and ebook sales account for 19% of HarperCollins revenue
HarperCollins has just announced that they have generated over $490 million dollars in book sales in the past twelve months. Digital audiobook and ebook sales were up 6% and now account for 19% of the publishers revenue. The publisher has also proclaimed that book sales increased $122 million, or 7%, compared to the prior year, primarily due to higher sales in general books, … [Read more...] about Audiobook and ebook sales account for 19% of HarperCollins revenue
Firefox is going to get rid of RSS and Atom Feeds
Firefox has announced that they are going to discontinue support for RSS and Atom Feeds sometime between October and December 2018. "After careful consideration of various options (which also included doing nothing, or investing heavily in updating the code), we've decided to go ahead and remove builtin feed support from Firefox," said Gijs Kruitbosch, an engineer on the … [Read more...] about Firefox is going to get rid of RSS and Atom Feeds