Booksellers Say No to Amazon Source

The fact that indie booksellers in the U.S. can now sell Kindles under a new Amazon program, Amazon Source, doesn’t necessarily mean they want to. Most booksellers remain skeptical of Amazon. “At first glance, this looks like a Faustian bargain,” said Bradley Graham, co-owner of Politics & Prose Bookstore in Washington, D.C. Others, like Matt Norcross, co-owner of McLean & Eakin in Mich., said simply, “No thanks.”

HarperCollins Unbound Links Print, Digital

HarperCollins is releasing HarperCollins Unbound, a new free app for Apple and Android smartphones that allows consumers to scan HarperCollins print books for additional digital content. The app launched on Nov. 4 with two titles: The Pioneer Woman Cooks by Ree Drummond, and You: The Owner’s Manual by Mehmet Oz and Michael Roizen. Both will have video content embedded.

Sales, Earnings up in Third Quarter at S&S

Simon & Schuster posted sales of $224 million in the third quarter, up 7% from the same period last year, while operating profits increased about 8% to $41 million. Sales of e-books and digital downloads led the gains, with total digital sales up 39% over the third quarter of 2012. At the end of the quarter, on Sept. 30, digital sales accounted for 27% of S&S revenue in 2013, compared to 21% at the end of last year’s third period. Print sales were also up in the third quarter.

Apple Remains Defiant in Latest Filings

Despite Judge Denise Cote’s decisive June verdict against Apple in its e-book price-fixing trial, the company gave up no ground in the states and consumer class action cases. With a damages trial still on schedule for May 2014, Apple answered the plaintiffs’ Oct. 23 amended complaint with 10 initial defenses and conceded virtually none of the findings from the June trial.

Cochrane Up at RH Canada

Kristin Cochrane, executive publisher of the McClelland & Stewart Doubleday Canada Publishing Group, has been promoted to the newly created position of president and publisher, Random House of Canada. In addition, Louise Dennys will become executive publisher, Random House of Canada.