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Author J.D Barker Apologizes, Dropped by Agent After 'Creepy' BookTok Request
An email sent from a PR firm cofounded by author J.D. Barker invited BookTok influencers—all of them young women—to make sponsored content promoting Barker's forthcoming novel and included ideas for making "racy" videos, which the author would "personally review." Barker has said that he "never approved" the marketing campaign.
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PW Close-Up: Object Lessons
Object Lessons is a beautifully designed book series—published by Bloomsbury Academic—that explores the hidden lives of ordinary things. PW spoke to the series' editors, author and scholar Chris Schaberg, Bloomsbury US's Director of Scholarly and Student Publishing Haaris Naqvi, and author and game designer Ian Bogost about how the series was born, how it's changed their perspectives on the world around them, and what's ahead for Object Lessons in 2024. (Sponsored)
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Penguin Random House to Distribute Wattpad Webtoon
PRH's publisher services division has signed a multi-year sales and distribution agreement with Wattpad Webtoon Book Group as its presence in the world of comics and graphic novel distribution continues to grow.
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Big Five Domination of Adult Bestseller Lists Slipped in 2023
In 2023, the major publishers maintained their grip on the bestseller lists, but indies scored some notable successes, with Entangled, Kensington, and Sourcebooks among those making inroads.
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Endnotes: 'Feeding Ghosts' by Tessa Hulls
An inside look at the publication process for the author and artist’s debut graphic novel.
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Why Did Atria Books Send a TikTok Influencer on a Cruise to Antarctica?
When TikTok influencer and self-described nonreader Marc Sebastian asked to be sent on the “ultimate world cruise,” Colleen Hoover's publisher answered the call—and picked up the tab. The publisher’s marketing stunt has proven divisive.
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In Major Win, Appeals Court Upholds Block on Texas Book Rating Law
In an unequivocal 36-page decision, a three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit—said to be the most conservative court in the nation—agreed with a lower court that the mandatory book ratings called for by the Texas law HB 900 were unconstitutional.
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PW Close-Up: A Discussion with Diamond Book Distributors’ Tony Lutkus
PW spoke with Tony Lutkus, president of Diamond Book Distributors, about the evolution of the graphic novel category over the last two decades, a few of the titles he's excited about dropping in the coming season, and how bringing more graphic titles into bookstores and libraries can subtly transform these literary environments. (Sponsored)
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Layoffs Hit Arcadia Publishing
The Charleston, S.C.–based publisher, which specializes in nonfiction books of local interest and regional history, laid off an unspecified number of employees last week. A source, who asked to remain anonymous, told PW that the number was 16, across multiple departments.
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Veristage Launches Insight, an AI Platform for Book Publishers
Insight offers publishers AI tools, including large language models such as ChatGPT and Claude, to analyze documents and generate metrics, editorial and marketing assets, sales material, and other content.
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New Nonprofit Launches to ‘Certify’ Copyright-Friendly AI Practices
Supported by the Association of American Publishers and others, the new nonprofit aims to “certify fair training data use” in Generative AI, and comes amid a growing number of lawsuits filed against AI companies over alleged copyright infringement.
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Modern Library’s Torchbearers Series to Reissue Elaine Kraf Novels
The Modern Library Torchbearers series, which spotlights women writers throughout history, will reissue four novels by Elaine Kraf, which were originally published between 1969 and 1979.
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Avid Reader Bets Big on Kaliane Bradley's 'The Ministry of Time'
An inside look at the debut speculative novel so charming that Avid Reader Press executive editor Margo Shickmanter preempted it from her bathtub.
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Endnotes: 'The Women' by Kristin Hannah
An inside look at the publication process for the bestselling author’s latest novel.
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In Key Win, Judge Says Escambia County Book Banning Lawsuit Can Proceed
After a January 10 hearing, judge T. Kent Wetherell denied a motion by the Escambia County School Board to dismiss the case, suggesting that school officials cannot simply pull books they find objectionable from library shelves.
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At PRH, CEO Nihar Malaviya Sets Employee Priorities for 2024
Improving psychological safety, clarity around corporate strategy, and more attention on professional development are the three areas of focus Penguin Random House will prioritize over the two years, according to a memo from global CEO Nihar Malaviya.
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At Generous Press, Two Poets Fall for Romance
Generous Press, a new imprint of indie Row House Publishing devoted to romance with BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and disability-focused content, will mark its debut with 'Someplace Generous: An Inclusive Romance Anthology' in May.
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Authors Guild Surveys Literary Translators on Labor Conditions
The 2022 Survey of Literary Translators' Working Conditions collected data on income, royalties, copyright, and more from the responses of nearly 300 literary translators in the United States.
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Endnotes: 'Wandering Stars' by Tommy Orange
An inside look at the publication process for the PEN/Hemingway Award–winning author's second novel.
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Judge Blocks Key Provisions of Iowa Book Banning Law
In a December 29 opinion and order, judge Stephen Locher found the "sweeping provisions" of SF 496, a new Iowa state law that would ban books with sexual content from Iowa schools, “unlikely to satisfy the First Amendment under any standard of scrutiny.”
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