Buoyant Bologna 2011
Attendees report that this year's Bologna Book Fair was upbeat and businesslike. S&S children's publisher Jon Anderson said it was "the liveliest Bologna I've been at in years." While the show remains focused on print, European houses were interested in the growth of e-books and apps in the U.S. There was no big book of the show, less interest in vampire novels, and continued acquisitions of dystopian YA novels.

SMP to Publish Christine O'Donnell
St. Martin's Press will publish Tea Party candidate Christine O'Donnell's new book, Troublemaker: Let's Do What It Takes to Make America Great Again, on August 16, 2011. The book will have an initial printing of 150,000 copies and will be priced at $25.99. SMP will release a simultaneous e-book.

Borders Update
Borders released documents on the amount of money it paid to creditors in the 90 days prior to filing Chapter 11. The bookseller also asked the bankruptcy court to authorize the company to renegotiate its leases in an effort to reduce rents and keep some stores open. Baker and Taylor and Ingram got the biggest payments. Borders paid about $40 million to B&T and another $10 million to Baker & Taylor Entertainment. The chain paid Ingram Content Group $48.7 million, with more than half of that coming after most publishers had stopped shipping books to Borders. Regarding lease renegotiation, the company said, "It is beneficial to try to obtain concessions from Landlords that can turn an underperforming store into a profitable location."

Other Press Ups Digital Royalty Rate
Indie house Other Press is raising its e-book royalty rate to 50% from the standard e-book royalty rate of 25%. Major publishers like Random House have adopted a shifting scale that can go up to 40%. The change takes effect on April 1. The digital royalty rate will rise to 50% once an author has earned out the advance. Before the advance is earned out, the digital royalty rate will stand at 30%, an increase over its current base of 25%.

Getting Close to Online 'Tax Fairness'
Citing pending legislation in a number of states, ABA president Oren Teicher told a gathering of indie booksellers that ongoing efforts for tax fairness—working to make online retailers like Amazon.com collect sales tax—are "getting there. The battle has been tipped to our side." He also cautioned retailers to not be complacent and continue to lobby their state representatives.

Hachette to Distribute Disney Book Group
Hachette Book Group is now handling Canadian sales and distribution for Disney Book Group. HBG also provides sales and physical distribution into the trade book market to Marvel Comics, also owned by the Walt Disney Company.

Georgia State's Fair Use Trial Date Set
A federal judge in Georgia has paved the way for publishers to go to trial on May 16 in a contentious copyright case involving e-reserve practices at Georgia State University. She allowed the action to proceed on a single, narrowly drawn charge of contributory infringement. GSU claims state immunity and fair use; a decision in the case could affect the scope of fair use.

Dorchester Promises to Pay Authors
In response to a call from author Brian Keene to boycott Dorchester Publishing because e-books whose rights had reverted to him were still being sold, the financially troubled house has taken steps to stop certain online vendors from selling those e-books. Dorchester CEO Bob Anthony acknowledged the problem and said suppress notices have been sent to the vendors demanding they remove the e-books from their sites. He said Dorchester will pass along all money to Keene on e-books that were sold after rights reverted. Currently in the midst of reorganizing Dorchestor, Anthony has promised that "all authors will be paid in full."

Random Finds Lost Seuss Stories
Random House Children's Books has announced that it will publish seven Seuss stories that appeared in magazines in the 1950s, but that have yet to appear in book form. The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories by Dr. Seuss, who died in 1991, will be available September 27.

Nosy Crow Inks European App Deals
U.K.-based Nosy Crow has closed deals to publish its apps in France and Germany. The German house Carlsen and French house Gallimard will release a number of the company's storybook apps in Europe. The first app to be released by both Carlsen and Gallimard will be the Three Little Pigs.

BEA Expands Digital Offerings
BEA is again partnering with the International Digital Publishing Forum to expand the IDPF Digital Zone, adding over 5,000 square feet, 17 booths, and 16 kiosks. The IDPF's standing event, Digital Book Conference, is set for May 23 and May 24.