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More Paperwork for Toy Manufacturers
It is hard to believe but there is a new regulation out there that demands even stricter product documentation than the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) for children's products. Say hello to the 2009/48/EC Toy Safety Directive (TSD), effective July 2011, which applies to all toy manufacturers exporting to the European market.
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Ongoing Coverage of the Asian Print Industry
In conjunction with the Printing in Hong Kong 2012 print report (published on August 6), PW will continue to add new articles relevant to the Asian printing industry.
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Is Rowling Tarnishing Her Rep Abroad over Piracy Fears?
If you’re a Slovenian fan of J.K. Rowling, and you’re eager to get your hands on the first available copy of her forthcoming novel, The Casual Vacancy, you’re probably going to have to read the book in English. This will also be the case in Italy, Finland, and several other countries. And the reason is that Rowling’s team has made an unusual move: they are delaying the delivery of the manuscript to a handful of foreign publishers over concerns about piracy.
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Fifty Shades Goes International
It turns out the Fifty Shades craze is not restricted to the U.S. On all three charts tracked this month, E.L. James’s blockbuster book placed high on the list. In Spain and Italy, where Fifty Shades of Grey debuted in June, it landed at #1 and #2, respectively. In the Netherlands, the book jumped to second place from #13.
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Hachette UK Opening Hong Kong Sales Office
Hachette UK is opening a sales office in China that will cover Southeast Asia. The new Hong Kong office, which will cover the entire region (save Singapore, Malaysia and China), will be overseen by new hire Paul Kenny
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Beacon to Publish First Tweet Book: Tweet Land of Liberty
A party sponsored by Boston’s independent writing center, Grub Street, leads to Beacon Press’s first Tweet book and Elinor Lipman's first almost-instant book.
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New Leadership Team at RH Australia and New Zealand
Margie Seale, managing director of Random House Australia and New Zealand, as well as president of Asia Development Random House Inc., is stepping down. With her departure, the publisher has created a new ANZ leadership team that will be overseen by Andrew Davis and Karen Ferns.
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U.S. Authors, Nonfiction Hot
The #5 book in Italy in May, Gianluigi Nuzzi’s His Holiness. The Secret Documents of Benedict XVI, has caused international news since its publication. Pope Benedict XVI’s butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested late last month on suspicion of releasing dozens of embarrassing letters to Nuzzi disclosing corruption and nepotism at the Holy See.
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Overlook Press to Publish New Russian Literature Series
Overlook Press and the Russian Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communication plan to launch a series of classic and contemporary Russian literature in English translation in print and digital editions.
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Google Settles With Authors—In France
How do you say “opt-in” in French? According to statements, Google and the French publishers association have agreed to a "framework" settlement that will allow Google to scan and sell copyrighted but out-of-print French books.
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Publishing in Russia 2012: An Alliance for a Stronger Industry
From the list of activities it has held or participated in within Moscow, in the regions or even outside of Russia, one would think that the Alliance of Independent Booksellers and Publishers is an old and established organization. Nothing is further from the truth.
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Publishing in Russia 2012: Corpus Books on Cover Design
In the Soviet era, when distribution and publishing were state-owned operations, there was little need to distinguish one book or publisher from the next. Today, a vastly different picture has emerged: it is that of a fully privatized Russian book industry, a crumbled distribution network, and an increasingly competitive marketplace flooded with new titles. Limited shelf space and shorter shelf lives means books have to fight for consumer attention. Content by itself is no longer enough to sell a book. Design and presentation sells too.
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Arch Tait on translating Russian works: Publishing in Russia 2012
Winner of the inaugural English PEN Literature in Translation award in 2010 for Anna Politkovskaya's Putin's Russia (Harvill Press), Arch Tait has worked with many well-known Russian writers including Ludmila Ulitskaya, Vladimir Makanin, Victor Pelevin, Peter Aleshkovsky, Andrey Volos and Anatoly Kurchatkin. He was the UK editor of Glas New Russian Writing translation series from 1993 to 2000, and still translates for the Moscow-based publishing house.
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Big Names Top The Charts
The top three titles on Sweden’s fiction list in April were all in new positions, including Kristina Ohlsson’s Hostage. Ohlsson published her first book in the U.S. in February 2012 with Atria—Unwanted, a mystery cited for “superior prose, plotting, and characterization” in its starred review from PW. Sweden’s top title, Sacrifice to Moloch, is by Åsa Larsson, who has also published in the U.S., including 2008’s The Black Path (Delta), which received a star from PW.
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Generating Positive Energy and Results at Sunmark Publishing
Guided by the mission to put life’s energy in the hands of readers, Tokyo-based Sunmark Publishing publishes books about self-help/improvement, health, and general well-being. Company president and publisher Nobutaka Ueki says, “Everything that works in accordance with nature is important. A book to us is a form of energy. After working with an author to create an energy-filled book, we carry out a series of promotional campaigns to boost the book with even more energy.” Sunmark, he adds, produces positive-energy books that advocate the joy of living and seek to provide relief from the stresses of life. “A book based on scandals may sell like hot cakes, but will ultimately produce negative energy. This is not for us.”
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International Bestsellers May 2012: Big Names Top The Charts
The top three titles on Sweden's fiction list in April were all in new positions, including Kristina Ohlsson's Hostage. Ohlsson published her first book in the U.S. in February 2012 with Atria—Unwanted, a mystery cited for "superior prose, plotting, and characterization" in its starred review from PW. Sweden's top title, Sacrifice to Moloch, is by Åsa Larsson, who has also published in the U.S., including 2008's The Black Path (Delta), which received a star from PW.
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Content Services 2012: Balancing Aesthetics and Subjectivity in Creative Services
Producing a biblical-themed illustrated English alphabet book is nothing new. But outsourcing its production to the largely Hindu India, where vendors are known for their prowess in the SSTM segment, is something else. It shows how much the Indian content services industry has expanded over the years, moving from the technical to the more creative side of the business.
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Meshcheryakov on Cooking and Children's Books: Publishing in Russia 2012
Cooking up a storm while chattering about children's books on TV may sound like a strange match. But Vadim Meshcheryakov, who loves to cook, thinks his "A Book Kitchen" idea makes perfect sense. "Cooking takes place in a convivial atmosphere, where friendly chats are most conducive. You can talk about anything—including books—while dishing up some good stuff to eat."
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Publishing in Russia 2012: Peter Mayer on Publishing and Promoting Russian Works
When it comes to publishing Russian translations, no one has done it longer—or more successfully—than Peter Mayer. During his tenure as chairman and CEO of Penguin, from 1978 to 1997, the publishing house launched a series of Russian classics that any budding bookworm should read from cover to cover or purchase for his or her library.
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Publishing in Russia 2012: The Debut Prize and Young Russian authors
Launched in 2000, the Debut Prize is an independent literary award for authors under 35 years of age. It is supported by the Pokolenie Foundation, founded in 1996 by politician and philanthropist Andrei Skoch. So far, 73 works have won from the 50,000-plus entries received each year.
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