By Hannah Johnson Yesterday, the UK passed a controversial piece of legislation called the Digital Economy Bill. The bill is intended to protect copyright holders against piracy and illegal filesharing online. While many companies would like to combat and stop online piracy of intellectual property, protests against the bill have grown steadily since it was introduced last year. The decision …
Are There Still Topics Too Taboo for Fiction?
By Edward Nawotka Today’s lead story by Chip Rossetti discusses the popularity of Essam Youssef’s heroin-fueled novel 1/4 Gram, which is set in the world Cairo’s high society. Some of the popularity of the novel is that it portrays a world — a taboo world — little seen by readers in the Arab world. The same could be said for …
James Bridle Explores the Bookshops of Mexico City
By Edward Nawotka UK publisher and internet entrepreneur James Bridle recently made a side trip to Mexico City following his appearance at the SXSW conference in Texas. He blogged this week about his time there visiting the bookstores, including Atrio, Librería Pegaso, and MUCA Roma, among others… I walked a lot (in one very small area of the central city), …
Author Contracts 2.0: Putting Cash Before Copyright and Control
By Liz Bury In the world of multi-channel digital distribution the future author contract is likely to put transparency and cash flow above copyright protection, as a new working dynamic emerges between publishers and authors. The advent of digital distribution means that authors should “surrender to the inevitable” and let go of control of their work, said Clive Rich, principal …
DK UK’s Clever “End of Publishing” Video
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Weq_sHxghcg
Sorry Hilary, I’m voting for The Little Stranger
By Erin L. Cox If you missed it, The Independent just announced the Orange Prize shortlist. Among the books where Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning WOLF HALL and one of my favorite books from 2009, Sarah Waters’ brilliant THE LITTLE STRANGER. Read the article above for more information. The winner will be announced on June 9th.
Are You Flying British Airways to Bologna? Not Anymore!
By Hannah Johnson As reported in the Bookseller today, British Airways cabin crews have announced strikes that will affect travel both before and after the Bologna Children’s Book Fair this year, which will be held March 23-26. The strikes are scheduled to take place on March 20-22 and March 27-30. British Airways says that not all of its flights during …
Do We Need Separate ISBNs per E-book per Format per Region?
By Edward Nawotka In today’s lead story Liz Bury considers the state of the ISBN debate as regards to the proliferation of e-books in various formats. The debate going on is whether or not it is necessary to issue separate ISBNs for each e-book in each format. More ISBNs mean better analytics on the retail end, but require added logistics. …
“E-book ISBN Mess Needs Sorting Out,” Say UK Publishers
By Liz Bury LONDON: The subject of how book digitization is affecting the future of the ISBN may not be as sexy as say pricing or sequencing issues, but it is just as important. Right now, publishers around the globe are taking different approaches to assigning ISBNs to e-books, that is if they are assigning them at all. The situation …
Stumbling on My “Dream Story” in Malta (Circa 1941)
By Mark Mills My new novel, The Information Officer, marks something of a new departure for me in that it’s a story that came about through pure chance. My previous two novels, Amagansett and The Savage Garden, are set in corners of the world that I know intimately — the South Fork of Long Island and the hills of Tuscany, respectively. …