24.03.17
www.thebookseller.com
NEWS REVIEW
13 3 RETAIL RESULTS
RIGHTS DEALS
OLIVER’S 20TH AWAITS Michael Joseph is publishing a new cookbook from Jamie Oliver this autumn, Jamie’s Quick & Easy 5-Ingredient Food, to tie in with an eight-part prime-time Channel 4 series. The book, MJ’s 20th with Oliver, is promised to be his “clearest, simplest, most easy-to-use cookbook yet”. It aims to help readers to see the value in combinations of five ingredients to create “no fuss”, delicious meals.
CAPE’S ALTRUISTS Jonathan Cape has acquired début novel The Altruists by 25-year-old Andrew Ridker, who has inked a spate of worldwide deals. Michal Shavit, publishing director, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights to the novel from Peter Straus at RCW. The “heartbreaking” book, set in St Louis and following a family over three decades, has sold in 20 countries to date. Cape will publish in spring 2019.
BEAZLEY BAGS BOOZE BIBLE BY BARTENDERS Mitchell Beazley will publish a book of 100 cocktail recipes from “the world’s best” bartenders, in collaboration with soft drinks brand Fever- Tree. Group publishing director Denise Bates acquired world rights from agent Jane Turnbull. Fever-Tree: The Art of Mixing... will be published on 7th September, priced £15.
Blackwell’s hit by premises flux
Blackwell’s losses deepened in its latest set of financial results, but the retailer reported that investment in its stores and an increase in digital textbook sales have led to 10% growth in recent months. In the year to 25th June 2016, Blackwell’s recorded a loss of £2.9m on turnover of £43.3m, an increase on a loss of £2.2m on sales of £45.8m in the previous 12-month period (excluding the closure of its library services US contracts in the prior year). The company was hit by a key campus bookshop,
serving Manchester University, moving into temporary accommodation while the university undergoes an extensive redevelopment programme. Blackwell’s is also still counting the revenue loss from the closure of its Charing Cross Road branch in London 2014, although it opened a new shop in nearby Holborn. Stripping out sales of the Manchester branch, the company said revenue was flat on a like-for-like basis. The company has also invested in its e-commerce
site and distribution capabilities, and grown its London-based Blackwell Learning team. With digital resources being used more widely in Higher Education, the company has struck a number of partnerships with universities for students to use its e-textbook platform, with sales through it up 249% year on year, the retailer told The Bookseller. Chief executive David Prescott said: “It was always
going to be a challenging year for Blackwell’s owing to the changes affecting our Manchester flagship. Regardless, we continued to focus on building a sustainable future through ongoing investment in shops, digital and online, maintaining a strong focus on the needs of our core customer groups, and developing strong partnerships with key academic institutions. That investment has served us well, providing the platform from which we have been able to start to deliver real and significant sales growth in the current financial year.”
Figures from across the book industry joined his Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh, patron of Book Aid International (BAI), at an event organised by the charity to celebrate books’ ability to change lives on Tuesday evening (21st March). Held at St James’s Palace, London, broadcaster
Jonathan Dimbleby provided a guest speech, while BAI director Alison Tweed hailed the organisation’s achievement of sending a million books a year to schools across Africa since 2014. It was attended by publishers from HarperCollins and Cengage, along with booksellers such as Blackwell’s chief executive David Prescott.
Pacy Cox breaks Unbound record
Tom Cox’s 21st Century Yokel has become the fastest title to reach its funding target on Unbound, doing so in just seven hours. Described by the author as “the book I’ve been waiting a decade to write”, it explores the way
“we can be tied inescapably to landscape—whether we like it or not”. The book was launched on Unbound on 15th March, and is currently 168% funded, with pledges still coming in. Cox has published eight books
through “traditional” houses, including Sphere and Yellow Jersey, which issued his William Hill-longlisted Bring Me the Head
picthall and gunzi essential early learning
From 1st April all Picthall and Gunzi titles will be distributed by Award Publications Contact your preferred wholesaler or
sales@awardpublications.co.uk
of Alfredo Garcia. He also runs the popular WhyMyCatisSad Twitter account, which has more 320,000 followers. Unbound acquired world rights to the title from Cox’s agent, Ed Wilson at Johnson & Alcock. The author added: “I’m thrilled... 21st Century Yokel is an unusual book, [one] that doesn’t fit into any conventional publishing boxes.”
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