THIS WEEK


News Review The headlines: in brief


Bloomsbury reports sales growth despite the effects of lockdown


Bloomsbury saw year-on-year sales growth of 18% in its first quarter to the end of June, totalling £49.5m, while total consumer sales rose by 28% to £31.5m. The strong results belie earlier fears about the effects of the coronavirus lockdown; in April, Bloomsbury issued new shares and implemented a raſt of cash-saving measures, warning of a “prudent downside scenario” which could see print revenues fall by as much as 75%.


BLOOMSBURY HAD PREDICTED A “PRUDENT DOWNSIDE SCENARIO” IN APRIL AFTER THE COUNTRY WENT INTO LOCKDOWN AND BOOKSHOPS CLOSED


The quarter saw revenue in the consumer adult trade division up 29% to £12.7m, with sales in the consumer children’s trade division up 27% to £18.8m. Total consumer sales growth was up 28% to £31.5m. Non-consumer division revenue was up 3% above last year for a total of £18m, with academic and professional section growth of 4%.


of the Week


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A new literary magazine, INQUE, is being launched with only 10 issues planned, one each year between 2021 and 2030. Granta editor Dan Crowe and the New York Times Magazine’s former art director Matt Willey are launching the magazine, promising stellar contributors including Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Joyce Carol Oates, Kate Tempest and Tom Waits. A Kickstarter crowdfunder for the project aims to raise £150,000. Further details can be found at inquemag.com.


Rights deal


Kay’s biography of Bessie Smith to Faber Poet and writer Jackie Kay is to publish a biography of the blues singer Bessie Smith with Faber. Editorial director Alexa von Hirschberg, who was “blown away” by the “striking resonance” of the work, acquired world all-language rights from Alba Ziegler-Bailey at the The Wylie Agency. The book details Smith’s “notoriously difficult” life, from singing on street corners as a child to fighting the Ku Klux Klan. Bessie Smith will be published in the UK on 16th February 2021.


10 24th July 2020 Rights deal Stat


Print revenues in total were 9% above last year’s sales, and digital revenues grew by 63% year on year.


UK revenues were 16% higher than last year and US revenues grew by 38%. But sales in India plummeted to 70% below last year’s figures, which the publisher has atributed to “the severe impact of government lockdowns”. A spokesperson said: “Our digital


strategy has placed us well to benefit from increased demand for digital resources, audio and e-books during the pandemic... Our good May and June performance in particular were unexpected, and historically demand for books has been resilient in times of economic downturns. “However, our customers are unclear about what is to follow. Our outlook in the next eight months therefore remains uncertain as the pandemic continues.”


Hamya’s début Three Rooms goes to Cape Jonathan Cape has scooped Three Rooms, the début novel from journalist and ex-Waterstones bookseller Jo Hamya. Ana Fletcher, senior editor, acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Harriet Moore at the David Higham Agency, for publication in summer 2021. The novel follows a young woman who goes from an Oxford rented room to couch- surfing on a casual contract before travelling back, jobless, to her childhood bedroom. Fletcher said: “Jo has a talent the likes of which only comes along very rarely.”


IPA voices ‘concerns’ over situation in Hong Kong The International Publishers Association has expressed concern at press reports that certain books have have been removed from public libraries and bookshops in Hong Kong. It comes as the new Chinese Security Law is implemented there. Missing titles include works by


prominent protester Joshua Wong, among others. Kristenn Einarsson, chair of the


The Bookseller @thebookseller


The Publishers Association estimates that 2019 was “the biggest year ever for UK publishing”. Find out more here: bit.ly/3hkbwSM


IPA’s Freedom to Publish committee, said: “It is extremely concerning. We stand with publishing colleagues anywhere who are affected by book bans and call on governments around the world to protect the right to publish freely in their countries.” The IPA has previously expressed


concern about the situation for Hong Kong publishing, particularly in connection with the now-closed publishing house co-owned by Gui Minhai. Minhai is currently in jail in China.


Photography: Mary McCartney


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