Bookstore Sales Rose in August
According the U.S. Census Bureau, bookstore sales hit $1.68 billion in August, up from $1.63 billion in the same month last year—a 3.4% increase. Sales through the first eight months of 2014 were $7.49 billion, down 5.3% compared to the same period in 2013.
KDP Star Creates Print Imprint
Barbara Freethy, Amazon KDP’s top-selling author, has launched Hyde Street, a new imprint to oversee publication of her works in print formats. The imprint will publish six–eight titles annually. Hyde Street is part of Freethy’s Fog City Publishing company; its titles will be distributed by IPS.
AwesomenessTV Launches Book Line
AwesomenessTV, which produces teen-oriented series for YouTube, is launching Awesomeness Ink, a YA book imprint. The imprint launched with two titles: Runaways, written by the series creator Beth Szymkowski, and Side Effects, by YA author Jen Calonita. The books are edited by Cindy Eagan, formerly head of the Poppy Imprint at Little, Brown, and debuted last week in print and digital formats.
Worthy Buys Ideals Imprint
Worthy Publishing, a Nashville-based Christian publisher, has acquired the Ideals Children’s Books line from Guideposts. Byron Williamson, Worthy’s president and publisher, noted that the purchase continues Worthy’s expansion. The line is Worthy’s second acquisition from Guideposts. In 2012, Worthy purchased the Ellie Claire Gift and Paper Expressions imprint.
Month9Books Launches Tantrum Books
Month9Books, a publisher of dark YA fiction and the Swoon Romance line, is targeting a younger audience with Tantrum Books, a new middle-grade imprint. The imprint focuses on speculative fiction and is aimed at readers ages seven and up. Tantrum will release four–six titles per year and will be distributed by IPG. Tantrum Books launches Oct. 21 with three novels: Krystalyn Drown’s Tracy Tam: Santa Command, King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant, and Curse of the Granville Fortune by Kelly Hashway.
