A Peek at the February 28 'PW'

In Monday’s issue of the magazine, there’s a piece on how B&N is looking for the right print/digital balance; a story on the vast licensing empire surrounding the Dummies brand; and a look at Seven Stories’ forthcoming “There Are Things I Want You to Know” About Stieg Larsson and Me by the author’s longtime companion. Our international coverage includes a piece on the worldwide launch of the final book in Jean Auel’s Earth’s Children series and international bestseller lists. In Retailing, an article on a world with fewer Borders finds a downsized chain doesn’t necessarily mean a windfall for indies. A feature on travel guides features a Why I Write essay by Rick Steves. In children’s, a new novel, Between Shades of Gray, reveals a hidden chapter in WWII history.

Haymarket Author Denied Visa

Chicago publisher Haymarket Books expects to put on hold a book tour for Omar Barghouti scheduled for April because the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem has denied him a visa to enter the country. Barghouti, the founding member of the Palestinian Civil Society Boycott, Divestment, Sanction Campaign, is the author of Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights. The book is being released in April with a 4,000-copy first print run.

A Peek at the February 21 'PW'

Monday’s issue of the magazine has lots of Borders coverage, looking at the history of the chain, as well as its future. There is coverage of Toy Fair and Tools of Change, and in Retailing, we take a look at bookstore sales in 2010, which fell, although not as much as many had feared. The bulk of the issue contains our children’s announcements, and there is a story on Lauren Myracle, “this generation’s Judy Blume.” In Reviews, there is a boxed review of Field Gray by Philip Kerr; a Q&A with Louis Bayard, author of The School of Night; and boxed reviews of two examinations of the history and the future of the world’s water supply. The Soapbox shares stories from the Sacramento Bee Book Club.

A Peek at the February 14 'PW'

In Monday’s issue of the magazine, there’s a piece on the viability of distribution in Canada and the government’s supporting role of the industry in light of Fenn's bankruptcy. There’s an item on three tongue-in-cheek websites that recently impressed publishers enough to make the jump to print, as well as a story on “playing fair” in mystery novels. We look at the “quiet revolution” taking place at venerable comics publisher Archie Comics, and at the University of Nebraska Press’s Bison Books. Cory Doctorow is back with his “With a Little Help” column, and in Retailing, Marc Jacobs adds bookselling and publishing to its empire. A feature on the global market for cookbooks explains what qualities make cookbooks attractive to readers outside the U.S. Also, Dan Ozzi writes a piece on award-winning Washington Post book critic Ron Charles’s creative, entertaining video book reviews and their runaway success; and there is a profile of Meghan O’Rourke, author of The Long Goodbye.

Call for Information: Fast-Growing Small Publishers

Feature: Fast-Growing Small Publishers

Issue: March 7

Deadline: February 18


Needed: To be considered for inclusion in our annual look at fast-growing small publishers, presses with net sales of between $2 million and $10 million should submit net sales for 2008--2010, number of employees in those years as well as the number of new titles released. Sales will be kept confidential. A brief description on the reasons behind the growth should also be included. E-mail responses to Jim Milliot; phone 212-377-5705.

Reminder: Call for Information

Today is the deadline for publishers’ submissions for PW’s February 28 Travel feature; our Call for Info is in the Jan. 31 issue (p. 8) and on the home page of our site, in the right-hand column. Please e-mail information to Dick Donahue and kindly include the requested comments.

'PW' to Host Truth in Nonfiction Panel

PW will host its first breakfast panel of the year February 22 in New York City, titled Truth in Nonfiction: What Is the Publisher’s Responsibility? The panel will address the fact that over the years, there have been many nonfiction books that have proved to be partly or wholly fabricated.

Skyhorse to Do 'Instant' Packer Book

Following its acquisition of the assets late last year of Sports Publishing, Skyhorse Publishing is resurrecting a Sports Publishing tradition—releasing instant books about the winning teams of major sporting events—albeit with a twist. Rather than team with news organizations to write a quick book about a championship team, Skyhorse will use Sports Publishing's backlist to update relevant titles. To that end, to mark the Green Bay Packers victory in Sunday’s Super Bowl, Skyhorse, is re-issuing Tales from the Green Bay Packers Sideline by Chuck Carlson.

'Los Angeles Review of Books' Now Set for April

The Los Angeles Review of Books, which was originally scheduled to launch last October, will now make its debut this April after overcoming budget cuts and staff layoffs at the University of California at Riverside, the online periodical's primary sponsor.

A Peek at the February 7 'PW'

In the News section of Monday’s issue, we take a look at Harper’s approach to audio and offer an analysis of the New York Times’s new e-book and combined bestsellers lists. In Retailing, a story on bookselling in the Midwest finds new booksellers emerge as others move on.

The 'Times' Unveils E-book Bestsellers, Combined Lists

At a breakfast Thursday morning the New York Times unveiled its new e-book bestsellers that will appear in print in its February 13 edition. The list is broken into fiction and nonfiction and the Times is adding a combined print and e-book bestsellers list as well.

Gale Sponsors Contest for Librarians

Gale, part of Cengage Learning, is running a contest to recognize librarians around the country, called “Are You a Librarian Superhero?” The company is asking librarians, library patrons, students, and school administrators to nominate “superhero librarians” who are “making a real difference for their library and community.”

Thomas Nelson Launches Sweepstakes

Thomas Nelson is hosting a sweepstakes in the hopes of getting customers into bookstores. Called “On the House,” it began Tuesday and runs until April 30.

A Peek at the January 31 'PW'

In Monday’s issue of the magazine, there’s a piece on Storyville, a website designed to get people to read short stories; and a summary of Digital Book World. The Retailing section offers a wrap-up of Winter Institute 6. As the wait for a decision on the Google settlement approaches the one year mark, PW talks with author and media scholar Siva Vaidhyanathan, whose new book, The Googlization of Everything, examines the expanding influence of Google. There is a profile of Oregon crime writer Chelsea Cain, and in Reviews, there is a boxed double review of two studies of the blossoming of women artists; and Q&As with Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, author of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana, and Patrick Rothfuss, author of The Wise Man’s Fear.

S&S Creates Dedicated Reading Group Resources Page

Simon & Schuster has a new, dedicated Reading Group Resources page on simonandschuster.com. The page highlights authors and book group picks; and lets visitors browse reading group guides by subject and author, get information on the genesis of some favorite book club titles, view trailers and videos, get tips for book club leaders on how to start their own groups and facilitate discussions, access sample reading group discussion questions, discuss books on its message boards, and read the Simon & Schuster Book Club Newsletter.

Call for Nominations: 2011's PW Bookstore and PW Rep of the Year

Publishers Weekly is seeking nominations for the 19th annual PW Bookstore and PW Sales Rep of the Year awards to be presented this spring at BookExpo America in New York City. Award winners will also be profiled in the pre-BEA issue of Publishers Weekly magazine.

A Peek at the January 24 'PW'

Monday’s issue of the magazine starts off with a report on a survey that finds trends favoring Amazon growth. Elsewhere in the News section, indie presses brace for shrinking shelf space at the chains, and in Retailing, we take a look at bookselling at Target. The bulk of the issue is devoted to spring announcements; essays by PW editors cover the top 10 titles in each category, and listings summarize hundreds of forthcoming titles. There’s a feature on this spring’s debut novelists; a Q&A with Colin Thubron, author of To a Mountain in Tibet; and the Soapbox addresses the importance of metadata in publishing.

Random, Pulpwood Queens Book Club Partner on Online Talk Show

Random House is teaming with Kathy Patrick, founder of the Pulpwood Queens Book Club and owner of the Texas hair salon/bookstore Beauty and the Book to launch an online book club talk show featuring interviews with Random authors. Avideh Bashirrad, director of marketing for the Random House Publishing Group, said they created the show in response to increased demand for digital content from book clubs.

Circalit Seeks Crime Fiction

A year-old social networking and digital distribution platform that aims to bring writers and agents together has created a contest to find "the next big crime fiction blockbuster." Circalit, launched in February 2010 as a place for screenwriters to showcase their work to studios, began inviting novelists, playwrights, and short story writers to post their work in July 2010.

A Peek at the January 17 'PW'

In Monday's issue of the magazine, the News section has a story on ALA's recent midwinter meeting in San Diego, a summary of the Future of Publishing Roundtable that took place this week, and a look at international bestsellers. In Retailing, a story investigates if it's time to change co-op. A feature on the upcoming crop of political books finds that folks who slunk away except for periodic cameos on FOX News are in full force, offering their action plans for the future and looking back at the past. In Reviews, there's a boxed review of The Troubled Man by Henning Mankell, and a Q&A with Joseph O'Connor, author of Ghost Light.