This is a blog about books and reading
“The biggest issue facing us is visibility,” says publisher Daniel Wells, who hopes that the new terms will incentivize independent booksellers to stock and hold his house’s titles.
A spike in readership among the cohort driving #BookTok, as well as in-store renovations and innovations in ordering, have resulted in a profitable year for America’s one remaining mega-chain.
Revenue was up in the third quarter, including increased sales for books in all categories.
“I figure we lost a huge number of sales in October,” says Simon Dardick, co-publisher of Montreal’s Véhicule Press. “By the time the books came out we had missed deadlines.”
Despite reduced foot traffic due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the company reported healthy earnings in the 13 weeks ending October 2.
The Stanford University professor surveys the literary landscape in the shadow of the online giant.
A labour shortage and increased lead times on the part of domestic and international printers are putting pressure on the country’s book distribution network trying to get product to consumers in a timely fashion.
“The entire chain has been disrupted all at the same time,” says Association of Canadian Press executive director Kate Edwards.
Total unit sales were up year-over-year for the first part of 2021, with juvenile/young adult sales in the lead, followed by adult nonfiction, and adult fiction.
“Even under the blockade, it made us feel as a part of the world,” says one writer and translator about the cultural significance of the demolished store.