Picking the Hot And Cold Global Markets

A panel of international guests from France, Holland, Israel, and the U.S. offered people attending Toronto's International Festival of Authors last week a sweeping view of how the economic crisis is affecting the publishing industry globally.

Selling Abroad: Funke in Germany, Houellebecq in France

Lots of new titles hit international bestsellers' lists in September, especially in Germany and France. German author Cornelia Funke, whose Inkheart series was published in the U.S. by Scholastic, debuted at #1 in September in Germany with her newest novel, Reckless.

Canadian Bestsellers as of August 2010

Penguin Canada Makeover Done

With the appointment of Rob Prichard as chairman of Penguin Group (Canada), the overhaul of the executive team of one of Canada's largest publishers that began with the departure of David Davidar following allegations of sexual harassment has been completed.

Publishers Ready for The Digital Dance

Canadian publishing has been watching the digital revolution to the south and waiting and preparing for it to cross the border. There are signs and stirrings, but so far the adoption of e-books and e-readers has been more evolutionary than revolutionary.

Children's Publishers Hope for Good Finish

After a slow start to 2010, Canadian children's publishers began to see a shift in business in the summer and now share guarded optimism that the year will finish on a good note. Despite an improved outlook for the fall, children's publishers are still exploring ways to spur growth throughout the year.

International Festival of Authors

The International Festival of Authors in Toronto is the biggest literary festival for the English market in Canada. (The French market has the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival and the successful Salon du Livre.) This year, 112 authors (61 Canadians and 51 international authors) will participate in the 10-day festival that runs this year October 20–30.

Bookstores and Beyond

In the recent lean years, publishers have looked for new sources of revenue. Corporate partnerships can help cover the production costs for a book and provide new channels for sales.

2010: Plenty for Canadian Publishers To Juggle

There are a lot of ways to describe a year that included a global economic meltdown and as much turbulence as the publishing industry saw in 2009, but "a tough act to follow," probably doesn't spring to mind.

U.S.-Bound Authors Tops in Germany, Sweden

Berlin defense attorney Ferdinand von Schirach scored his second bestseller in Germany last month with his second book, a collection of nine short stories involving unpunished criminal acts and the difficulty in discerning good and evil.

Sterling and Quercus Partner

Six-year-old British publishing house Quercus Publishing has entered into a three-year deal with Sterling Publishing to publish fiction in the U.S. and Canada via a new imprint called Silver Oak. The imprint will be owned 50/50 by Quercus and Sterling and will release titles in the U.S. that are already on Quercus's list.

Selling Abroad: Anglo Women Novelists Storm German List

Four novels by women who write in English were on Germany's Buchereport's fiction bestseller list for July.

Fischetti to Lead Penguin's Latin American Expansion Program

After realigning its international sales team to put a major emphasis on Spanish-language territories earlier this summer, Penguin Group is stepping up its focus on the Latin American market. It has just appointed Jacqueline Fischetti, who had been director of Penguin's speakers bureau, to the newly-created position of director of content development, international.

Vampire Novels, Nordic Fiction

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series was an international hit, and now her Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is doing well in Europe. It was at the top of the list in Germany and #2 in Spain last month. (Also in Spain, the third volume in Claudia Gray's Evernight vampire series, Hourglass, was #9. )

Deals: Week of 7/12/10

Pegasus Hopes 'Ice Princess' Will Heat Up in U.S.

All seven thrillers written by Camilla Lackberg have hit the bestsellers list in her native Sweden, and most have landed at the top or near the top spot in other European countries, with The Jinx #1 in France in May and #4 in Spain. New York independent publisher Pegasus Books is betting her popularity will translate in the U.S.

No 'Jinx' for Lackberg: Selling Abroad

Swedish bestselling mystery author Camilla Lackberg has just been published in the U.S. with Pegasus Books releasing The Ice Princess (story, page 10) earlier this month; she hit the May bestsellers list in France in the top spot with The Jinx. In addition to debuting at #1 in France, Jinx landed in the fourth spot in Spain.

Penguin Realigns International Sales Department

Penguin has realigned its international sales team, putting a major emphasis on Spanish-language territories. A new international sales team now reports to Barbara O'Shea, president of non-trade sales, and includes special markets. The company has hired Carlos Azula as v-p, international sales, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Mexico, reflecting its increased focus in those areas.

Review of the Day: Saramago's The Notebook

With The Notebook, Nobel Prize winner, Saramago, who died on Friday, offers the reader a rare glimpse into his personal life with the publication of a year’s worth of blog entries. Encouraged by his family, Saramago agreed to blog about any and everything he had to say.

Penguin Leadership Vacuum Worries Canadian Book Industry

In the wake of David Davidar's sudden departure from Penguin Group (Canada) and some mixed messages about plans for future leadership of the company, people in the Canadian book industry are watching closely to see if Penguin will follow through with hiring a new president for its Canadian subsidiary.